Many brewers who are relatively new to brewing use extract or partial-grain kits before making the move to all-grain brewing. Many brewers stick to the kits and never move to all-grain. And in fact, I know of several breweries that use all extract or partial-grain processes, and their customers are happy with their beer. Yet I still see many homebrewers insisting that all-grain is the only way to brew great beer.
I don’t think that’s entirely accurate.
This past weekend, my husband brewed a Belgian blonde on our three-tier gravity system. I wanted to get in on the action, but we didn’t have enough equipment for me to do an all-grain batch, too. No problem—I went to the brew store to pick up a partial-grain kit so I could have a little something for myself. But it wasn’t until I walked in and the owner (who is incredibly friendly and helpful) asked what I was making that I lost some of my enthusiasm. I sort of looked away and muttered, “I’m just here to pick up a kit.”