Is It Worth It?

[achy02]

Hi,
For the past month I have been doing heaps of research about how to improve my brewing. At the moment I brew K and k and add hops / malts etc. to enhance flavour. I have become a little obsessed with reading about AG brewing and I still feel I have some pretty fundamental gaps in my knowledge (and would still think I am a long way of making that transition). I guess my question in all this is whether it is worth making the move to AG in the future? I have read many, many people spruik about the difference AG makes and it seems to be the pinnacle of home brewing. Is there a way to try AG without going to the expense of setting up a mash tun and buying SS pots and burners etc.? I guess my ultimate question is, if I am reasonably happy with my K and K results is it really worth the expense and time commitment to take it the next level?
Cheers
aches

 

[goatherder]

aches, you've already mentioned that you are a little obsessed with reading about AG. It's too late to be asking whether it's worth it now. You've already decided. You won't regret it for a second. Now is the time to be filling the gaps in your knowledge and working out where you will get the gear from. Best of luck.

 

[porky]

Hi,
For the past month I have been doing heaps of research about how to improve my brewing.

Is there a way to try AG without going to the expense of setting up a mash tun and buying SS pots and burners etc.? I guess my ultimate question is, if I am reasonably happy with my K and K results is it really worth the expense and time commitment to take it the next level?
Cheers
aches

Just find someone that does AG and try some of their beer. That will make your mind up for you, trust me

 

[Zwickel]

achy, just ask if there is any homebrewer who turned back from AG to K&K.

I spent a lot of money already for all the necessary stuff as well as for the complete unnecesarry stuff, could be even more for the last ones, but I gotta say: its worth each cent Ive spent.


Cheers mate :icon_cheers:

 

[Wardhog]

Fresh wort packs are a way of dipping your toes.

 

[bconnery]

Hi,
For the past month I have been doing heaps of research about how to improve my brewing. At the moment I brew K and k and add hops / malts etc. to enhance flavour. I have become a little obsessed with reading about AG brewing and I still feel I have some pretty fundamental gaps in my knowledge (and would still think I am a long way of making that transition). I guess my question in all this is whether it is worth making the move to AG in the future? I have read many, many people spruik about the difference AG makes and it seems to be the pinnacle of home brewing. Is there a way to try AG without going to the expense of setting up a mash tun and buying SS pots and burners etc.? I guess my ultimate question is, if I am reasonably happy with my K and K results is it really worth the expense and time commitment to take it the next level?
Cheers
aches

One possible idea is the fresh wort kits, which are a kit made from AG and then extracted down. This might give you an idea of the flavour level (I haven't used one, but I know people say this)
I see you are in Brisbane, which means you could come along to a Babbs meeting, fourth thursday of the month in Holland Park, to try some AG beers.
This might also give you a chance to go along to an AG brew day and see how it isn't anywhere near as complicated as it sounds sometimes...
If you are adding hops and other things and not just mixing a kit then you are already starting down the path and AG is the logical eventual step.
I don't really want to go down the AG vs everything debate, that will come in this thread for sure, but I will say this.
AG requires more equipment to set up, more work on brew day and takes longer in general.
But is it worth it?
Hell yeah!!!

 

[Bribie G]

I see you are in Brisbane, which means you could come along to a Babbs meeting, fourth thursday of the month in Holland Park, to try some AG beers.

Where and what time??? :beer:

Via Gateway ??

 

[kram]

www.babbrewers.com

8pm start, 7:30 doors.

 

[Bribie G]

got it. onya google :lol: :lol:

 

[achy02]

aches, you've already mentioned that you are a little obsessed with reading about AG. It's too late to be asking whether it's worth it now. You've already decided. You won't regret it for a second. Now is the time to be filling the gaps in your knowledge and working out where you will get the gear from. Best of luck.

I guess this sums it up pretty well. I am going to have to find a good cover story for the new 'camping' gear that is going to start finding its way in the shed I think I will give a fresh wort kit a whirl to start with just to try it though. It is great to have a forum like this to bounce ideas off. Many thanks for your replies and the good info re: meeting etc.
Cheers

 

[wakkatoo]

Been doing kit / extract for a while now (and had great fun!). Just opened my first partial (a JSAA 'clone') and very very impressed with the results. I haven't rushed out and bought a heap of stuff tho, just got myself some essential reading material and I've set my self the goal of not considering starting AG until its all been read (about 6 books). Just taking a slowly slowly approach so that I don't fork out a fortune on some shiny bling when its not really needed when starting. Having said that, I have a mash tun sitting in its box in the shed and will have a couple of cheap boil pots next week and can't seem to avoid the plumbing section at bunnings for some reason.
Cheers

Chris

 

[buttersd70]

Just taking a slowly slowly approach so that I don't fork out a fortune on some shiny bling when its not really needed when starting.

