How to choose the right kits?

AntComo · Aug 4, 2019

Hi guys,

Newbie here waiting on equipment and a custom kit from Northern Brewer to arrive (Chinook IPA).

I'm looking ahead to my second batch and I've realised that a lot of the kits I was eyeing up are 'pre-hopped' or 'in a can' and basically skip the boiling stage.

I really want to brew beer using the processes that I'll use with the Chinook and in the book I bought so I'd really like to make sure whatever I buy has a boiling stage at the start.

How can I be sure that the kits I buy have this stage? I've realised that a lot of the highly recommended ones (Evil Dog Double IPA and all Muntons) are thrown in the fermenter with some hot water and don't have boiling.

Do I basically have to go for fresh custom kits? (Is this the reason why they aren't sold so freely, because they have to be prepared fresh perhaps?)

Rodcx500z · Aug 4, 2019

Look for kits that say all grain, have a look hear https://www.geterbrewed.com/custom-grain-kit/ you can build your kit and they will send it to you

AntComo · Aug 4, 2019

Rodcx500z said:
Look for kits that say all grain, have a look hear https://www.geterbrewed.com/custom-grain-kit/ you can build your kit and they will send it to you

Thank you! I was under the impression that all-grain were a step further than what I was ready for, but according to How To Brew aren't so scary.

The Chinook has a liquid malt extract, speciality grains to steep and hops to add at various intervals. I'd be happy to go all-grain too if it opened up the amount of options available.

EDIT I've found the below website 'birramia.it' which is local. They split them into All Grain (and have a lot of choice) as well as Extract and Grain kits which I think are more along the lines of Chinook. Either way they have a lot of variety so hopefully this is a good supplier for me :)

https://www.birramia.it/en/ingredients-for-brewing-beer/partial-mash-e-g-beer-kits-by-birramia.html

Llamaman · Aug 4, 2019

Not many places make extract kits that require a boil. I know Northern Brewer do a range , available from Beer Hawk, although they seem to be selling off their home brew stock.
Given the 'kit' is basically malt extract, steeping grains, hops and yeast, you can make your own 'kit' if you get a recipe from somewhere. I think this is why this kind of kit isn't that popular.

That said, you can also 'pimp' a pre-hopped kit using steeped gains, add a hop tea, a mini-mash etc - so you can practise most of the steps up to and including all grain alongside the kit and gain a lot more control over the end product.

AntComo · Aug 4, 2019

Llamaman said:
Not many places make extract kits that require a boil. I know Northern Brewer do a range , available from Beer Hawk, although they seem to be selling off their home brew stock.
Given the 'kit' is basically malt extract, steeping grains, hops and yeast, you can make your own 'kit' if you get a recipe from somewhere. I think this is why this kind of kit isn't that popular.

That said, you can also 'pimp' a pre-hopped kit using steeped gains, add a hop tea, a mini-mash etc - so you can practise most of the steps up to and including all grain alongside the kit and gain a lot more control over the end product.

Ok I guess I'll have to start reading those chapters on designing recipes earlier than anticipated.

So my initial searches to find ingredients are coming up difficult. Presumably I am expected to switch out grains, yeast and malt extract that isn't available with equivalent or similar ones.

But how do I know what is similar? Is it ok to switch one caramel grain for another? How do I choose an equivalent hop?

Llamaman · Aug 4, 2019

No need to worry about designing your own brew or converting all gains recipes... yet.
There are loads of extract homebrew recipes on the net and some of the books contain extract versions of all-grain recipes.
If you want to play around with recipes, I find Brewer’s Friend Recipe Builder excellent.