Thanks!! what made you decide to switch from extracts? I'll look into the equipment at some point!!
I made some drinkable stuff, but the extracts never fermented down the way I wanted. They all seemed to have FG around 1.020. I also noticed an overly heavy amount of crystal malts, but that could have been my brewing process. You are extremely limited on what you can brew with extracts. Having said all that, I did learn a thing or two doing them.
I decided to go BIAB and I noticed a massive improvement on my first batch even though I still did not have my recipe dialed in. I still had mistakes, but the product was much better and fermented down the way it should have.
I mention equipment because kettles are expensive, and a 10-gallon kettle isn't going to work for a 5-gallon full volume brew day. A 15 or 16 will.
You will normally spend close to 3 1/2 - 4 hours on a brew day beginning to end (maybe a little less) on an extract. It is close to the same or within about 30 minutes for BIAB.
If you brew outside, especially with full volume, do not F around and get a cheap propane burner. I got very mad at my camp stove, bought a $200 Blichmann Burner, and life was much better for the last brew day. When you need 8 gallons of water to brew 5 gallons of beer for BIAB, kettles get very heavy.
No matter what you decide, make sure you have a controller on a refrigerator or chest freezer for your fermenter. Temperature makes a HUGE difference.
