Kits to AG is it easy?

[Orval62]

Only returned to brewing recently after many years drinking commercial beers, to find that things have really moved on for the better. Completed a few kits since with mixed results but in whole pleasantly surprised.
Thinking ahead, what have been fellow brewers experiences moving from kits to AG. Was it easy, expensive, and were the results good enough to make that transition? Can you make 40pt brews successfully, using a lot of your kit equipment?
I am carrying on with the kits at the moment, but looking to make the step up later in the year, so looking for any advice l can get.

[vacant]

It was easy, cheap, and the results were instantly better than kits.

I bought a 60L plastic bucket and a cheap kettle to make a boiler. I bought a 2Mx2M net curtain. That took me from kits to BIAB. No sewing required, just draped the curtain around the inside of the boiler, secured with rope around the rim and dumped the grain into the hot water. When the mash was over, gather up the curtain, twist and tie, then yank out.

If you know how to make tea with a tea bag, you already know how to make beer with BIAB.

[Eric]

Kits have improved greatly in the UK in the last 50 years, but the result is still well behind what can be produced at home using grain.
There are 3 major problems to overcome moving to AG.
1. Having a suitable and large enough space to store and use equipment that generates a lot of heat and steam.
2. Having enough capital and or skills to source the necessary extra equipment. None of your kit gear will be wasted.
3. Having the time to brew. It isn't difficult but it takes a lot out of a single day as it isn't something you can do in an hour or so.

There's a lot to learn, but that can be the best part.

[asd]

+1 to vacant!

BIAB can produce cracking beer!

[Orval62]

Never considered BIAB but looks the best step up from kits. I will start doing some research, and see how much the required equipment will cost. I suppose that a little investment will reap the rewards of a better and cheaper beer in the long run. Thanks for the advice.

[Dads_Ale]

I went from kits to AG about 15 years ago. Then had to pack the kit in the loft as the family expanded. Eventually got all the the kit out of the loft at the end of last year and have just completed brew number 10.

As said before AG brewing does take up most of the day but it is a very satisfying day and need not be too expensive. I think the key is to see what you can make and what it is better buying ready made.

My kit consists of the following.

HLT - re-use of original 23 litre boiler (new built temp probe added)
Mash Tun - Converted 23 litre FV with tap added and home made false bottom. Insulated with radiator reflective film and cushion. (new built temp probe added). Rotating sparge arm (bought)
Transfer - 5 litre plastic jug
Boiler - 31 litre FV with 2.4kw element added plus tap and hop strainer.
Chiller - Home made counterflow cooler.
FV - new 31 litre one bought

plus a selection of tubing, bottle cleaners and siphons etc.

Not that expensive and able to turn out 25 - 27 litre brews.

I must say you will not regret moving to AG. Good luck

[Beer O'Clock]

I too went to BIAB from kits via a few Extract brews. I went BIAB as a cheap and easy way to get into 3V. It was only ever a stop-gap but I can't see myself bothering with 3V as the results from BIAB are fantastic. Both methods are producing wort. Just the equipment is different.

[Twistedfinger]

I too went to BIAB from kits via a few Extract brews. I went BIAB as a cheap and easy way to get into 3V. It was only ever a stop-gap but I can't see myself bothering with 3V as the results from BIAB are fantastic. Both methods are producing wort. Just the equipment is different.

Ditto.. BIAB is the easiest and cheapest way to get into AG. Give it a whirl and if you feel the need you can expand and go 3V.

[Eric]

Kits have improved greatly in the UK in the last 50 years, but the result is still well behind what can be produced at home using grain.
There are 3 major problems to overcome moving to AG.
1. Having a suitable and large enough space to store and use equipment that generates a lot of heat and steam.
2. Having enough capital and or skills to source the necessary extra equipment. None of your kit gear will be wasted.
3. Having the time to brew. It isn't difficult but it takes a lot out of a single day as it isn't something you can do in an hour or so.

There's a lot to learn, but that can be the best part.

Just to reiterate There's a lot to learn, but that can be the best part.
There are many who won't.

[Capped]

Just to reiterate There's a lot to learn, but that can be the best part.
There are many who won't.

Dunno about you lot, but I learn just a smidgeon more with every brew, and I've been at it for aeons. Jolly good thing too - it'd get as boring and as routine as making a cuppa, otherwise.

