time to move on....to AG

[beechwood]

I've been brewing kits for about 4 years but I think its now time to move on to AG brewing, don't get me wrong the kits are good as a starting point but I'm becoming increasing dissatisfied with the 'homebrew twang' that you seem to get with these kits. I've tried quite a lot of the different kits on the market both one can and two can kits and have experimented with various sugar and DME.
I've tried woodfordes, coopers, milestone, muntons, wilko, brewmaker, brewferm etc.
brewferm is probably one of my fav kits which I will continue to make but I think its time to move over to AG.
I've got a graham wheeler real ale book which I hope to get stuck in to at some point plus I've ordered a book called true brews
which looks really good.
I've also been given a clone recipe for hobgoblin aswell which looks pretty good.
Whats malt extract brewing like flavour wise?? do get the 'homebrew twang' or is this reduced??

 

[thomascrabs]

Also interested in this as planning an extract brew next. No expert but does a lot of the twang come from the yeast sediment so could be the same in extract and ag?

 

[nobyipa]

Also interested in this as planning an extract brew next. No expert but does a lot of the twang come from the yeast sediment so could be the same in extract and ag?

that there taste gets there when the LME is getting on with age [the older the more taste]
same in kits
ag no lme = no taste [twang]
:drink:

 

[clibit]

You could try an extract brew with DME, and steep some grains - you can make some great beer, and DME is also more flexible as you just use the amount you want for the recipe, and seal the bag. It would make a good next step, and a good experiment, and you would learn about boiling with hops and steeping grains if you have not done these before. and a step on from that is partial mash, where you mash some base malt with the steeping grains, and use less extract.

I think the twang thing is largely a liquid malt thing, but All Grain beers are the dog's danglies, once you go there you never return. Beer heaven.

 

[nobyipa]

You could try an extract brew with DME, and steep some grains - you can make some great beer, and DME is also more flexible as you just use the amount you want for the recipe, and seal the bag. It would make a good next step, and a good experiment, and you would learn about boiling with hops and steeping grains if you have not done these before. and a step on from that is partial mash, where you mash some base malt with the steeping grains, and use less extract.

I think the twang thing is largely a liquid malt thing, but All Grain beers are the dog's danglies, once you go there you never return. Beer heaven.

:thumb:

 

[ian808]

I have been thinking about AG for a while just unsure about buying all the equipment and time it takes for a brew day. I'm sure the day will come when I switch but there's no hurry for me yet

 

[clibit]

You can do AG with extract equipment plus a mesh bag. In other words, a big pot and a bag. Or you could do partial mash with a stock pot and a bag. Loads of people do, and make much better beer than kits.

 

[beechwood]

sounds good!! thanks for the advice guys :)

 

[artyb]

biab is the way forward ... :thumb:

 

[BIGJIM72]

Sounds like it might be the right time for you! There are plenty of older wiser heads here than mine to offer advice ,but here's my tuppence worth. Sometimes things don't always come across as intended on the net- I would just like to say I wrote this to try & be helpful-not to cause offence,not to be patronising & not to demean other types of brewing. I hope its taken in the same spirit.

Its your beer,made by you for you. As long as you are happy with it, doesn't matter how you brew IMHO. But if you aren't happy.........

There is some cost to getting an AG setup together-but the savings soon mount up over buying £20+ kits. There are space issues,there are time issues-then there is the smell (which some really don't like). Be prepared to loose all of the daylight hours on your first attempt.(You will need to clean up after-never leave it till the next day,it will be twice as hard to do then).

The process, although not complicated, is a lot more involved than boiling a kettle & opening a few tins & packets- it will take a few goes to get to know your kit,to get to grips with the different stages & TBH to find out what you really want to make. With a kit you kind of know what you are going to get as an end result, there are a few more variables involved now. For a product with so few ingredients......

If you go AG you are on a learning curve-there will be mistakes,there will be the odd fail,there will be D'oh moments-but when it all comes good-when you find the yeast that works for you, the grain bill & the hop schedule that is exactly what you want & you brew a beer that is perfectly tailored to your taste then you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

 

[mollusc]

I've been brewing kits for about 4 years but I think its now time to move on to AG brewing, don't get me wrong the kits are good as a starting point but I'm becoming increasing dissatisfied with the 'homebrew twang' that you seem to get with these kits...

I've been "brewing" with kits for just under a year now and also feel that it's time to move on. I've discussed this with the SWMBO, as it will mean considerably longer brew days, and I been given a pass.

My plan is to graduate to extract brews with DME to start; with a possible move to BIAB sometime in the future. To this end, I plan to purchase a boiler big enough for BIAB to start with, which will give the flexibility to move on when I want to. My only real decision now is whether to use gas or electricity for the heat source.

Brian

 

[MyQul]

I've been brewing kits for about 4 years but I think its now time to move on to AG brewing, don't get me wrong the kits are good as a starting point but I'm becoming increasing dissatisfied with the 'homebrew twang' that you seem to get with these kits...

I've been "brewing" with kits for just under a year now and also feel that it's time to move on. I've discussed this with the SWMBO, as it will mean considerably longer brew days, and I been given a pass.

My plan is to graduate to extract brews with DME to start; with a possible move to BIAB sometime in the future. To this end, I plan to purchase a boiler big enough for BIAB to start with, which will give the flexibility to move on when I want to. My only real decision now is whether to use gas or electricity for the heat source.

Brian

Dunno about costs but gas is more controllable - especially when it comes to boil overs

 

[peelman]

I have had some great results from kits, once I realised what I was doing wrong. (My fermentation temps were too high )
However...... After I did my first AG brew I realised there was a big difference in the finished product. AG brews are superior.
I will do kits again when time constraints dictate but generally I will always plump for an AG brew where possible.

 

[MyQul]

Kit's are great but I'm spoilt (by AG/BIAB) now and wouldn't go back despite the extra time it takes

 

[jonnymorris]

...gas is more controllable - especially when it comes to boil overs

Buy a big enough pot and this won't be a problem.

 

[MyQul]

...gas is more controllable - especially when it comes to boil overs

Buy a big enough pot and this won't be a problem.

I'd only be tempted to make more beer and fill that one too the top as well

 

[oldjiver]

I would describe the difference between AG and malt extract brews as similar to the difference between fresh milk and powdered milk, same stuff but you wouldnt really like to drink powdered milk if you had fresh as its not the same taste.

 

[thomascrabs]

Is the difference between kits and extract similar?

I guess it's all a mater of preference / taste as I've heard lots of great reviews on extract brewing - mostly saying you can get a near AG pint, albeit at a higher cost.

 

[Trucker5685]

I have been thinking about AG for a while just unsure about buying all the equipment and time it takes for a brew day. I'm sure the day will come when I switch but there's no hurry for me yet

Ian, I hired the AG kit from my LHBS. It was his own personal kit and only cost £20. Obviously this added to the overall cost per pint but meant I could try it and see if it was worth the extra time/work involved. It'll be awhile before making that decision yet as the brew won't be ready for a month or two. :thumb:

 

[MyQul]

I have been thinking about AG for a while just unsure about buying all the equipment and time it takes for a brew day. I'm sure the day will come when I switch but there's no hurry for me yet

Ian, I hired the AG kit from my LHBS. It was his own personal kit and only cost £20. Obviously this added to the overall cost per pint but meant I could try it and see if it was worth the extra time/work involved. It'll be awhile before making that decision yet as the brew won't be ready for a month or two. :thumb:

If your anywhere near London (Brixton to be precise) you can do a brewing workshop at the place I buy my grains and hops

http://londonbeerlab.com/our-workshops/