Homebrewing hangups?!

[Aes9471]

Have just done brew no. 7 Scammonden Dark (Brupacks Pride of Yorkshire). Was intending to not use BKE until I read the instructions - the reason for choosing the kit apart from it sounding well tasty was because of the teabag included. Having read the instructions it kind of suggested that despite it being a no sugar required kit, spraymalt wasn't such a bad thing. I have always used BKE and to be honest I'm kind of thinking that all my beers have a very similar taste, I can tell the difference between each brew but they all seem of a likeness. Is this because of the BKE or my unrefined palate? As a measure have done John Bull BB and an Edme Irish Stout with 100g chocolate malt, both had a remarkably similar taste, not disappointing just not that different. Have just tasted the Scammonden before pitching the yeast and lo! it's a very similar taste, just subtlely different not miles away from every other brew I've done before. I also have a habit of using 200g brown sugar with my brews, although not this time and brown sugar for priming (always in bottles). Am I just a creature of habit or should I stick with a working formula ie it's not broken so don't fix it? And while you're all at it can anyone fix my other character flaws too

[alefric]

Mmm...Strange, i found many kits to be much of a much and the only real improver was to use DaaBs boil method which to be fair did make quite a difference. The last kit i made before switching to AG was a Brupaks IPA which tasted very similar to Colne valley bitter if a little stronger but it did make me wonder if the only difference was the brewlength 20 instead of 23litres.

[Jaoqua]

What's DaaB's Boil Method?

[Garth]

to me, all kits had a samey samey taste, it's sometimes called 'extract twang' and although I did some 20 kits which some were cracking, I noticed it in every kit I did. I believe it comes from when the wort is boiled down and condensed to fit into the one/two tins of the kits.

If you go AG you'll notice a major difference, with the 'extract twang' missing from the equation.