10 replies to this topic

[positiveContact]

And I have to say the brewer did pretty well.  No off flavors.  Body is a little thin but otherwise it's solid.  I'm always surprised that even with a fairly basic process you can make a very nice beer.  I guess this is how people get hooked!

[djinkc]

It's a good reminder to stay off the high horse.  And remember where we started.  

[neddles]

I think with the fresh extracts you can get now brewing all-grain has become more about process control and access to a wider selection of malts than it is about having fresh ingredients. Fermentation is, as always, the biggest factor in the outcome. IOW you can make very good beer with extract and it looks like this person did.

[positiveContact]

I think with the fresh extracts you can get now brewing all-grain has become more about process control and access to a wider selection of malts than it is about having fresh ingredients. Fermentation is, as always, the biggest factor in the outcome. IOW you can make very good beer with extract and it looks like this person did.

 

it's also about being a cheap bastard

[Big Nake]

I'll be honest... I think a homebrewer can make some very nice extract beer. I brewed with extracts for 5 years. 5 years! I got to a point where using extra-light DME plus whatever steeping grains I wanted to use plus fresh hop pellets and all the same yeast management an AG brewer would use. Bypass the mash stuff like pH and temp and a lot of the water stuff and then just keep fermenting temps in check, etc. I have always threatened to make another extract batch but I never do it. But I'll say that I was quite happy with my extract beer.

[positiveContact]

I def get that you can make great extract beer.  The main thing I like about grain is that it's much more shelf stable.  I can have everything I need to make beer any time I want.  At the drop of the hat I can be making beer as long as I have some dried yeast in the fridge (I typically do).  It's a beautiful thing.

[Big Nake]

I def get that you can make great extract beer.  The main thing I like about grain is that it's much more shelf stable.  I can have everything I need to make beer any time I want.  At the drop of the hat I can be making beer as long as I have some dried yeast in the fridge (I typically do).  It's a beautiful thing.

I would think that having a bunch of DME on hand would give you the same flexibility. I totally get the cost-cutting part of brewing all-grain and the idea that I can brew anything or anytime I want...   

[positiveContact]

I would think that having a bunch of DME on hand would give you the same flexibility. I totally get the cost-cutting part of brewing all-grain and the idea that I can brew anything or anytime I want...   

 

that's true - I always think about the LME and forget that people use DME for something other than starters.

[Big Nake]

that's true - I always think about the LME and forget that people use DME for something other than starters.

I felt like I got cleaner-tasting beer from DME. I don't know if I had metallic flavors from the canned stuff but I just thought the DME-based beers were better. Use the extra-light stuff and you have a pretty clean canvas that can be left alone or have some specialties added to it. Not sure if the canned stuff OR the DME had expiration dates.

[positiveContact]

I felt like I got cleaner-tasting beer from DME. I don't know if I had metallic flavors from the canned stuff but I just thought the DME-based beers were better. Use the extra-light stuff and you have a pretty clean canvas that can be left alone or have some specialties added to it. Not sure if the canned stuff OR the DME had expiration dates.

 

my LME was always in a plastic bag kind of thing.  the HBS was probably measuring it from a larger container.

[Big Nake]

my LME was always in a plastic bag kind of thing.  the HBS was probably measuring it from a larger container.

Yeah I think a lot of places did that. I had LME in a lot of different containers... cans, milk jug-type plastic bottles, mylar pouches, white plastic buckets, etc.