I think this is an important point that a lot of people overlook. Shiny bling, as great as it is, is not needed to make good AG beer. (granted, it makes it easier to make, but it's not required).

I added up the cost of my AG gear last week in conversation, and was surprised at just how cheap it can be.....with freebie give aways, stuff already lying around the house, and stuff that I already had from k/k and extract brewing, I think it came in at under $50 total. (granted I have some PITA things I dneed to do with this equipment, such as a split boil. But such is life.) If I had of waited untill I got a shiny big pot for a full boil, a seperate HLT, gas burners etc, I'd still be waiting.

 

[Brewtus]

achy, just ask if there is any homebrewer who turned back from AG to K&K.

I spent a lot of money already for all the necessary stuff as well as for the complete unnecesarry stuff, could be even more for the last ones, but I gotta say: its worth each cent Ive spent.


Cheers mate :icon_cheers:

Acording to the pole I did Pole on brew methods 5 brewers have given away AG compared to about 120 who still do it. I must admit it is not many but still....

I suggest you find a local HB club and go and watch or help and decide for your self.

 

[buttersd70]

Wow, 5 gave it away :huh:
Would be interesting to know if they went all the way back to kits and bits, or just to partial or extract.

 

[matti]

Is it worth it?
Well....
YES

I personally have to weigh in time money and family into the equation.

My argument is:

I used to play golf 4 times week and was an active member. That's petrol, balls, green fees and beers. = 4-5 hours
I cannot afford golf now but I can afford brewing. I havent' given up on golf but have made the choice.

I am at home with the best person in Universe SHMBO, brewing away in the garage and find time to practice chipping and putting duiring the mash and the boil. :lol:

If lucky I play golf once a month but I can brew twice month.

Ag brewday $20-40 for 20-40 litre of Liquid Gold
Golf $50+ lost balls and crap beer

 

[quantocks]

Acording to the pole I did Pole on brew methods 5 brewers have given away AG compared to about 120 who still do it. I must admit it is not many but still....

I suggest you find a local HB club and go and watch or help and decide for your self.

although I've only started on K&K, I've got to wonder if you spend that much time and money on AG, if that's the reason the majority don't turn back?

I dunno though...I've just spent ~$1000 on kegging setup, just for kit and kilo brews. I'm scared at what I'd spend on All Grain gear, just to drink beer that may or may not be better than what I can currently do.

 

[buttersd70]

But the gear is a capital investment, which can always be on sold. And as I've said, it doesn't have to cost the earth. As far as ongoing costs, for 23L my last Best Bitter cost me 16.65 total. My regular session mild costs 13.54. The only thing not in this price is yeast, but split a wyeast pack up and use it for musltiple generations.......
How much is a half decent kit nowadays? plus adjuncts....Seems to me my investment is paying for itself, rather quickly.

And will it be better than a kit? Well, I normally steer away from AG snobbery in my posts, because we all started somewhere, and I have a firm belief that the purpose of this forum is to encourage and develop brewing, and going on AG flame trips can be counterproductive and discouraging to new brewers. But in all honesty, and in view of the purpose of this particular thread....yes it will be better, to the point where you can't really compare it. I moved up to extract brewing before going to grain, and when I did that, I was amazed at the difference to a kit. When I went to grain, I had done a lot of extracts, which I thought were pretty good, but AG just blew my mind. Its like trying to compare homebrand instant coffee with quality esspresso from a good coffee house. Or comparing fish fingers to salmon.

As has already been suggested, get together with a AG brewer or a club in your local area. Then you can try the beer for yourself, and weigh up the costs, both in money and time, and make an informed decision for yourself. And if you're still happy brewing kits and bits, thats fine too. If you like it, and it makes you happy, thats brilliant.

 

[Swinging Beef]

It is worth it. I like the alalogy, tinned spagetti, dolmeo pasta sauce with packet spagetti, roma tomato and basil home made sauce and hand rolled pasta.
Having said that... I realy like tinned spagetti.
Give it a go with a club and see if you like it.

 

[petesbrew]

For those of us with no time, yep KnK's are like 2 minute noodles or a tin of dolmio & sauce. Sometimes you come across a winner too.
But give me a day out in the backyard, smelling the mash, and later the hoppy worty smell wafting across the neighbourhood, with the stereo pumping.... Great fun!

 

[Screwtop]

Is it worth it? mutter, grumble, fruzzin, grumble, growl :lol:


1. Ya know! Good beer costs money, Commercial or Homebrewed

2. Geez, it's hard to get something good for nothing!

3. Life's too short to keep drinking shitty beer

Screwy