Whats Chaepest?

[Andyhull]

Hi all,

Which is the cheapest, AG or Kit?

And i know this is a stupid question, but how do you know how much ingredients to buy?

Told you it was stupid

 

[The Goatreich]

I've just put in an order for the raw ingredients for my first all grain brew day, hopefully on saturday. I found two recipes that I wanted to do and ordered all the ingredients together which came to around £40 plus P&P, meaning £20 per brew. That's roughly the same as I was spending on premium two can kits, or one can kits plus sugar/extract etc. So to start it's about the same.

HOWEVER

I will end up with grain and hops left over from both of these brews, meaning next time it will be slightly cheaper, and much like cooking once I have a store going I'll only have to order in specialities if the recipe requires, or top up stocks if they are running low. Also I'd imagine buying in bulk for grains that are common to most brews (eg Maris Otter) will bring costs down again.

 

[Pinck]

AG will have some up front costs, but ingredients to ingredients comparison it's much cheaper. The key will be, like The Goatreich said, buying some bulk base grains. Then all you'll need are some specialty grains and hops (which could also be cheaper in bulk, depending on how much you brew).

There are of course other costs to factor in as well. Requirements for equipment space and brew day length go up with AG as well compared to extract or kits.

For me though, the rewards of AG with respect to quality, flexibility and creativity far outweigh the costs.

 

[pittsy]

if you buy 25kg of grains at around £25 to £30 and you use on average say 6kg to 7kg of grain for a brew and 100g hops at around £3 and use around 50g (like i do but many use around 100g ish ) then yeast at around £2.50 for dried or £6.50 for liquid yeast but you can re use this aorund 6 to 8 times so you could be brewing for as cheap as £8 but most likely £14 for 40 pints thats possible as cheap as 20p per pint plus gas/elec

 

[Andyhull]

Thanks guys,

So it is a little bit cheaper then, but it does seem like alot more work!
Is it really worth the extra effort and does it ever go wrong where the beer isn't very nice, weak flavour or no body?

Please don't ban me from the site for this question

Andy

 

[Green Ninja]

I've done 4 AG brews now, not a lot I know but the diference between kits or even extract really can't be over emphasised.

You know that perfect pint of your favourite beer down the pub? AG trashes it. No kidding.

I've made up 2 recipes now with no help from Beersmith etc. just to see if I could balls it up.

I can't, both "recipes" have been superb.

It's worth the effort and initial outlay in equipment trust me.


Terry.

 

[andylanc1975]

So it is a little bit cheaper then, but it does seem like alot more work!
Is it really worth the extra effort and does it ever go wrong where the beer isn't very nice, weak flavour or no body?

Please don't ban me from the site for this question

Andy

I've often wondered the same, still only doing kits (boss says she can cope with the FV and barrel, but the whole nine yards, that's pushing it!), but the passion the people on here show for their brews, the incredible depth of variation that each recipe shows and the ability to just have a play, that's convinced me that I need to slowly buy stuff and come out with their classic line... "What, this old thing? Oh I've had that ages in the garage" :grin:

Although I think I'm going to be pushing it if I fork out for this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/microbrew...t=Home_Brew&hash=item33728a2244#ht_3157wt_183 :whistle:

 

[Andyhull]

I've just been reading up on it on the net and to be honest, to start it up won't actually cost too much.
A couple of large pans, a picknic cooler box and a few other bits and off you go.
Im a mechi fitter so could do any welding, soldering pipeing (etc) myself.

I'll stick with the kits for now until the OH accepts those :pray: and then see about moving on!

It was the comment by Green Ninja

You know that perfect pint of your favourite beer down the pub? AG trashes it. No kidding

that has got me really exited anout it.

I know im a newbie but i have always liked my beers and to be able to make one of my very own (not from a kit) would be amazing

 

[pittsy]

let me also say once you go AG you never go back to kits :

 

[stu brew]

let me also say once you go AG you never go back to kits :

I second that pittsy I liked doing kits for ease but for taste and cost all grain all the way plus due to upgrading two an 200 l set up I'm going two sell some of my 60l kit ie boiler and mash tun though the boiler will need an election as it has a 3kw element message my in box if your interested ;-)

 

[Green Ninja]

Here's my very small setup which cost:

Immersion chiller £45 from Ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Viking-Immers ... 35ba6b6128
Mash tun = Thermos 32litre coolbox from Amazon £23 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thermos-Cool-Bo ... 967&sr=8-1 copper fittings for the grain filter = £20 approx
Boiler = 33litre food grade bucket from Amazon £13.49 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Litre-Fermentat ... B003B9XU7C £20 approx for the hop strainer.



And that's it really. It all works, easy to use and has enabled me to enjoy some fantastic beer.

And all for just over £100 and a few hours labour with some copper tubing and lever ball valves.


Hopefully this has whet your appetites.


Terry.

 

[Muddydisco]

let me also say once you go AG you never go back to kits :

Err I have :wha: Only for the speciality beers Kreik etc

 

[Green Ninja]

Me too.

Sometimes it's quicker to whack on a Woodfordes if there's no time for a day's brewing.


Terry.

 

[pittsy]

shhhh i was trying to convince to move to the dark side :rofl:

 

[Green Ninja]

Oh sorry.

Yeah kits are **** and apparently give you piles.

Move to AG sharpish :-)

 

[Pinck]

Hey Ninja,

How are you boiling? Submerged element?

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

AG once you bought and scrounged all the equipment plus it's more fun designing your own beers then having to wait 4 weeks to taste it properly to see what you've made.

BB

P.S
Not being picky but... "Cheapest" :whistle:

 

[Green Ninja]

Hey Ninja,

How are you boiling? Submerged element?

Yup,

2 2.2 Kw elements from Tesco value kettles.

I turn one element off once it starts boiling to avoid too much evaporation.

Seems to do the trick.


Terry.

 

[carl_saint]

AG once you bought and scrounged all the equipment plus it's more fun designing your own beers then having to wait 4 weeks to taste it properly to see what you've made.

So brewing from grain you don't have to wait as long for it to condition?

 

[Green Ninja]

You should condition it the same but from my own (limited) experience it tastes better early.

Certainly to me but I am very impatient.

Terry.