All-Grain Brewing vs Extract Brewing — What's the Difference?

What is the difference between all-grain brewing and extract brewing?

Extract brewing uses concentrated malt extract (liquid or dried) as the base fermentable, skipping the mashing step. All-grain brewing starts from whole malted grain, which you mash in hot water to convert starches into sugars before boiling. Extract brewing is significantly simpler and faster; all-grain gives complete control over every aspect of the recipe but needs more equipment and time — a typical all-grain brew day is 4–6 hours versus 30–60 minutes for extract.

What is extract brewing and is it worth doing?

Extract brewing uses liquid or dried malt extract as the base fermentable, combined with steeping specialty grains for colour and flavour, plus hop additions for bitterness and aroma. It's the ideal next step after kit brewing — far more control over your recipe without the complexity of all-grain. You can brew almost any style and produce genuinely excellent beer. Read our malt extract guide for ingredients.

Which is better for beginners — all-grain or extract?

Extract brewing is the right first step beyond kit brewing. It teaches recipe formulation, hop usage and fermentation control without the complexity of mashing, and most experienced all-grain brewers started this way. That said, all-grain doesn't have to be a big leap: brewing a small 5 litre batch on your kitchen hob using the brew-in-a-bag method is a cheap, low-risk way to try it. See our guide: How to Make Beer at Home on Your Hob.

What equipment do you need for extract brewing?

Extract brewing needs little beyond your standard home brew kit: a large pot (at least 10 litres) for boiling, a heat source, a 25-litre fermentation vessel, a hydrometer, and cleaning and sanitising products such as VWP and ChemSan. A brew-in-a-bag straining bag is handy for steeping specialty grains alongside your extract.

What equipment do you need for all-grain brewing?

All-grain brewing needs a way to mash and a kettle to boil. That can be a traditional mash tun and kettle, an electric all-in-one system, or simply a large pot with a nylon straining bag (the brew-in-a-bag method). You'll also want a way to cool the wort, a fermentation vessel and measuring tools. Learn more in What Is a Mash Tun? and our beginner's guide to all-grain brewing.

Can you make great beer with extract brewing?

Yes — absolutely. Many award-winning home brews have been made from extract. The quality ceiling is very high, and most casual drinkers can't taste the difference between a well-made extract beer and an all-grain equivalent. The main limitation is that some styles benefit from precise mash control, but for most everyday beer styles extract produces outstanding results.

When should you move from extract to all-grain?

Move to all-grain when you want complete control over the grain bill, mash temperature and water chemistry. Many extract brewers never switch and make excellent beer indefinitely — the step up is only worth it if you genuinely enjoy the extra process.

Browse our malt extracts, crushed malts, hop pellets and yeasts at BrewCo UK. Also see our hop guide and yeast guide.