How soon is too soon?

[wolvesbrew]

After recieving my home brew kit for chritstmas ive just bottled my second Kit brew today then got number 3 in straight away. I think ive been bitten big time. How long were you guys brewing kits before going AG? I know there is a lot to learn from experimenting with kits but if if it tastes so much better im finding it hard to resist and im a magpie for shiney things.

 

[mmaguy41]

I would try an extract batch first or a BIAB batch, buy yourself a brew kettle that is big enough to become part of your full all grain setup at some stage and try an extract batch and then a BIAB. Youll find AG alot easier once you have got used to some of the processes involved in extract brewing.

 

[dx4100]

After recieving my home brew kit for chritstmas ive just bottled my second Kit brew today then got number 3 in straight away. I think ive been bitten big time. How long were you guys brewing kits before going AG? I know there is a lot to learn from experimenting with kits but if if it tastes so much better im finding it hard to resist and im a magpie for shiney things.

I think I did six kits. I would say there was no value in doing the other five to be frank. I have found all kits to be crap (well the six or so I did).

Kits teach you the basics of brewing from the FV onwards. So cleaning, sterilising, a bit about the wort and basics of the brewing magic, pitching yeast, temp control, taking readings, bottling. So if you feel confident with all those things then they remain exactly the same with AG brewing.

You now just need to learn the other side of the process, mashing, boiling the hops, using beer engines etc etc. Also there is dry hoping and yeast starters if you haven't done that already.

So, personally, I say if you are itching to go then get learning and get buying and crack on!

I never looked back and I am loving AG brewing. I also now see no reason to bother with doing partial mash / extract brewing. I say just jump straight in myself if your up for it.

*Personal opinion, other opinions are available :P

 

[mmaguy41]

I never did extract to be fair, i did a few BIAB as i didnt have the money to buy a full ag setup in one go and it allowed me to add to my equiptment gradually

 

[calumscott]

I did two dozen kits and a few ciders and oddities.

I'm now BIABing in a big pot which will eventually be a dedicated boiler in a 3 vessel system.

Remember that BIAB *IS* AG... :thumb:

 

[dx4100]

Yeah BIAB is a totally valid form of AG...

I personally do batch sparging in a mash tun. Simple but BIAB is even simpler it seems.

Lots of ways of pretty much doing the same thing.

 

[Baz Chaz]

I did 2 kits and just went straight for it, (admittedly I was returning to brewing after a 'number' of years :? ) found it was actually very easy, just a bit longer brewday thats all :!:

However the beer is a much better end product and well worth the extra bit of effort, you would be surprised at just how much better AG brews are :

...... and there's a shedload of help on this forum as well :thumb:

 

[cutnrun]

I did about half a dozen kits then went AG.

I got lucky and found a full AG setup with MT and all the works on fleabay for £55. (All plastic setup)

Never really looked back.... however shiney is starting to pull on me a so may have to start thinking about splashing out a little more to upgrade again?!?!

 

[MacKiwi]

Never did kits. Started with AG. The shiney was too compelling...

 

[wolvesbrew]

Being an engineer the idea of building a 3 pot setup is exciting me, the price of all the raw materials not so much. After your comment calum about biab ive looked into this and it seems the obvious next step until the beer fairies leaveme the money for shiney things. just a few more kits i think to get a varied stock up then AG here i come.

 

[CheshireCBR]

please excuse the newbe question here but what is BIAB? I have gathered that AG is all grain but have missed this one :?

I have done wine and am doing quite well with that, I am just about to do a beer kit, but the next step is starting and boiling stuff which is where I need to lern

 

[fbsf]

BIAB is Brew-in-a-bag. Well, Mash-in-a-bag really, but the idea is that instead of using a mashtun, you just use a grain bag in your boiler, and when the grain has finished mashing, lift the bag and let it drain.

It's gaining in popularity, particularly with new starters or people graduating from extract as it only involves a bag - no other extra equipment. Saying that, some seasoned brewers use it as their method of choice, so it shouldn't just be seen as a stepping-stone.

And, I can confirm (as will countless others), produces top-notch beer!

 

[CheshireCBR]

arrr right, so am I right in thinking that just to start all I would need is a couple of big pans/stock pots, a bag and the ingreadients, then a decent fermenting tub?

sorry for hijacking the thread in this way

 

[wolvesbrew]

no problem, theres a really good how to biab by calumscott on here. pretty much tells you all you need to know.

 

[Scott]

I've done half a dozen kits or so, got another three in stock too, but I have just ordered my mash tun and boiler. Only been brewing on my own since December (did it with my Step Dad before), I'm really looking forward to AG brewing!

 

[Fireblade]

I never did a kit, I leapt straight into AG (well, a single-pot, BIAB-ish variant of AG). Having tasted kits and AG, I decided it was worth the effort.
It's been a steep learning curve, and I've made loads of mistakes along the way, but all my beers have been good, even if they didn't come out exactly as intended.

Buy a BIG pot. It's not much more for a 50l pot than a 33l one, and so long as you can fit it on your cooker/boiling ring it'll make your life much easier.

IMHO, of course :

 

[BrotherMalice]

I did 3 kits before turning to the Dark Side, the kits were fairly good but AG is much better :

 

[johnnyh]

I did one kit, then a 2 can kit with an added hop tea, and then BIAB AG.

For me the benefits of the BIAB are low cost of materials and the ability to scale the recipe.
I don't necessarily want 40 pints of "x" each time, being able to produce 10 to 15 litre brew lengths gives me the opportunity to have a wider variety of beers in the stash.

I don't see myself progressing to a 3 vessel system, but I can see a larger boiler on the horizon - that and a means (either electric or gas) to move my brewing out of the kitchen to save any ear ache :rofl:

 

[wolvesbrew]

I did one kit, then a 2 can kit with an added hop tea, and then BIAB AG.

For me the benefits of the BIAB are low cost of materials and the ability to scale the recipe.
I don't necessarily want 40 pints of "x" each time, being able to produce 10 to 15 litre brew lengths gives me the opportunity to have a wider variety of beers in the stash.

I don't see myself progressing to a 3 vessel system, but I can see a larger boiler on the horizon - that and a means (either electric or gas) to move my brewing out of the kitchen to save any ear ache :rofl:

What size pan do you use at the moment and what is the largest batch you can get from it?