On Thu, 03 May 2007 18:51:44 -0000, Derric
<derric1961@removethis.yahoo.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>I second Denny's site for a very good way to go for AG. There's no real
>reason NOT to go AG first, if you have the equipment. It is only slightly
>more involved than extract (you only have to make a mash and rinse it).[/color]

I agree. I've been brewing for a decade and a half and made the
transition into all grain about 6 years ago. It wasn't hard, though
you should know a few things.

1.) Making beer from malt extract is a way to "test the waters" with
less equipment needed than all grain brewing requires. That said,
there's no reason you couldn't do your boil in two or three pots on a
kitchen range top (unless it's a flat top type--sugars will attack the
ceramic material and you will no doubt spill some or have a
boil-over). That would save you from buying a 10 gallon pot.

2.) Making beer from extract is the way to go if your time is
precious. Figure a long day of it if you make an all grain brew, maybe
several hours, so start early in the day. Extract takes a bit more
than the hour you need to boil your wort, and some methods take less
time than that.

3.) Starting with extract costs less initially. It does cost more in
the long run to make it from extract, though, once your equipment for
all grain brewing is paid for.

Making beer from all grain is not difficult to do. Read this page and
see what you get from it. It's what started me on the all grain trail.

I do make an extract batch every now and then, maybe 1/2 of the time,
due to time considerations. It's convenient to have a kit with
everything I need. Several places sell these kits which are based on a
particular style of beer. Here's one I deal with:

[url]http://www.ebrew.com/[/url]

[url]http://www.ebrew.com/beer/recipe_packages.htm[/url]

and their monthly kit specials:

[url]http://www.ebrew.com/specials/specials.htm#top[/url]

If you like the idea of all grain but would like the convenience of a
kit with all of the ingredients, try looking here:

[url]http://www.ebrew.com/advanced_brewing/recipes.htm[/url]

the grains are not cracked, and you will either have to order them
pre-cracked (at this place it's 15 cents per pound), or get a grain
mill.

My suggestions on a mill:

A used Valley mill is great--if you can find one (they're out of
production). They have a 6 lb. hopper as part of the unit. Try ebay or
Usenet. [url]http://www.web.net/~valley/valleymill.html[/url]

A Schmidling mill is probably your next best bet--it has a lifetime
warranty. You can get the adjustable one at extra cost but Jack
Schmidling claims that it really isn't necessary. He sells them
because some people think it is a needed option and won't buy one that
isn't adjustable. [url]http://schmidling.com/maltmill.htm[/url]

On the "cheap" side (it's relative what you consider cheap) is the
Corona grain mill (or the similar Victoria mill). It's not intended to
crack grains but is for making flour, so it requires careful
adjustment. You can "motorize" it with a hand drill and a suitable
cut-off bolt to fit in the place where the handle bolt would go (take
the handle off, of course!). It's around $50 or less, and you might
find these used also.

In between cheap and over $100 is the Phil's grain mill at
[url]www.listermann.com[/url] (also a source of malt extract kits and free
shipping east of the Mississippi for orders over $35). Dan Listermann
can also put together an all grain kit for you but I don't think it is
in his online catalog. It would be something customized for you from
your recipe or his.

[url]http://www.cellar-homebrew.com/store/product.php?productid=434&cat=208&page=1[/url]

There are other mills people love, like the Crankandstein and others.
Look around before you settle on which one to buy.

Some advice on using one of these:

[url]http://www.crankandstein.com/grainmillinfo.htm[/url]

Donald