I’ve been " homebrewing" for almost two years. I’ve only been able to do extract so far because all grain equipment is expensive. But I make really good beer and sanitize religiously, monitor and control fermentation, etc. I even filter and treat my water according to the knowledge I’ve gained from John Palmer.
BUT, today I introduced myself to a couple all grain brewers at a brew pub as a fellow homebrewer and was ridiculed right out of the building. All this time I thought I was part of a community of beer makers to find out in a very public and embarrassing way that I am just a " water boiler". I know extract isn’t as advanced as all grain, but why didn’t anyone tell me that it’s not even really considered brewing? I had my kid brother with me, which made me just want to fight the guys to save face. But I just left. I’m going this weekend to start buying all grain equipment, because I’m obsessed with this hobby and I want to be a part of the real thing. I just think they should tell people when they start doing extract that they shouldn’t brag too loudly until they move to the real thing.
I would have told those guys to go squat myself. I am an all grain brewer and love it very much. I would fully encourage you to make the switch as soon as possible but do it because you WANT to not because a bunch of a-holes displayed their ingnorance and lack of upbringing.
Extract with steeping grains and even just extract is absolutely brewing.
sorry to hear this happened to you. don’t let it color your impression of all grain brewers.
Your a homebrewer. You make beer at home. Dont worry what those other guys say. Most if not all of us started out brewing extract.Go all grain because you want to not because of a couple of turds.
Mufasa from BJ’s doesn’t consider extract brewers to be brewer’s, but he’s not an a$$hole about it. I think there’s even an all extract brewery in Cali or Oregon IIRC.
Several of the people in my homebrew club are extract brewers, either due to time, space, or money and they make some great beer.
All this said, I would encourage anyone to make the jump to all grain if you can.
As for these guys, I wouldn’t worry about them too much…they are probably Beer Advocate forum members.
Well, I’d like to add my comments, but the guys before said all that needs to be said. I brewed with extract for years, until I accidentally ordered a mini-mash kit. I considered myself a home brewer from the beginning.
It’s too bad some people get a bit stuck on themselves…
Thankfully most homebrewers are really great people who are happy to share their love of the hobby with fellow homebrewers. You happened to run into a couple of the exceptions. Homebrewer snobs do us all a great disservice by discrediting our hobby.
I started out with extract brewing 20 years ago and didn’t get into all grain for many years. With the quality of extracts available these days, you can make extract beers that taste as good if not better than all grain. Brewing all grain gives you more control, but doesn’t necessarily make you a brewer of better beer. I still occasionally brew with extracts, and every time I do I find myself smiling at having saved myself several hours in the process.
I’ve been a brewer for 20 years but all grain for only half that. I only started all grain because I got laid off and suddenly had more time and less money. I already did full wort boils and I had a cooler, tubing, hose clamps, and ss braid to make a mash tun. By buying grain and hops in bulk and learning to repitch yeast, I could brew some really good beer for like $8 a case. Haven’t looked back since. But I do still go to extract if I just need to knock out a batch quickly for a party or something. Point is, go all grain when you’re ready and for your own reasons!
On the subject of brew snobs, a guy I know brews only triple decoction pilsners for over 30 years. He has some cronies who help him and they all think if it’s not decoction mashed it’s subpar. But I do single infusion demos at the lhbs and my beer is frequently on tap there. They come in and have no problem sucking it down! I even caught him sneaking off with a growler of my pilsner!
Join a club and hang out with some other brewers. Most are friendly and down to earth!
I extract brewed for 6 years, before going all grain. I’ve taken runner up BoS with an extract beer. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re not homebrewing with extract. As others have said; go all grain if you want more recipe control; if you you want to save money on ingredients and blow it on equipment instead; if you want to double the length of your brew day. But don’t go all grain just because a couple of homebrew snobs ruined extract for you.
You should have told them to get bent. There’s far more to it than extract or all-grain.
I’ve tasted plenty of all-grain beers that were not so great.
I’ve brewed for 20 years and I do partial mashes. A significant portion of my fermentables come from DME and you can kiss my grits if you think I’m not a homebrewer.
Someday, perhaps soon, I’ll move to all-grain. But only when I want to, if I want to.
“Instant A-hole - Just add alcohol”. Forget those idiots! You make beer. Go at your own pace and know that those guys are an anomaly. We all started where you are. Any help you need is waiting on this forum. Enjoy !
You know, I can’t help but feel cry baby-ish about this topic, but where I live, I am the only homebrewer I know and, in my excitement to finally meet someone else and have conversation, I was really taken aback by the reception I received. I take my process very seriously and have an “all grain fund” building slowly. Because that has been my goal from the start. I must have read How to Brew five times before I bought a single thing. I really appreciate the responses I got from you guys because it was pretty discouraging. Normally, I’d stand up and put jokers like that in their place, but it did actually make me wonder how extract brewers are viewed among the masses. What a great community this is! Thanks again.
glad to help. stick around and you can learn a lot. whereish are you located? have you checked out the AHA Find a Club tool? I’m not a terribly social person but having a brew club is a great way to find folks to talk beer with.
You just ran into a bad crowd. Of all the homebrewers I’ve ever met only 1-2% of them are a-holes. Unfortunately, this was your first experience…too bad.
If you do want to get into all-grain brewing on the cheap I highly recommend BIAB. That’s how I made the switch. You can make some great beer using BIAB, and anyone who tells you that’s not brewing can suck a rock!
Screw those guys. I’ve had some really awesome extract beers that blew away similar all grain beers. Do what you do, and take pride in your beers. I’ve meet a few people who thought they were gods at homebrewing, but when I tried their beers, they were usually plain, and once downright gross.
+1 to BIAB. I demo fly sparging on a 3 keggle system, batch sparging with a cooler, and BIAB and BIAB is, by far, the most requested. Mostly for it’s simplicity and minimal equipment for new brewers but I do it more and more just because it’s a relatively shorter brew day.
I’m from Flint, Michigan. Plenty of bars, and not too far from lots of breweries and craft breweries, but other than my brother, dad and brother-in-law, we haven’t met any other Homebrewers. We are all into this hobby, but I’m the obsessed one that takes it to a whole other level. They just follow my lead, which is scary considering how new at this I am. Flint is a crazy town, but I am a very social person and do fine keeping on the good side of the trouble here. I’ll take your advice and look for a nearby club. I kind of thought those were for advanced guys and girls that do competitions.
