All Grain Brewing - Is it worth the effort? How long does it normally take from start to pitching the yeast?!
All Grain Brewing - Is it worth the effort? How long does it normally take from start to pitching the yeast?
Just curious if I want to go down this road. I'm intrigued about some of the recipes I've made with a mini-mash combined with a malt extract kit.
Answers:
For me it is worth the effort. I can only say for you that it may be. You expressed some curiosity with it and this may the signal, "you got the bug." Once bitten by the "all grain" bug many people never or rarely do extract again. Perhaps it is because we feel closer to the brew, more like a brewer. More control on malt character, alcohol, mouth-feel-gravity, etc. I only do extracts now when time is limited.
All grain brewing which involves the mash & sparge procedures can take 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours for an infusion mash and perhaps double that for a decoction. This includes heating your water for the strike or doughing-In (adding grist to the hot water.) Other than this all other times (boil, cooling, are the same as with an extract brew.
So, I would say approx. 4-6 hours for an infusion mash and 5-8 hours for a decoction mash from beginning to pitching. {Decoction mash is really only for Pils and a couple other Continental Lagers. And then you would want to get a 4 or 6 row malt from your supplirer. Many people use a two-row variety which would greatly reduce decoction mash times. But the method is worth at least a try.}
I recommend you find an all grain brewer to work with him/her to discover if its for you.
Enjoy...