delete account

[Russ146]

The last forum i was on was strange, every time I asked a question, the response from the staff and their clique was "Google It". What's the point of the forum then. :wha:

I need to stay with the kits as of present, as i am still learning the basics of brewing.

To be honest i couldnt be bothered with AG even if i was retired and had nothing else to do.
That dosnt mean i'm anti it or for it or anti those that do.

I make woodfordes and ruby kits time after time and its as good as any ag stuff. The secret is in the conditioning. I leave mine for 6/8 weeks in pressure barrels and its premium beer that would match any pub ale. One recent ale drinker mate aged 70 compared my wherry to old speckled hen and my ruby to abbot ale, "i couldnt tell the difference" he said

For me lifes too short for faffing, why bother, there are no real experts. its the joy of drinking it that i like.

 

[evanvine]

If you're happy with merely achieving commercial ale standard,I pity you!

 

[Vossy1]

I'm not sure I agree with you Russ but that's another topic, perhaps it would be good to have an out and out discussion as to what AG can bring to beer v what kits provide, IMO they are not the same product though both are acceptable....and i'd welcome that topic.
As a analogy, when was the last time you tried a product in it's natural state and one reconstituted and said there was no difference between the 2? Whether that difference justifies the time involved is personal choice, as you said, but to compare may not be fair.

EV...behave :lol:

 

[evanvine]

Very sorry Sir, won't do it again tonight Sir! :whistle:

 

[Vossy1]

:lol: I think we need a special disclaimer for you....read once think twice..special' sense of humour involved :lol:

 

[evanvine]

Tubby understood me, but alas he is gone!
Will you be my mentor instead? :pray:

 

[LeithR]

I've not been at the AG brewing very long - a year or so - my kits now that I'm trying different yeasts with them are turning out better than they have ever been so happy with that and enjoy drinking them.

For me my AG's are different, there seems to me to be more of a craft element involved in making an AG beer which I relish, I certainly get more butterflies in my tum doing an AG brew because of the more complex nature of putting it together and timing it etc... its more of an experiment than kit making, much more to go wrong.

Having said that they both have a place in my brewing program, I need the quick reliable brew to keep my whistle whetted and I need to explore and experiment with my AG brewing activities to see if I can make a beer that I can feel is better than that which I can buy down the road in the pub, if my friends agree that's a bonus, most of them so far have been in that category - for me at least.

Its me against the elements using taste buds as a guide. There's no good or bad - better or worse - just different.

I'm real sorry too that Mick has left - but if he has not stopped brewing then that's a bonus in the scheme of things.

 

[evanvine]

I like your comments re Kits v AG. :thumb:

 

[godfrey]

my kits now that I'm trying different yeasts with them are turning out better than they have ever beens.

any tips on yeast strains, for a wannabe noob beer kit brewer ?

 

[sam.k]

Sad to see a member go.
Kits are fine, they do what they are supposed to, make beer.
But to me they are like curry sauce, they are fine and tasty but they are someone else's beer.

My AG is all mine.

 

[morethanworts]

I'm well impressed with my recent kits. I did 20 odd over a decade ago and a few extracts, with mixed results, then stopped. I've improved my practices since then, learning on here, but I don't think I was ridiculously off the mark back then and I was always meticulous with sanitation. I assume the kits must have improved themselves.(?)

It seems sensible to pretty much perfect the latter stages of the process first to me, having let someone else put it all in a can for you. There's still much to get right after that point.

So I've dry hopped, which makes a MASSIVE difference IMO, tried secondaries (sometimes) and got all the temperature control and sanitation pretty spot on, as well as basic bottling/PB/conditioning good practice.

Next thing is to try a few different yeasts (you could even use a liquid yeast on a kit :shock: ) and try not to miss much else out before doing a very nice Tripel recipe I've been given for extract/partial.

It all just feels like part of the learning curve to me.

But I'd be interested to know how many people jump successfully straight into all grain brewing. I guess the ingredients themselves are cheaper so there's an argument that perhaps you should invest in the shinys from the start and make all your mistakes with cheap grains... :hmm:

 

[dennisking]

I started with extracts but moved to AG within a year, in 1977. When I won a prize in the spring thing raffle I chose a Wherry kit. My thinking was I'm in my 59th year now. There may come a point when I am physically not able to brew as I do now so kits might be the only option. So I want to know what might be in store. I did cheat slightly and use some liquid yeast but if I do end up brewing kits I would certainly do some tweaking anyway. I have to say I enjoyed the finished product, wasn't as good as the vast majority of beers I've made but better than some and a lot better than a lot of commercial ones. At the spring thing we made a point of encouraging kit brewers to bring their beer for all to try and created a kit section in the competition. I hope next year more kit brewers will rise to the challenge and bring along their beers with pride.

 

[artyb]

most forums have drama lama's

 

[falafael]

If you're happy with merely achieving commercial ale standard,I pity you!

You know, some things on this topic annoy me, but you lot just don't get it, the reason mick left is exactly what you and vossy are doing, dissing russ!!

If russ like his beer let the guy enjoy his fecking beer, he's happy, why do u have to pull him or any other kit brewers down a peg!
It makes me laff, i see it on here as well what mick refers too, it seems the majority of the AG brewers have their thumb up their arse, as if somehow AG is the dogs!

And believe me, it is not the dogs, i have had some AG over the years, and to be honest, what some people called lovely and a great drink, is what i have thrown away as a kit brewer cos it tasted of ****!

So, please stop this senseless crap, if people want to brew kits, AG or wine or TC or spirits, let them, they do it cos they want too, as mick points out, some people dont have the money, or just can't be arsed with it!

And as for commercial ale, well, i don't see many pubs etc closing, cos everyone is drinking AG, so that just goes to show me, taht home brewing is only a niche thing.

I go to a pub and drink whats on offer, i certainly dont have my head up my arse, and walk out, because i am deluded by the fact that i think i can brew 'better' like some people seem to think!
Rant over
Live and let live

 

[evanvine]

I fail to see how adding water to cans of extract can be called brewing!

 

[Cyclops]

I think that whatever you brew it does not matter as long as you enjoy doing it and reaping the rewards from it.

 

[dennisking]

I think that whatever you brew it does not matter as long as you enjoy doing it and reaping the rewards from it.

:clap: :clap: :clap:

 

[falafael]

I fail to see how adding water to cans of extract can be called brewing!

You just seem to not understand jim, and the mentality that you are showing with that comment proves how anal some people are about kits, and dont forget jim, i've tasted your AG, it is nothing to shout about!

 

[alawlor66430]

I fail to see how adding water to cans of extract can be called brewing!

totally out casting allot of people on here with that comment

 

[alawlor66430]

I think that whatever you brew it does not matter as long as you enjoy doing it and reaping the rewards from it.

+1