New Radelaide Brewer

[ThatYodaGuy]

Howdy!

I'm an avid beer drinker, but have only just started brewing. I'm halfway through an extract brew (black rock Pale Ale with some finishing hops).

Actually, I gave brewing a go a couple of years ago with one of those brew kegs from target. That ended pretty horribly.

I think down the road I want to get in to AG, but I want to punch out a few extract kits first. Mind you, those grainfather packs look pretty enticing.

My tastes are pretty hoppy - I like a real good Imperial IPA.

Cheers.

 

[real_beer]

Welcome, you've got plenty of areas to choose where you want to go with the hobby these days.

Happy brewing :beer:

 

[chrisluki]

Take it from me, the jump from zero to All Grain Brewing is a pretty big one...I should have maybe done a few extract brews first!

Still, there is plenty to learn and heaps of fun to be had...the first time you taste a beer that you have brewed with your own two hands is a pretty awesome experience!

Cheers

Chris

 

[welly2]

I've made about five extract beers in total since getting into home brewing. Twice when I was at college - one was successful and the second not at all - and then after years and years of not making beer at all, I made an extract beer when I started homebrewing in Sydney in 2012. After that, I got a BIAB kit and made a beer from that. That was mostly successful. Since just keeping at all grain brewing, I'm making some pretty tasty beers and I'm only 10 AG brew sessions in.

I personally don't see what extra knowledge starting with extract brewing rather than jumping in at the deep end of AG gives you, other than when you **** up, it's probably a cheaper **** up. Aside from sanitation and measuring gravity readings, there's not really a lot, if anything, you can take from extract to all grain brewing, unless I'm missing something blindingly obvious? If you plan to get into AG brewing, I say do it! Throw caution to the wind and just go for it!

 

[geesexar]

ive been brewing extract since 91 only just drinkin my first all grain BIAB and lovin it. it was a recipe from cheeky peek brewery an american wheat beer...not bad for my first...got an american IPA in the fermenters at the mo...lovin all grain brewing...wished i'd done it years ago

 

[simmo1972]

Black rock are good kits, Im BIAB now and thinking back I agree with Welly2, you will be doing as much research now as you will when you start getting into AG.

What would stop me jumping straight in to AG would be cost of setting up BIAB, When doing kits you don't need much and a temp controlled fridge for fermentation should be top of your list.

If you do go AG you start to pile on the costs for the initial outlay. Urn, Ball valve, bag, thermometer, bulk buy some grains, then you need storage buckets for the grain, then you want a better set of scales and then you need a mill.

All the best its a great hobby obsession.

 

[Cass22]

Im just about to start BIAB after brewing for about 3 years. Have been doing lots of hop boiling these days so thinking BIAB is the next logical step.

Cant wait for the pot I've bought for it turns up. 50L for full batches, thinking of starting with a SMASH beer to get it down for the first couple before getting into more complex recipes. First brew on the go at the end of next week.

From what I'm reading it really seems to be specific with the equipment your using and recalculating temps boil off rates as you go.

Agree fully with Simmo about it being a Hobby Obsession hehe.

 

[Adrianc5]

I've gotten back into brewing after giving up kits years ago - did 1 kit brew, 2 extract then into all grain! Combine that with a keezer 3 tap keg system and I am in home-brew heaven

Get into it, the information available now is awesome compared to 10 years ago. Check out the brewing network podcasts from the usa as well, aside from being funny as hell they know their shit about brewing too.

Cheers,

Adrian

 

[ThatYodaGuy]

Cheers for the welcome guys. I'll definitely give those podcasts a crack.