Got the new Gorillaz single going in the background, pretty sweet, and all I can think about is my first all grain batch. I want to do it, I feel like I can do it, so I should right? Extract based beers are known to lack middle body. If you take a sip, the first taste and smell of an extract IPA leads you on, tickling your fancy and palate. Floral, pungent hop aroma and bite latches onto your senses, and then all of a sudden, it's gone, like it was never there in the first place. I have had fun brewing and learning both with friends and by myself. I want more and I hope that I can do it soon.
The one drawback to all grain is the time it takes. If a batch of extract takes 3-4 hours then this is going to take 4-5. I feel like involving my family, and Katie has shown interest in this, so I need to find out how to make brewing accessible to a nineteen month old. Only time will tell.
This is basically what I want, but I will probably end up with a chest cooler
I've not done all-grain, but I've done partial-mashes (3-4 pounds of grain) and it's totally doable. Equipment was the only thing really holding me back, but I think if you have capability for a 6.5 gallon boil, you'll be capable of really doing it.
ReplyDeleteThe first couple times, I was really careful re: temperature (of both the mash and the sparge water), and it seemed like the efficiency was actually pretty good (maybe 75%?). And that was just with an old mesh colander. I was forced to sparge in steps, just a few cups of grist at a time.
I guess lately I've been winging it more since it seems to be relatively forgiving, and I've also got the few pounds of extract as a safety net to reach my desired OG.