Since I began brewing three years ago, I've mainly brewed with an
extract base and steeped specialty grains for colour, flavour, and complexity. Only once have I ventured as far as
partial mash (extract base + a small infusion mash), when I made an oatmeal stout and read that the oats needed to be converted before they could be used. But truly advanced brewing means dumping the extract and going all-grain - making your own wort by
mashing your malt at specific temperatures to allow the enzymes therein to convert starches into tasty sugars that the yeast can munch on. This requires some specialized equipment, and living in tiny apartments without much space for hobby stuff has always meant that I couldn't take that leap.
But while I'm a patient man, I can't wait forever. So on Monday, without any of the proper equipment and only a copy of
John Palmer's How to Brew
to guide me, I improvised a mash tun and filtering system and embarked on my first all-grain brew.
The beer is coming out nicely. But the process was.... a mess. Here's how not to do it.
