[danolds182]

I have been brewing a couple years but have only used extracts in my process. I want to move to all grain brewing. Currently I have a 6 gallon brew pot and brew on my stove. Is it hard to regulate the temperature this was when controlling the mashing temperature?


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[HoosierBrew]

I have been brewing a couple years but have only used extracts in my process. I want to move to all grain brewing. Currently I have a 6 gallon brew pot and brew on my stove. Is it hard to regulate the temperature this was when controlling the mashing temperature?


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Not hard at all. The majority of the brewers on this forum likely mash in converted coolers, like me. I cannot recommend Denny's site enough for a new all grain brewer. It's easy. Good luck !   :

http://www.dennybrew.com/

[Stevie]

One thing to add. You can still do partial boils with all-grain and dilute after the boil if you wish to stick to 5 gallon batches. Your efficiency and hop utilization will take a hit, but it is doable in a 5 gallons pot.

I do this for 10 gallon batches because my keggle is about a gallon and a half shy of the volume I need.

[hopfenundmalz]

It is not hard to go all grain. If you are mashing in a pot you can preheat the oven at a low temp and put the pot in once the mash is underway to conserve temp. You could leave it on a burner and turn on, but you have to stir continuously to avoid scorching the mash.

You do need to strain the liquid out someway when done with the mash. These days brew in a bag is a good way to get started - do a web search and see how. BIAB is very cheap, and guys in the club who use that technique win their share of awards.

When I started doing all grain 20 years ago, I said "that is all there is too it?", and all grain is all I know how to do.

[dmtaylor]

Look into BIAB.  It truly is the best way to go to get started, except maybe for the Dennybrew cooler method.  Look into both and choose the one that suits you best.  I do both.

Also take into consideration smaller batch size.  If you don't drink like a fish then this can make your brew day and equipment needs SO much easier.  Over the years, I've gone from 5 gallon batches to 3 gallons, then 2.5 for many years, and now 1.7.  This way I get to brew more often and have a lot more variety, which I love, and my brew days are as short as 3.5-4 hours.  Otherwise with your standard 5-gallon batch, you need bigger equipment and brew days tend to be at least 5 hours if not 5.5 or 6.  With smaller batches, it is very very cheap and easy to BIAB.

[HoosierBrew]

When I started doing all grain 20 years ago, I said "that is all there is too it?"

+1.  When I finished my 1st AG batch I was afraid I'd forgotten something, because the literature back then made it seem so daunting. Not so tough.

[danolds182]

Cool thanks everyone. I will look into BIAB. And I have also been thinking if brewing smaller batches so I can brew more often and experiment more. Thanks for all the advice.


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[erockrph]

Cool thanks everyone. I will look into BIAB. And I have also been thinking if brewing smaller batches so I can brew more often and experiment more. Thanks for all the advice.

That's what I did. I didn't think I could manage all-grain brewing on my stovetop. I just decided to brew 3-gallon batches. I brew BIAB, but use a 5-gallon cooler as my mash tun instead of using my kettle. This way I don't have to worry about temp control during my mash. With Fermcap I am able to boil a little over 4 gallons in my 5-gallon kettle. I modded my cooler to have a ball valve to help run off, but all I really need is a bag and a cooler. Everything else is the same gear I used for my extract brews.

[weithman5]

i went to a mash in a bag for small batches.  i boil in a small 4 gallon electric kettle.  through the mash bag in a cooler then drain back to the kettle when ready.

[mattybrass]

+1 to BIAB being a good middleground. I have a friend who makes fantastic beers doing BIAB.

Check out these posts about BIAB from Jake Keeler who is a big advocate of the technique.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiLAI5JW2zc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6WVul6IEKk