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Extract, Partial Mash or All Grain?

Which type of brewer are you?

  • Extract Brewer

    Votes: 2 12.5%
  • Partial Mash Brewer

    Votes: 2 12.5%
  • All Grain Brewer

    Votes: 12 75.0%

  • Total voters
    16

BeerSmith

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I noticed a fair number of all grain brewers here, but I was wondering what the actual proportion of all grain to extract brewers was?

Thanks,
Brad
 
I'm an extract brewer that's just dipping my toe into the PM pool, so I voted under extract. 
 
Although I brew all grain, I tell everybody that extract and specialty grain batches can produce GREAT beers. There is absolutly nothing wrong with that type of brewing. I did it for 4 years.

Brew on,
jeff
 
I started extract, then I have dome PM for 8 months or so and I just started doing All Grain.
 
I never made an extract, or pm batch .... I started with AG and have no reason not to continue.
 
Wow!
  That is unusual - very few people jump right to all grain.  Did you have someone help you learn to brew or did you really jump right into all grain by yourself?

Brad
 
I did a LOT of research on the internet, read in their entirety John Palmer's 'How To Brew', and Ray Daniel's 'Designing Great Beers', and used your awesome product BeerSmith from the very beginning!  Personally, I do not feel that people need to work their way up to AG brewing, as I do not find it difficult at all - more time-consuming - absolutely, but more difficult, absolutely not.  Knowing how to follow procedures and having the right equipment is really all one needs. 

If you have the technical competency to bake a cake from scratch, you can brew AG beer.  With that being said however, my success would not have been what it has been without BeerSmith!

- GL63
 
GrantLee63 said:
I did a LOT of research on the internet, read in their entirety John Palmer's 'How To Brew', and Ray Daniel's 'Designing Great Beers', and used your awesome product BeerSmith from the very beginning!  Personally, I do not feel that people need to work their way up to AG brewing, as I do not find it difficult at all - more time-consuming - absolutely, but more difficult, absolutely not.  Knowing how to follow procedures and having the right equipment is really all one needs. 

If you have the technical competency to bake a cake from scratch, you can brew AG beer.  With that being said however, my success would not have been what it has been without BeerSmith!

- GL63

I am also new to AG brewing and I just purchased my license for BeerSmith earlier this week...thanks Brad.  I also did a fair amount of research and read Palmers' book.  I am also of the firm belief that if you can bake a cake from scratch (or prepare a meal), you can brew all grain beer...or vice versa for that matter  :p 8)

I am on my 4th batch now which was also my 1st All Grain batch.  I went from extract (came with the kit), to partial mash on my 2nd and 3rd batch to AG on my 4th.  I also decided to try my hand at designing my own recipe as my introduction to AG.  I have yet to rack it to the secondary so we will see how it turns out.  I used BeerSmith and the included BJCP guidelines for style to choose my ingredients and design my very own Oatmeal Stout.

Peace,

G!
 
Great to have the new all grain brewers here!  I remember my first all grain batch left the kitchen looking like a bomb went off!

I recently put a short article together on all grain here:
  http://www.beersmith.com/blog/2008/03/05/all-grain-beer-brewing-with-an-infusion-mash-setup/


Cheers!
Brad
 
I to started using Extracts because the sheer volume of liquids needed to boil an AG batch. But eventually I talked SWIMBO into letting me get the equipment for AG. It helped that I brewed beer specifically for her. Now I have a Lagering Fridge / Kegerator and a Full kegging system. ;D

Brew software helps tremendously!

Preston
 
I started off with a couple of kits just to get the feel of things.The next step was extract,which I've now done four of.After doing loads of research on the internet,investing in a few books and purchasing Beersmith which is also a great help.I now feel its time to go All Grain.
Looking forward to "completing my journey".

Nigel.
 
Nigel,
  Going all grain is fun - give it a try.  Here's a quick guide to infusion mashing, and there is a lot more on the BrewWiki.

  I'm a bit surprised at the large number of all grain brewers in the poll.  I would have guessed a small majority of extract brewers.

Cheers!
Brad
 
When I started brewing 15 years ago, I used extract for a year or so and moved to AG for several years.  After my second kid was born and I got "promoted" to a job with extensive travel, I stopped for several years due to lack of time.  I started back up a couple of years ago and use all three methods, but I have to say I've settled on PM more often than not lately.
 
GrantLee63 said:
I did a LOT of research on the internet, read in their entirety John Palmer's 'How To Brew', and Ray Daniel's 'Designing Great Beers', and used your awesome product BeerSmith from the very beginning!  Personally, I do not feel that people need to work their way up to AG brewing, as I do not find it difficult at all - more time-consuming - absolutely, but more difficult, absolutely not.  Knowing how to follow procedures and having the right equipment is really all one needs. 

If you have the technical competency to bake a cake from scratch, you can brew AG beer.  With that being said however, my success would not have been what it has been without BeerSmith!

- GL63
IMHO Partial Mash is the toughest brew,  you have aspects of both AG and Extract in there.

Fred
 
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