| There are two recurring questions that come up in | | | | up to you, and may be dependant on what you have |
| respect of all-grain home brewing. The first is | | | | around the house or what you are prepared to buy. |
| whether the product is that much better. The | | | | But remember, if you are trialling all grain, it is better |
| second is whether there is a way to do it without | | | | to try it without buying anything so that you can |
| spending too much. The answer to both questions is | | | | save you money for when you decide all grain is for |
| a resounding yes. | | | | you. If its not, then you have not spent a cent. |
| There is no doubt that the beer that is produced | | | | There are two broad categories of brewing for the |
| using all grain is better than an extract or kit beer. | | | | beginner, full volume and simple sparging. I'll explain |
| Yes you can make good beer using extract and kits. | | | | both below. |
| You may even make a great beer. But, the proof is | | | | Full Volume |
| in the tasting. Get a beer brewed using extract and | | | | This is the easiest method possible. Get your mash |
| compare it to one brewed using all grain and you will | | | | tun and mix up the crushed grain with warm water. |
| immediately tell the difference. All grain beer is | | | | The amount of water needed here will be the final |
| fresher and fuller in flavour. Extract has a tendency | | | | volume desired plus a litre for each kilogram of grain |
| to have a twang regardless of how well the other | | | | in the mash. Leave it for an hour to convert the |
| important factors of yeast use and temperature | | | | starch to sugar and either drain off the liquid or take |
| control are managed. | | | | out the solids (grain). How you do this depends on |
| Is all grain that much better to justify the expense | | | | your equipment. |
| of going all grain, both in dollars spent as well as time | | | | If you are mashing in an esky it should be easy |
| spent? For some it is, and for others it isn't. It comes | | | | enough to drain the liquid off into a big pot. If you |
| down to why you brew and how much you enjoy | | | | are mashing in an esky and draining to a pot, some |
| the act of brewing itself. If you are not sure there is | | | | of the simple sparging methods may be better, but |
| that middle ground of partial brewing. All grain brewing | | | | full volume is very easy. |
| to comprise half the final volume and topping up with | | | | If you are mashing in your big pot, which may be |
| extract. For a lot of people this is the start of the | | | | your boiling pot it can be a bit more difficult. |
| slippery slope. People buy equipment to do partials, | | | | However, there is a nice little way of doing this |
| mashing say 2-3 kg of grain and topping up with a kit | | | | easily, it is know as brewing in a bag and it may be a |
| to make 23 litres. Then within a couple of months | | | | worthwhile purchase. Simply you buy or make a bag |
| more money has been spent and it's all grain brewing | | | | out of a material that allows liquid to easily pass |
| from then on. | | | | through and the crushed grain remain in the bag. The |
| So how can we bypass that partial stage and start | | | | bag goes in the pot of water and you add the grain |
| on the full mash brewing straight away to decide | | | | to the bag. When the mash is done, give it a |
| whether the expense is worth it? It is quite easy. | | | | vigorous stir and take the bag out, give it a squeeze |
| There is a good chance the equipment you need is | | | | and you are done. So what material is best? Sheer |
| already in your house and if not it could be pretty | | | | curtain material made of polyester works a treat. |
| easily purchased for very little. | | | | Muslin could also work but because this tends to be |
| So what are our steps broadly? Firstly the mash. This | | | | cotton it will easily rot over time if you are not |
| is where we add water to the grain at a specified | | | | careful. |
| temp (usually around 66 degrees) to convert the | | | | The benefit of full volume is you don't need any |
| starch in the grain to sugar. Secondly, drain or sparge. | | | | other equipment. |
| This is to separate the liquid from the solids. Thirdly, | | | | Simple sparging |
| the boil. We boil the liquid for at least an hour. It is at | | | | There are of course a few options here. Firstly, there |
| this stage we add the hops which add bitterness and | | | | is the batch sparge and secondly the simple sparge. |
| flavour to the beer. Finally we chill, ferment and wait | | | | If you are using an esky and big pot for your |
| patiently to bottle it and drink it. | | | | brewing you can batch sparge. Drain off the liquid |
| The first step of mashing requires something to | | | | from your mash to your big pot. Then add hot water |
| mash in. For some this is an old esky (or a new one) | | | | (say 80 degrees) to the grains, stir, leave it for ten |
| and for others it is a large pot. The size of this 'mash | | | | minutes and drain off. This can be done once twice |
| tun' needs to be at least the size of your desired | | | | or three times. Twice is probably best. But you'll need |
| final volume of beer but it may need to be bigger if | | | | to have other pots to heat the water for sparging |
| you are doing full volume mashing discussed below. | | | | up. It can get a little tricky. |
| For a lot of people the size of a batch would be the | | | | If you are using a big pot as your mash tun you |
| standard kit size of around 23 litres. For those using | | | | need to be able to separate the liquids from the |
| kegs it might be 19 litres. But, all grain brewing is not | | | | solids. If you don't want to use the brew in a bag |
| limited by the size of the can of extract. You can | | | | option it can become a little bit of a juggling act. You'll |
| make the brew size anything you want. If you have | | | | need other pots and containers and you'll need |
| a 20 litre pot, perhaps do 16 litre batches. It's still a | | | | colanders and strainers. Sit a colander on top of |
| good quantity of beer and if you enjoy it you can | | | | another container and ladle out the grains and liquid |
| brew more often. So, if you have an esky and a | | | | into the container. You may need a lot of pots and |
| larger pot you can trial all-grain using those two | | | | containers depending on your volume. Then run the |
| pieces of equipment and adjust your brew size to | | | | sparge water over the drained grains to 'wash' off |
| suit what you have. Do a couple and then buy what | | | | more of the sugars. This works and has been done |
| you want, if you want, to make bigger batches or to | | | | by many a new brewer but there are easier ways. |
| set up you set up a little better. | | | | If you have an esky and you have a larger pot you |
| Now, once we have worked out our batch size and | | | | can start brewing all grain today for free. Otherwise |
| our base equipment we need to look at the different | | | | you can start brewing all grain for very little. There is |
| ways we can go about brewing and work out which | | | | no need to buy masses of equipment. Best to leave |
| equipment we need from there. The choice is entirely | | | | that until you have decided it is for you. |
