What to buy?

[Andyhull]

Hi all,

Ok, i have £40 to £50 to spend so do I :-

1. buy 3 wherry and another sundew kit from Dunhelm for £9.99 each to produce around 160 pints

2. buy a 25kg sack of MO and some hops and go AG

Which should i do?

I like the idea and ease of the kits and know I like the Wherry and its at an amazing price so can't decide :wha: :?

I have everything i need to go AG as i have now aquired a 25lt cube (distilled water container) for brew cooling so have:-

a, 1 x 33lt> 2 element mango barrel HLT/Boiler with braided hose hop stopper and 15mm ball valve outlet
b, 1 x 30lt thermos coolbox mashtun with insulated lid and braided hose filter and 15mm ball valve outlet
c, 1 x 25 litre cube for cooling
d, 1 x 30lt FV + 4 x 25lt tubs with lids for transfere of the wort (etc)
e, 1 x digi timer and 1 x digi thermometer.


Decisions decisions?

Andy

 

[boozy_shoes]

All Grain everytime, its the best thing you'll ever do brewing wise (plus 25kg sack of grain will see you way past 160 pints)

The force is strong with this one....

 

[stu]

You can find the Wherry in stock?

 

[Andyhull]

You can find the Wherry in stock?

Yep, a rang yesterday and they have 4 Wherry and 3 Sundew.

 

[stu]

You can find the Wherry in stock?

Yep, a rang yesterday and they have 4 Wherry and 3 Sundew.

Cheers. I'll go raid mine at lunchtime. I'll raid my other local one tonight.

 

[Andyhull]

Thats just the Hull store, not sure yours will have any in stock?
They are left overs from Xmas apparently!

 

[PD]

Its time you went All Grain Andy....

And for others on the forum I am NOT being elitist or bemoaning kit beers. Certain kits are very good. All Grain beers are outstanding...and even if you follow a recipe. they are YOURS.

Cost wise ( after equipment gathered together ) there is no comparison between kits and all grain AG is far cheaper...its more demanding its more fun
I still make the odd kit when the mood takes me.

 

[BreadMurderer]

AG - I'm uber new to brewing but started doing AG on my second brew. I love the idea of more control and experimentation possibilities with this form of brewing. :thumb:

 

[Andyhull]

I am ready and would have definately gone AG but the kits are less than half price!!!!!

You may have persuaded me there though piddle with just one of the words you used.

OUTSTANDING!!!!!
How can you argue with that? :drink:

My kit only cost me around £30 all in, that was all "so far" :whistle:
Begged borrowed and borrowed a bit more

Im going to price some grains up from The Malt Miler then.

What grains/hops would you recomend i get?
I have a top limit of £50 so not expecting to get loads i know i could get MO and some hops to do a smash or 2 but beyond that?

Andy

 

[wigwamheed]

Look in the sale section he's got loads a hops for around the two quid mark
Plus 22.50 for pale malt. Leaves you enough for some speciality grains and some yeast :)

 

[wilsoa1111]

personally if got time and can cope with one brew maybe being a little underwhelming till AG exp is gained go AG

but kits are consistent- and u will struggle with a £50 budget for max cost savings with AG-

AG i generally go by £10+/-2 for 20l brews but i aim for 5%

also remember u can toast pale to make amberish malts (belgains and english ales)

u need are best to budget 100g of hops per brew (malty beers (10-40g) make up for hoppy beers(100g-400g), and one sachet of yeast for every 2 brews (pitch onto prev cake) and 4kg of malt min each brew

MM also seems to have some deals on older hops atm, 2011 are good for anything 2010 prob best left to bittering

if really going hoppy worcestorhopshop are cheaper for hops but their base malt is less efficent (need about 500g more in my exp)- more req for same abv but it does seem to add a more english maltyness to the beer that would be good in SMASHs

 

[PD]

Best value Pale Malt Crisp £22.50 for 25 kg
Crystal Malt 2kg £3.20
Black Malt 1kg £1.60
Wheat malt 2 kg ( he's out of stock at moment usually £1.60 kg)
Hops are your choice... but EKG, Fuggles and say Challenger would be a good start 100gm vacuum packs.
and don't forget your yeasts...

Enough there for many brews with just a probable top up on hops.

 

[Andyhull]

I've had a look and it'll come to aroun £48 including delivery.
Thats for:-

25kg Pale malt crisp
2kg crystal
1kg black malt
200g of chinook
200g of willamette
1 x SA 04 yeast
1 x Nottingham yeast

And delivery

Hows that sound, can i brew somethin decent with that lot?

Andy

 

[wigwamheed]

Oooooooooooh yes, no going back now, you've done the right thing,, keep us posted!!

 

[graysalchemy]

:party: :party: :party:

 

[PD]

Looks like your evenings taken up reading recipes !! dont forget the recipes top left on banner.

your pale malt will get you 6 or 7 brews
2kg of Crystal will easily make 4 or 5 brews
1kg of Black malt will last you 20 brews........
Hops are a different matter, every time you decide a brew you have to order the appropriate hops..... :party: :party:

 

[Andyhull]

I may add some more hops to the order yet just got to see how much SWMBO will let me have for easter

I want to do a Smash too as a light summer zingy fizzy quencher.
Maybe chinook or cascade!

I'll be placing my order on Tuesday hopefully as they're closed until then after 5 tonight.

 

[graysalchemy]

take a look in the Sale Items section there is some chinnock in there at a very reasonable price, as well as willamette couple that with some cascade and you will have a wonderful pale.

 

[Andyhull]

Thats where im getting the hops from both chinook is £2.20 and willamette is £2
Cascade isn't in the sale though so that'll cost me £4

 

[andyd]

I would suggest you plan out at least the first three/four brews you plan to make to be sure you have all the ingredients. It's a right pain when you find you're missing some particular hops/malt and it's going to cost £6 in postage just to get £3 of ingredients.

Good luck with it though, you won't regret going AG :)