What An Addictive Hobby !! :)

[turbomad2b]

Im new to home brew and i thought i would start out as it seemed a cheap alternative to buying in shops, plus its a new hobby for me !
I started a week ago and so far ive spent £120, on something i initially thought would be £20
I know its not alot of ££ in the world of home brew but like i say the youngs brew buddy starter kits advertised for £20 are 'everything to get going' so i first thought that would be it, in fairness it was enough to get my brew going but then the addictiveness kicked in

After the starter kit i wanted a pressure barrel, then i wanted a co2 injector system, then tools of the trade (tablets,brushes,enhancers,sugars,test jar,powders,etc) , anyone else noticed how quick the hobby gets hold of you, wilkinsons must be sick of seeing me now

About to rack my first batch of lager so this better be coins well spent

[RussDeBuss]

which youngs kit did you get?

I started with the larger kit, and it is ok-ish. i used standard white sugar and tap water, tried it after 2 weeks like the instructions say and it wasn't too great, after 4 weeks it tasted a lot better, but still not great, using standard sugar has left it a bit thin, it certainly has strength, got pretty merry when i had to get one of the 2 litre coke bottles i used for it out of the fridge to make room for food(girlfriend doesn't agree that the fridge should be 75% full of beer and food is jammed into any gaps she can find, strange ;D ).

theres also a slight "twang" to it, i am not sure if this is from chlorine and fluoride in tap water, or because it is a kit from a can, i'm still new to this so not sure but it's definatly drinkable after 4 weeks in the fridge, not the 2 they suggest, but try it anyway.

my 2nd brew i used an edme lager kit from wilko's, but made it half volume and didn't add any sugar, trying to emulate a 2 can kit. it's still maturing by i sampled one, definatly needed more time, and was very bitter, i guess from me making it half volume. i also used asda bottled water with this one, gonna try it again in a week or 2 when it's had a month.

my next brew is a woodfords great eastern kit. as its a 2 can kit no sugar is required, the original sample i took for OG readings was very nice, again made with asda bottled water and is now maturing in the shed in a wilko budget barrell, only just put in in shed and needs another 3 1/2 weeks maturing, but can't wait, i'm tempted to save it for xmas though.

next brew i'm going to try extract brewing, either bewers choice IPA, or something else, not sure yet.

it is definatly addictive, i've just got into it and considering going all grain already.

[yashicamat]

which youngs kit did you get?

I started with the larger kit, and it is ok-ish. i used standard white sugar and tap water, tried it after 2 weeks like the instructions say and it wasn't too great, after 4 weeks it tasted a lot better, but still not great, using standard sugar has left it a bit thin, it certainly has strength, got pretty merry when i had to get one of the 2 litre coke bottles i used for it out of the fridge to make room for food(girlfriend doesn't agree that the fridge should be 75% full of beer and food is jammed into any gaps she can find, strange ;D ).

theres also a slight "twang" to it, i am not sure if this is from chlorine and fluoride in tap water, or because it is a kit from a can, i'm still new to this so not sure but it's definatly drinkable after 4 weeks in the fridge, not the 2 they suggest, but try it anyway.

my 2nd brew i used an edme lager kit from wilko's, but made it half volume and didn't add any sugar, trying to emulate a 2 can kit. it's still maturing by i sampled one, definatly needed more time, and was very bitter, i guess from me making it half volume. i also used asda bottled water with this one, gonna try it again in a week or 2 when it's had a month.

my next brew is a woodfords great eastern kit. as its a 2 can kit no sugar is required, the original sample i took for OG readings was very nice, again made with asda bottled water and is now maturing in the shed in a wilko budget barrell, only just put in in shed and needs another 3 1/2 weeks maturing, but can't wait, i'm tempted to save it for xmas though.

next brew i'm going to try extract brewing, either bewers choice IPA, or something else, not sure yet.

it is definatly addictive, i've just got into it and considering going all grain already.

Go all grain! You won't regret it . . . the difference is like day and night, plus you can make EXACTLY what beer you want!

[RussDeBuss]

I want to, space, time, money and a girlfriend that doen't like me taking over the kitchen are getting in the way

[adm]

If you ditch the girlfriend, you'll have more space, time and money. Plus the kitchen problem will go away.

[RussDeBuss]

let me just run that by her,,,,,,,,,,,

comes back crying with 2 black eyes and swollen man bits

looks like extract for now then :s

[Deebee]

which youngs kit did you get?

