How difficult is it to move to all-grain brewing?!
I've been brewing for a little while now, and I've made 5 batches so far using partial-mash technique!. What are some of the techniques involved in all-grain brewing, and how much harder is it to do in terms of time involved and difficulty of the process!?Www@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
All grain brewing really isn't more difficult, it's just more time consuming!. And you need more equipment!. The hardest part for me was getting a grain mill, and since I was already in a brew club, I just borrow one when I need to brew and it doesn't cost me anything except a few brews at most!. I always did extract with specialty grains, and was making great brews, then one day I went to set up an ingredient order, and noticed my local homebrew shop had a wrong shipment of grain and was selling 55lb bags of 2-row barley for about $30!. Did some research, and realized I could make a lot of beer with that, or spend the same money on just extract and specialty grains for one batch!. So I made myself a mashtun, bought the grain, borrowed a grain mill, and haven't really looked back!.
If you're already doing partial mash, then things aren't going to be much different for you, just on a larger scale and with out the extract base!. Instead you used crushed 2row, 6row, pilsen or other base grains and just mash them to malt!. The other only difference is with your boil, you should have a larger pot (and good burner) so that you can boil down your wort!. When all grain mashing, your "extract" is lower in sugar content than concentrated DME or LME!. So it sometimes helps to boil it down a gallon or so!.
For the most part, I'd say it's not a difficult process, it gives you more options to play with (which aren't so scary once you do it), it saves money, and can be a lot of fun!. On the downside, you need more equipment, it takes more time to brew, and with more options, there's more worries and need to pay close attention!.
Lastly, If you're really enjoying your home brewing hobby, as with most hobbies, you want to get a little more advanced and be a little more challenged!. If you don't go to all grain now, you will eventually!. It is inevitable!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
If you're already doing partial mash, then things aren't going to be much different for you, just on a larger scale and with out the extract base!. Instead you used crushed 2row, 6row, pilsen or other base grains and just mash them to malt!. The other only difference is with your boil, you should have a larger pot (and good burner) so that you can boil down your wort!. When all grain mashing, your "extract" is lower in sugar content than concentrated DME or LME!. So it sometimes helps to boil it down a gallon or so!.
For the most part, I'd say it's not a difficult process, it gives you more options to play with (which aren't so scary once you do it), it saves money, and can be a lot of fun!. On the downside, you need more equipment, it takes more time to brew, and with more options, there's more worries and need to pay close attention!.
Lastly, If you're really enjoying your home brewing hobby, as with most hobbies, you want to get a little more advanced and be a little more challenged!. If you don't go to all grain now, you will eventually!. It is inevitable!.Www@FoodAQ@Com