Makeshift kits

Veeagra · Post by **Veeagra** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 3:36 pm

Hi,
Is it possible to make up your own kits by shopping the components seperately? For example buying a liquid malt extract and adding your choice of hops and yeast? Does anyone do this?
Thanks, V.

deadlydes · Post by **deadlydes** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 3:49 pm

yes of course it is.
its called extract brewing.

Veeagra · Post by **Veeagra** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 4:05 pm

Ok, I'm sort of joining the dots here.
Is extract brewing as simple as kit brewing? Or should I ask can it be as simple as kit brewing or do you need more equipment?
Ta

Hoppkins · Post by **Hoppkins** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 4:12 pm

Not tried extract brewing yet but it requires more equipment such as a boiler.

Requires more time, effort and skill. Theres a topic for it on this forum and a guide here
http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/ingredients_extract.htm

PieOPah · Post by **PieOPah** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 4:29 pm

Yes, with extract brewing you do need a boiler.

When I started with extract, I boiled half the required amount of water. If I used speciality malts I would steep these for 30 minutes and around 68C (some steep from cold and remove when water reaches boiling).

After steeping I would bring to boil and add all my extract (I only ever used dry). Once the hot break had cleared, I would add my hops and boil to schedule.

After the boil I would add to the fermenter and then fill with cold wter to bring up to volume. This cooled the wort enough to pitch my yeast.

Orfy · Post by **Orfy** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 5:34 pm

To do extract brewing "properly" you need exactly the same equipment as all grain brewing apart from the mashing equipment.

If you take short cuts you can get away with less equipment.

deadlydes · Post by **deadlydes** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:48 am

for the very small increase in the amount of equipment (i.e. mash tun, HLT, cooler if you want [and all this is cheap]) you may aswel just go full mash

Hoppkins · Post by **Hoppkins** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:07 am

How much more difficult is mashing than extract brewing? Is the extra effort and difficulty worth it in the long run? (I guess this is a rhetorical question)

tubby_shaw · Post by **tubby_shaw** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:18 am

It is like the difference between instant coffee and freshly ground coffe beans brewed just the way YOU like it

What all grain brewing gives you is total control

Vossy1 · Post by **Vossy1** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:23 am

Hopkins, I went straight from kits to AG

It's not difficult at all, and it's good fun

For cost and total control, I don't think extract can match it, but then again it was never meant too

PieOPah · Post by **PieOPah** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:51 am

Hoppkins wrote:How much more difficult is mashing than extract brewing? Is the extra effort and difficulty worth it in the long run? (I guess this is a rhetorical question)

to a certain point they are very similar - if you are using speciality malts.

Mashing is (and this is a VERY basic explanation) leaving your grain to soak in hot water for a period of time from around 60 minutes to 8 hours (some people mash overnight). After soaking you rinse the grain, collecting all the wort.

With extract brweing, you mix in your extract to the boiling water to make your wort - somebody has already extracted the sugar.

Oh yeah you do need to have a FULL day booked for an AG brew. They can take about 6 hours + (although a lot of that time is just witing for stuff to happen)

Hoppkins · Post by **Hoppkins** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:02 pm

In that case after i have a bunch more kits under my belt to learn the sanitising and such better i might as well just goto AG.

Talheedin · Post by **Talheedin** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:57 pm

Hi Hoppkins,

I've just started brewing and will be putting my third kit on to brew on Christmas Day. After this I'm going to be doing extract for a while to increase my skill levels and give me time to buy or make the extra equipment needed for AG. Many poeple seem to have gone from kits striaght to AG but I want more time to study the techniques and ingredients and experiment with the ready made products before I go the whole hog.

The difference between muddling through the making of my my first kit and the much more efficiently done second kit was surprising to say the least and I'd like to repeat that learning process with extract before heading into AG land.

However, this is just the way I'm doing it and I can be a little slow on the uptake; you don't think that's got anything to do with the amount of beer I've drunk do you?

Talheedin

itmustbemagic · Post by **itmustbemagic** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 2:26 pm

Exactly my plans over the Christmas break too. I will put to use my new boiler I got cheap from Tchibo and see how I get on with extract brewing. I have rung 'The Art of Brewing' and my supplies will be ready for collection tommorrow (Nice lady on the phone). I will take loads of pics hopefully.

Talheedin · Post by **Talheedin** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 2:57 pm

Got my boiler from the same place.

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