All Grain Brewing Vs Extract Brewing
Steve Privott – Learn to Brew
When I started homebrewing I started with extract brewing. It’s a way to try it out without spending a lot of money on equipment. Extract brewing is simpler to understand and perfect for beginners. The average person would have a very difficult time discerning between an extract or all-grain brew.
All Grain Vs Extract: Difference
All beer is made with water, grains, hops, and yeast. Simply put, the main difference between extract and all-grain is how the fermentable sugars are acquired in the brewing process.
In all-grain brewing, the brewer uses crushed malted grains and mashes with very hot water to convert starches into fermentable sugars. In extract brewing, this process has already been done for the brewer and is added in syrup or powdered form, called malt extract. Suppliers produce extracts so homebrewers can choose to skip the conversion process for simplicity’s sake.
All grain brewing offers more control to the brewer and comes with both advantages and disadvantages. Your brew day will be longer and you’ll likely need some additional equipment to account for the extra steps.
Below is a simple table I found that outlines the steps for each.
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Extract Brew Process
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All-Grain Brew Process
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1. Steep specialty grains in bag at 160°F for 20 minutes in the brew kettle
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1. Mash grains in strike water for 1 hour at 145-158°F
water in mash tun
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2. Remove grain and stir in extract
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2. Sparge/rinse grains with 168°F water (this step
is system dependent)
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3. 60-minute boil with hop additions
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3. Transfer all fermentable wort to boil kettle
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4. Cool wort, pitch yeast, and ferment
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4. 60-minute boil with hop additions
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5. Cool. pitch yeast, and ferment
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2-2.5 hour brew day
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3-5 hour brew day
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Pros and Cons of Extract vs All Grain
Pros:
- Easy to do and perfect for beginners
- Minimal cost and equipment to get started
- Less time consuming
Cons:
- Less control of recipe/ingredients
- LME/DME is more expensive than grains
Pros and Cons of All Grain vs Extract
Pros:
- Less expensive ingredients
- Greater control over the entire brew process
- Greater brewing options and recipes
- Brewing like the pros do
Cons:
- More time consuming
- More complex and greater margin for error
- Start-up costs are usually higher depending on what you do
My advice would be to start with extract to get a foundational understanding of the brewing process before taking the leap to all-grain.
If you plan your equipment properly it won’t end up costing you any more in the long run. My biggest piece of advice would be to purchase a large enough brew kettle to brew both extract and all-grain recipes. Look for 10 gallons at a minimum. It may be on the larger side for extract batches, but it will be the perfect size for all-grain should you decide to make the switch. Our staff at Learn to Brew are always here to help you with your brewing, whether you are a beginner or experienced.
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