Extract Brewing Vs. All-Grain Brewing

Before you start brewing your first batch of beer you need to choose between brewing from extract or all-grain. Your choice will determine what equipment you need, the ingredient list and the techniques to use.

Brewing from extracts refers to using concentrated, dehydrated, unfermented malt typically packaged in a can, bag, or box as a starting point for brewing beer. Extract brewing is a simpler process than all-grain brewing but that can also produce excellent beer. Provided that you follow your recipe, good brewing procedures and use high quality malt extracts you will not be able to tell the difference between an extract and an all-grain beer.

Brewing all-grain beer is an advanced technique that can be described as making beer from scratch. One of the attractive features of all-grain brewing is that you are not limited by the choices of malt extract manufacturers or local suppliers. You select the amount and type of grains that go into your brew, giving you more control over the flavor profile and fermentability of your wort. On the other hand, all-grain brewing takes longer and requires additional equipment and careful monitoring of the brewing process. 

The extract vs.all-grain beer argument is an ongoing debate among brewers. Many homebrewers stick to extract brewing all their life, while others stand by the superiority of all-grain brewed beer. In our opinion, what matters is the enjoyment of the craft, and ultimately you can make great tasting beer regardless of what method you choose.