All Grain Brewing vs. Malt Extract

Home brewers have been debating the merits of all grain brewing vs. malt extract for years, each side claiming their method is superior. We examine the benefits of each in terms of cost, time and flavor profile. The point of difference is that malt extract brewing uses processed malt (dried malt or syrup) while all grain, as the name implies, only uses grain and counts on the home brewer to mash the starch into sugar himself. Just an extra step but one that makes quite a difference. The malt extract is created by evaporating the mash in vacuum conditions to remove almost all water and then drying/packaging for preservation. Some brewers report flavor differences while others stridently stand by their extract brews. Many beer competitions have even been won by extract brewers. Let’s take a look at the benefits of each brewing method:

BENEFITS OF MALT EXTRACT BREWING

• The most commonly cited reason for extract brewing is the time advantage. Total brewing time is typically around 90 minutes to boil, chill the wort and pitch the yeast. Compare this with up to 4 hours for lautering and mashing, in addition to the boiling, chilling and pitching. Busy brewers with busy lives might opt for this time efficiency.
• The flavor of the eventual home brew has been noted to be more consistent, brew after brew. I think this is due to less factors at play, and thus less room for error, with malt extract. There are quite a few steps involved to mash grain and even an experienced brewer might inadvertently mess up the process along the way.
• Cost is a factor that both sides claim to their own benefit. The Malt Extractors out there claim the core equipment does not get more complicated than your brew pot and trusty stirring spoon, while All Grainers must invest around $75 to create the mashing equipment. It is also worth noting the energy costs that are saved by not boiling as much liquid.

BENEFITS OF ALL GRAIN BREWING

• Again the issue of cost comes into play. While the initial cost of buying equipment for the lauter mash tun can be steep (between $40 and $100 depending on your setup), the raw ingredients are more affordable after that. Buying grain in bulk is typically cheaper than a can of malt extract because the cost of preparing the extract has to be added to the bill in some fashion. There is a good article here that compares the relative cost of ingredients.
• Brewing with raw ingredients from the beginning allows you to experiment with new recipes and affect the final product in a variety of ways not possible with a can of extract. So maybe you want to add an extra 1/2 lb of chocolate malt to the grain bill and see what happens … by all means, throw it in the mash and lets see what happens! With more control over the process from start to finish, you have more room for experimentation (though also more room for error).
• Some brewers report better flavor with all grain, a fact harshly contested by loyal Malt Extractors. The mythical “extract twang“, or subtle sweetness, is reported by many as the reason they switched to mashing. The All Grainers claim to have better control over the “malt backbone” of the beer, though for the life of me I can’t understand what exactly that means.
• Home brewing is a labor of love. The time involved and attention to detail makes it hobby for a loyalist. All grain brewing affords the average Joe Homebrewer the chance to convert starch into sugar (magic!) and, with the help of the yeast, convert that sugar into alcohol. Really pretty cool if you think about it. As well, all grain brewing allows you to be involved with more of that awesome process and understand what is happening with your brew.

CONCLUSION: ALL GRAIN FOR ME, BABY!

That final bottle of home brew you hold in your hands represents the brewer as much as the ingredients that went into it. We all know too well the room for error during the brewing process and important role the brewer plays each step of the way. I see all grain brewing as a way of better understanding what is happening during this magic sugar-starch conversion and how those grains you brought home in a bag will magically transform (!) into an alcoholic and tasty beverage. Also important here is the ability to experiment with new flavors and ingredients. What if that Bell’s Oberon clone had just a bit more Munich Light malt, how would that taste? A bit more work but certainly worth the effort.