Kits,Extracts, Partials.....Where Are You At ?

Paleman · Post by **Paleman** » Friday May 12, 2006 10:53 pm

Just a question for our membership here at HB&B.

Where are you all at with you brewing at the moment ?

Are the majority brewing kits, and adding specialty grains( or steeping grains ) and hops. Or just simple kits.

Or do we have many extract brewers amongst us ? Or any partial mashers ?

I'm extract at the moment, but must admit that i order Grumpys extracts, Extrabrews. I'm glad ive made the step up. Its a partial next for me.

I'm looking forward to mashing a small amount of grains, hopping it, and adding it to an extract.

Its all good anyway....let us know where your up too.

WSC · Post by **WSC** » Friday May 12, 2006 11:03 pm

Good topic.

After playing around with K&K, I would like to go to extract but haven't seen much info on techniques or recipes.

Would like to here more about others extract adventures.

Cheers,
WSC

Paleman · Post by **Paleman** » Friday May 12, 2006 11:11 pm

WSC wrote:Good topic.

After playing around with K&K, I would like to go to extract but haven't seen much info on techniques or recipes.

Would like to here more about others extract adventures.

Cheers,
WSC

Yep we need more input on this site from extract and mash brewers.

I think most members here are kit brewers WCS, thus my question.

I think a little nudge toward extract brewing, and using grains in a partial mash would see a lot of brewers make the beer they are after.

Dont get me wrong......kits are good. Better than commercial beers.

But its all about making a better beer, and stepping up that next notch.

Dogger Dan · Post by **Dogger Dan** » Saturday May 13, 2006 2:53 am

I am an All Grain person

Dogger

gregb · Post by **gregb** » Saturday May 13, 2006 4:54 am

Will merrilly do K&K then follow up with an AG the next week, with something in between after that. I guess I just fit all categories.

Cheers,
Greg

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Saturday May 13, 2006 5:07 am

Kits, hops and partials here.

pharmaboy · Post by **pharmaboy** » Saturday May 13, 2006 8:15 am

Have done a partial or 2, and to be honest didnt come up to expectations- the speciality grain version I did of the same beer was far superior.

I dont think I'll do a full extract because of the boil quantity, and i also cant see the advantage when i can get kits bittered to the amount I need with fairly neutral ingredients, and can then play with kits.

Finally I have bought a number of all grain brews - probably a dozen or so - which are great, and because I'm an outcome kind guy, not a process driven one, if for $30- I can buy an all grain brew done professionaly - then that seems a good use of resources. plus I still feel like I made it, and I figure how long it took to prepare is boasting rights for mates anyway -" this one took 3 minutes to put down

"

I feel priveledged to be brewing at a time when we have so many good quality kits and adjuncts available plus the internet. Kits that have been reduced under vacuum from full worts I find no difference to the AG's I buy in the styles that I like - the lager's/pilseners would be the exception - better without been reduced back to a can.

Oh, and in terms of adjuncts i refuse to allow maltodextrin, dextrose or sugar anywhere near a wort - off to my bike ride to rid myself of last nights HB's!

two headed brewer · Saturday May 13, 2006 9:10 am

K&K and partials here. Haven't tried a full mash yet, but will get there though.

Bally

Wassa · Post by **Wassa** » Saturday May 13, 2006 9:40 am

K & k plus I also do TCB Wetpacks which are a basic extract brew.

Rubber.Piggy · Post by **Rubber.Piggy** » Saturday May 13, 2006 12:16 pm

I'm an extract brewer. Unhopped extracts, hop schedules etc.

Stepping up to partials and I'll be doing my first one within the next week.

stevem · Post by **stevem** » Saturday May 13, 2006 5:44 pm

I have done mostly kits but in the past couple of months have had a couple of goes at doing partials and have attempted 2 AG's. The AG's were half size batches. ie only 12 litres. My mash tun is too small for even what I am doing. So am working on getting a bigger one. After my all grain attempts my next one was a fresh wort kit from ESB. Talk about no fuss brewing!! With the fresh wort you don't even get to stir anything!

Cheers

JubJub · Post by **JubJub** » Saturday May 13, 2006 6:36 pm

K&K and still getting my setup right brew fridge etc.

InCider · Post by **InCider** » Saturday May 13, 2006 7:54 pm

Learned Brewers,

There are a few terms and acronyms I'm unsure of - if someone could help me out that would be tops. I used to brew in a MicroBrewery called Colonal in Brookvale in Sydneys Northern Beaches (anyone remember it?) and am familiar with that type of brewing. I now brew from kits, add hops and play with dex/corn syrup ratios.

So I can bridge the gap in my current brewings and what I used to do, can anyone tell me about these:

Partial. K&K, Mash & AG (guessing all grains).

Cheers,

InCider.

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Sunday May 14, 2006 4:46 am

InCider wrote:
Partial. K&K, Mash & AG (guessing all grains).

Cheers,

InCider.

Partial is kits or extract making the base of the ingredients, but with a small amount of mashed grains to make the rest, usually stuff like Vienna, Munich etc. Essentially you are taking an all grain recipe, and replacing the large base with a can of extract and moving on from there. Allows you to get a good portion of the extra flavours the all grain brewer can get, but without the equipment investment.

K&K is "Kit and Kilo", 1 Kit can plus 1 kilo of added fermentables - in other words, stock standard homebrew

Mash and AG (All Grain) are the same thing, mash being the operation done on the grains.

chris. · Post by **chris.** » Sunday May 14, 2006 11:42 am

Mainly AG & partials here. When I'm short on time I'll put down an ESB fresh wort kit.

matt · Post by **matt** » Sunday May 14, 2006 12:48 pm

i do Kit and Kilo with extra hops and other goodies

The Carbonator · Post by **The Carbonator** » Sunday May 14, 2006 10:03 pm

Im at the stage of going back to basics.

Ive experimented with K+K, hops, specialty grains, extracts, candi sugar and yeast starters.

Ive found that I have in the past gone a bit too gung-ho, changing things up a lot.

Ive tried to do belgians, and brewed about 8 batches with different Belgian yeast. Now i have heaps of funky belgian beers sitting in the garage, and me and my brother are the only ones who like them.

So, I have decided to do a few "normal" beers - K+Malt bitters/pilseners with hopbags. Simple brews dont dont get me laughed at.
But I with get back to the belgians as soon as I have a good supply of beers that everyone will like.

Aussie Claret · Post by **Aussie Claret** » Monday May 15, 2006 9:04 am

Have done a few partials and one AG, have just got the full AG set up on the weekend so will be moving further down the slippery slope. Will trow the odd K&K down when I'm short on beer and need a quick turn around.
AC

ACTbrewer · Post by **ACTbrewer** » Monday May 15, 2006 10:05 am

A question out of ignorance...
If the kit makers (brew companies) have access to good ingredients and good techniques, why would doing the same thing at home be better? Is it all in the fact that the Kits need to be dehydrated at the factory, and this lessens the end product?
Just wondering as I have only ever done Kits and hops etc, and can't compare.
Cheers

scblack · Post by **scblack** » Monday May 15, 2006 10:20 am

Basically K&K - make that K&K+500gm extra.

Kits only, messing around with different kits, sugars, malts, hops, liquid sugars, honey, maple syrup, making some great beers though.

I've got quite a setup really - heater box, 6 fermenters, Adlo fridge thermostat yet to sort out fridge for it though, about 300 longnecks, 200 crownie bottles, bottle tree, capper & all the bits. Most of it given to me, I'm pretty lucky.

Time stops me doing any partials or grains, as I have a one year old bub, and I'd rather spend spare time with her.