[Ben711200]

BIAB is an excellent suggestion IMO. You only need to buy a boiler and a big piece of voile. I bought a pair of cheap voile curtains from Ikea- it worked out incredibly expensive as we bought most of the rest of the store too.

I have since moved from BIAB to 3V, and the results aren't really any better (yet- I'm not exactly pushing myself at the moment), and the brew day is longer, but I have found I prefer the extra flexibility in terms of brew length it gives me and enjoy the process a little more overall. Very subjective and some will disagree- cleaning bits of grain out of voile afterward and easily dropping little drips of sticky wort about perhaps show a slapdash technique and annoyance at really petty little things, but it was enough to make me make the switch!

Since I'm making a really unclear point- You need the boiler for 3v or BIAB, so you may as well try BIAB before you buy the mashtun as well even if you only see it as a stepping stone to 3v.

[Clibit]

Another good and often over-looked option is partial mash - the beer is hard to differentiate from AG beer. You simply replace some of the base malt with malt extract. I have done this with dried malt extract and the beers have been as good as AG brews. It meant I could make quality beer without much extra cost/equipment at all, compared to kit/extract brews. And it's quicker than AG.

Mash maybe 1.5 -2kg of grain (Either in a bag in a stockpot, or in a coolbox) including some base malt, and boil the wort with hops, add extract and pour into the fermenter. Top up with cold water as necessary. It's really just an extract brew with some base malt thrown in to the steep, which becomes a mash by the maintenance of the temperature within the range necessary for mashing. Which is easy - and which makes a difference to the beer in my experience, in comparison with an extract only brew.

You can use lots of malt extract and a bit of base malt, or lots of base malt and a bit of malt extract, or anything in between including half and half. They are inter-changeable, but you need to calculate how much of each to use for the gravity you want.

[Orval62]

Many thanks to all the advice and views on the next step. Looks like I will have a go at the BIAB, as it will keep the cost down for now and gives me an opportunity to be a bit more adventurous. Any information or decent books I can us to help me?

Much appreciated, Tony

[Eric]

BIAB is an excellent suggestion IMO. You only need to buy a boiler and a big piece of voile. I bought a pair of cheap voile curtains from Ikea- it worked out incredibly expensive as we bought most of the rest of the store too.

I have since moved from BIAB to 3V, and the results aren't really any better (yet- I'm not exactly pushing myself at the moment), and the brew day is longer, but I have found I prefer the extra flexibility in terms of brew length it gives me and enjoy the process a little more overall. Very subjective and some will disagree- cleaning bits of grain out of voile afterward and easily dropping little drips of sticky wort about perhaps show a slapdash technique and annoyance at really petty little things, but it was enough to make me make the switch!

Since I'm making a really unclear point- You need the boiler for 3v or BIAB, so you may as well try BIAB before you buy the mashtun as well even if you only see it as a stepping stone to 3v.

Yes, it takes a while to set up a 3 vessel system and get the routine perfected, well it did for me, but only a fraction of the 20 odd years using grain bags of different shape, sizes and mesh not to get the clarity of wort I desired. Having spares and hanging the bags on the washing line for a couple of weeks to give them a good shake on passing got rid of the bits that wedged, the problem was the smaller stuff that passed through and around the bag and into the boil.
As you say, BIAB is a method with minimal equipment that can produce an all grain beer better than can be expected from any kit. I still keep a couple of grain bags just in case I get a stuck mash, but they would never now be my first choice. Later this week I'm hoping to have time to make a couple more improvements which will be my 5th mash tun and maybe my tenth mash tun filter. As has been said above, you can learn something new every brew, I just get annoyed when reading that there is no point to examine and change your equipment to make better beer.

[setmash]

You will never look back. I went from kits to AG about 18 months ago. It took a ton of research and Ive still so much to learn but the guys are great on here and give a ton of support. My first AG was a 10 hour session including various scalds and spills. Kitchen was a complete mess. I was knackered but I still think the Exmoor Gold was one of the best beers Ive ever made

One thing - get some starsan 1.6ml/Liter (use with Tesco Ashbeck water - cheap) no rinse steralizer makes such a difference. Keep some in a spray bottle to use to instantly santize your kit.