I started with the larger kit, and it is ok-ish. i used standard white sugar and tap water, tried it after 2 weeks like the instructions say and it wasn't too great, after 4 weeks it tasted a lot better, but still not great, using standard sugar has left it a bit thin, it certainly has strength, got pretty merry when i had to get one of the 2 litre coke bottles i used for it out of the fridge to make room for food(girlfriend doesn't agree that the fridge should be 75% full of beer and food is jammed into any gaps she can find, strange ;D ).

theres also a slight "twang" to it, i am not sure if this is from chlorine and fluoride in tap water, or because it is a kit from a can, i'm still new to this so not sure but it's definatly drinkable after 4 weeks in the fridge, not the 2 they suggest, but try it anyway.

my 2nd brew i used an edme lager kit from wilko's, but made it half volume and didn't add any sugar, trying to emulate a 2 can kit. it's still maturing by i sampled one, definatly needed more time, and was very bitter, i guess from me making it half volume. i also used asda bottled water with this one, gonna try it again in a week or 2 when it's had a month.

my next brew is a woodfords great eastern kit. as its a 2 can kit no sugar is required, the original sample i took for OG readings was very nice, again made with asda bottled water and is now maturing in the shed in a wilko budget barrell, only just put in in shed and needs another 3 1/2 weeks maturing, but can't wait, i'm tempted to save it for xmas though.

next brew i'm going to try extract brewing, either bewers choice IPA, or something else, not sure yet.

it is definatly addictive, i've just got into it and considering going all grain already.

Go all grain! You won't regret it . . . the difference is like day and night, plus you can make EXACTLY what beer you want!

Exactly what he said!!

I started using coopers kits, they had the " ywang" you spoke of.

The i used a muntons gold ( santas winter warmer) it was better but still had the " homebrew twang"

Then a guy down the road poured me a beer one day.. and i asked him where he bought the kit.

he smiled, and a week later i ost my AG virginity.

Not looked back since, although AG is even more addictive.

Do it you know you want too and it is not that much more expensive ingredients waise either.

[crookedeyeboy]

I fully agree with all the above.

I did one Woodforde's kit which was great, then I thought sod it lets try it from scratch, and like you say I was immediately hooked.

The only reason Im not brewing this weekend is coz Ive run out of FV's!

Go AG it is so amazing how simple it is to get unbelievable results, as for space well yes it does take up alot of room but if you get it down to fine art you'll be done in a few hours. I went from taking 8 hours on my 2nd brew down to 5hrs on Tuesday which enabled me to get one in in the week!! Cant stand waiting for the weekend all the time!

[Mountain]

But once you're all set up all you need is grain, hops and yeast.
-
All you really need is a mash tun for AG. I made mine out of a cheapo coolbox. It hardly takes up any room.
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Then you can buy 25kg sacks of Marris Otter and make loads of cheap beer.
-
My sack of MO is still propped up in the corner of the kitchen as I've been too busy brewing to clean out the shed. It infuriates my wife Not the beer...oh, she's all for saving money...it's the mess I leave behind me that she can't stand.
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Of course then there are my other hobbies......

[crookedeyeboy]

Ooh, dont forget to mention the amazing smell that fills the house when you boil the hops!!

[Mountain]

It's a nice smell...also reminds me of another hop like plant and brings back youthful memories
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On the plus side, it's great for sending small children to sleep. My 5yr old son likes to hang around in the kitchen when I'm brewing and usually half an hour later is spark out on the settee. Sometimes the waft of hops has the same effect on the missus too, so I get to brew in peace!

[crookedeyeboy]

It's a nice smell...also reminds me of another hop like plant and brings back youthful memories

You know that it is a close relative dont you? They used to make pillows out of it, really want to try it one day for alovely nights sleep!

[Mountain]

Yep. Maybe time for a hybrid hop and some beer plus

Funilly enough, I've just been recommending hop pillows to an insomniac colleague.

[crookedeyeboy]

[Deebee]

I win in all ways at the moment.

The wife ( and her pregnant nose!) is against all smells, but the smell of the grain as it hits the strike water is great... and she even likes the smell of the hoppy goodness when the boil is on.

By the time i go to bed she is usually snoring and when she wakes up in the morning all she sees is the Fv downstairs, the rest is slung outside until next day for cleaning...

I brew in my kitchen.

My equipment

1 coolbox mash tun

1 liter jug for fly sparging

1 paint mixer and drill for doughing in and batch sparging ( if i do that)

1 large stock pot

So the mashtun stands on the table with the stockpot on a hot plate underneath. Run off into said stock pot, dump the grain in the compost and i am all cleaned up.

You know you want to do it.

Take the plunge.

( i used the if the beer is not better than the kits i'll never do it again excuse.... worked for me!)