Are the high quality kits now as good as mashing etc?

[Adri123]

Hi

Just getting back into homebrewing after a 20 yr break.

Now we have high quality kits like the Wherry I'm kicking off as my first attempt is there much difference when you go for the full mashing business?

If you had a blindfold taste test between a well made kit brew and a well made mashed brew would it be obvious which would win?

Just wondering...

TIA

Adri

 

[cask is best]

I don't do all grain only kits but as you say some of the kits now are very good. I haven't tried a wherry yet but that's next on my list. My particular favs are Coopers dark ale i made last year that was exceptionally good. However i made a wilkos cheap pilsner this summer 10 quid and that was brilliant too. So from the expensive to the cheap kits are getting better and better. But there again im experimenting more these days. I use to just use tate n Llye but over the year have been adding treacle. Honey and rhubarb to swombos cider kits.

 

[gitsurfer]

As a beery newbie, this is an interesting question. I've only done kits but imagine there's a lot of satisfaction brewing from scratch, similar to cooking from raw ingredients rather than buying a cooking sauce (albeit a very good one). There must also be much more scope for experimentation and personalisation.

However, in terms of the final product, how much difference is there? Anyone out there done a Wherry AG clone or similar?

 

[Michael2378]

I do both AG and kits as far as kits are concerned I have my favorites and the ones I can't stand I like most anything Wherry's and anything from Woodforde's, Brewferm is supposedly good too. I'm not a fan of anything from Cooper's with the exception of their unmalted extracts. I mostly to extract kits or half mash kit's in a pinch when I don't have the time to do a full AG brew. I do however try to have at least 2 kingkegs loaded at all times, if I don't maintain that I feel that the earth is tipping off it's axis.

 

[alymere]

I got back into brewing last year. I have made quite a lot of single and double can kits and the double can kits were more satisfying. Adding extra DME to the single can kits almost brought them up to the same cost as the double can kits. My favourite so far has been the Bulldog Brews Triple Tykes, a 4kg malt kit, a cracking bitter. I'm looking forward to the new double IPA kit due out in December. http://www.bulldogbrews.co.uk/produ...l/beer-kits-evil-dog-american-double-ipa.html
I've also done a couple of ag brews and although they are still young and not fully conditioned they both taste great and cost me quite a bit less than the double can kits.

 

[Moby]

I was never a big fan of kits and started AG brewing many years ago. However, I received a woodfordes wherry kit for Christmas 2 years ago and not one to look a gift horse in the mouth I brewed it and was pleasantly surprised with how good it tasted. I would think it must have something to do with having 2 cans of malt and not using 2lb of granulated sugar as in the old days. I would certainly make one again if I was strapped for time making an AG batch.

 

[DirtyCaner]

I have brewed some very good kits, Brewferm etc. But to my taste, well made AG beer is better.

Just my thoughts,

DC

 

[Moby]

I have to agree DC. I would never give up AG brewing as 1. I enjoy making it almost as much as drinking it and 2. once you have mastered it it tastes as good or better than any real ale you can buy in a pub. Mind you I have made my fair share mingers over the years!!!!

 

[anthonyUK]

They are very good IMO but not comparable to a well made AG.
A few tweaks can raise their quality further such as using fresh hops but you may as well go BIAB at this point TBH.

 

[Drunken Horse]

I might be completely wrong but after tasting a few A.Gs I think the main difference is in the hops. The hops in A.G are much fresher whereas the hops in the canned malt has been sitting in there for months if not years. If you think of it canned veg is never as nice as fresh or frozen so why would hops be any different? I will be adding hops to most of my kits from now on to counter this a bit

 

[Pinchy]

For me after a few kit brews I found myself wanting to do a bit more. And it was the idea of creating my own recipes that encouraged me to try AG brewing. Can't comment on the quality of my beer yet unfortunately as they are currently in bottles conditioning :

 

[PD]

In answer to the original question...No

They are good and insome cases very good, but compared to well made all grain they are second class.
However they are consistent which is more than can be said with my brewing !

They are more expensive
They do not allow for much variation without changing their style.
They are not the BREWERS beer, they are the companies beer.
They don't give the brewer the satisfaction of knowing hes created an individual beer, even if you follow someone elses recipe yours will be different.
When I've done a brew,I feel like I've made a beer as opposed to mixing a kit.

Kits have their place in the brewers armoury, but at the moment they will always come second to all grain

 

[Chickpeanut]

I started off doing kits about a year ago. Some were better than others, with some being very good indeed. (I think the Cooper's Stout kit is excellent) Recently though, all kits I've done have been partial extract, which in my opinion are all a step up in quality from decent 2 can kits of around the same price. You really can tell the difference. AG next!

 

[jonnymorris]

In answer to the original question...No

In answer to the original question(s) PD I think you mean yes, there is a difference and yes, an AG beer would be noticeably better (in most cases). This is my opinion too.

The main advantage to AG apart from the fact you are able to use fresh ingredients is the ability to control, or attempt to control the many many variables thereby creating your own beer. The main disadvantage is that it can take a good 5 hours but that's half the fun.

 

[PD]

Yea....I think thats wot I meant.

 

[Duxuk]

I think your AG should be better due to the fresh hops which impart flavours you'll never get in a kit. Don't wish to be contravertial but extract can be fantastic. As good as anything, and not difficult. It used to take me about 2 and a half hours to do an extract, but i used to do a mini mash to improve quality. The closer you get to AG, the better, in my opinion.

 

[rpt]

I've done 10 brews: 3 kits, 1 extract and 6 AG. None of the kits tasted quite right - a definite homebrew twang or other flavour that wasn't quite right. The other brews have been good or even fantastic. They have also been ready to drink much sooner. The kits were my first brews so my general technique may have improved.

 

[daf]

I work and have kids, so I don't have time to spend seven hours brewing all grain on a Saturday.

So to me, the perceived 'improvement in taste' ain't worth it.

 

[DirtyCaner]

Lots of people big'in up the fresh hops in the kits. Nice. But what about the fresh malt in the AG. It's the major ingredient really, so why wouldn't that make a difference. Fresh malt + fresh hops with yeast (fresh or dry) = braw beer...

:

DirtyCaner

 

[jonnymorris]

I work and have kids, so I don't have time to spend seven hours brewing all grain on a Saturday.

So to me, the perceived 'improvement in taste' ain't worth it.

I too work and have kids and the 'improvement in taste' is definitely worth it. I don't think there'd be so many people doing it if it wasn't. Note too that the 5 hours of effort isn't full on... a lot of that time is waiting for stuff to happen.