Beginner’s Guide to All-Grain Brewing: Making 40 Pints with Basic Equipment

 

Brewing beer from grain doesn’t require thousands of pounds worth of equipment. With some basic tools and careful attention to process, you can create excellent all-grain beer at home. This guide will walk you through brewing 40 pints (23 liters) using the simplest possible setup.

Essential Equipment for Getting Started

The Brewing Vessel

The heart of your brewing setup will be a basic heating vessel with a 2.4kW element and stainless steel tap. This single vessel will serve both as your mash tun (where grain meets water) and your boiling kettle. The power from the heating element is sufficient for both heating water to mashing temperature and achieving a good rolling boil later in the process.

The Brew Bag

A mesh grain bag designed for brew-in-the-bag (BIAB) brewing is essential. This method simplifies the traditional all-grain process by eliminating the need for separate mashing and sparging vessels. The bag should fit your vessel perfectly to ensure good contact between grain and water.

Temperature Control

A basic thermometer is crucial for monitoring your mash and cooling temperatures. While more advanced systems exist, a simple thermometer will serve you well when starting out.

Fermentation Equipment

• A plastic fermenting bucket with airlock and tap
• A bottling stick for packaging
• Bottles (we recommend starting with 48 plastic screw-top bottles for simplicity)

Cleaning and Sanitising

• Cleaning powder for equipment preparation
• No-rinse sanitiser (concentrated)
• Spray bottle for applying sanitiser

Additional Tools

• Plastic spoon for stirring
• Silicon tubing for transfers
• Hydrometer for measuring sugar content
• No-chill cube for cooling your wort naturally

The Brewing Process

1. Water Treatment and Preparation

Begin by adding your brewing water to the vessel. Before heating, add a small amount of sodium metabisulfite to remove chlorine from the water. This simple step significantly improves your final beer quality.

2. The Mash

Heat your water to about 70°C (158°F) before adding grain – this temperature will drop to your target mash temperature of 65°C (149°F) when the grain is added. The exact temperatures will require adjustment for some factors such as the temperature of the grain, the colder the grain temperature the higher your water temperature will need to be, there are handy calculators available such as the one on our website here. Add your grain gradually in portions, stirring well to avoid clumps (known as dough balls). This process, called doughing in, is crucial for proper starch conversion.

3. Managing the Mash

Let the mash rest for 60 minutes, checking temperature occasionally. If it drops too much, briefly turn on the heating element while stirring. A simple improvement for future brews would be adding insulation around your vessel during the mash.

4. Removing the Grain

After the mash, carefully lift out the grain bag, allowing it to drain. You can give it a gentle squeeze to extract more wort, but avoid harsh wringing which can release unwanted compounds.

5. The Boil

Bring your wort to a boil and manage it carefully to avoid boil overs. Add your hops according to the recipe schedule. This is where the magic happens – different hop additions at different times create layers of bitterness, flavor, and aroma in your finished beer.

6. Cooling and Fermentation

Rather than using an expensive chiller, transfer your hot wort to a no-chill cube and let it cool naturally overnight. This method saves water and works perfectly well for most beer styles. Once cooled to fermentation temperature (around 20°C/68°F), transfer to your fermenting bucket, add your yeast, and fit the airlock.

Temperature Control During Fermentation

While advanced temperature control systems exist, starting brewers can achieve good results by finding a spot in their home with a stable temperature between 18-22°C for ales and 10-12c for Lagers(64-72°F). Consider these simple temperature management techniques:

• Wrap the fermenter in a blanket for insulation
• Choose a naturally temperature-stable location
• Avoid areas with direct sunlight or heating/cooling vents
• Use a simple temperature control system or converted fridge as demonstrated in this video.

Timeline and Expectations

Your beer will typically need:

• 7-140 days for primary fermentation
• A few days for the beer to clear
• About 2 weeks for conditioning in bottles
• Total time from brew day to drinking: approximately 3 weeks

Remember that brewing is both a science and an art – each batch is an opportunity to learn and improve. Start with these basics, take good notes, and gradually refine your process as you gain experience.