Price Diff For K&k V Ag

[Screwtop]

Can somone tell me the cost difference in K&K compared to a AG.
Matt

The true cost difference is TIME. K&K is always going to be cheaper based on this synopsis. But the beer is never going to be as good.

 

[tangent]

i thinnk i worked out the cheapest i could brew was .30c per litre.
That's using high a/a whole hops and CPA yeast with an adjunct like white sugar or piss cheap malt.
AG is cheaper than K&K AND tastes better, but yes, you need the gear and the time.

 

[rough60]

Hi,

This may have been covered but this is a cheap way to get involved with AG that I used, to see if I would enjoy the longer brew days and make a better beer.

I usually go through about 2 kegs/week, so I get up early and make up 3 no chill batches once a week, my equipment is:

a converted fermenter, it has a copper manifold ($15), mashmaster thermometer (prize at last years ANAWBS), and is wrapped in an exercize mat (already had it).

32L aluminium pot (it was a present)

Thats all you need. Mash in the moded fermenter, boil in the pot, into a cube.

I buy pilsner and ale malt in bulk (25kg) and roast my own darker malts, and 1 or 2 kg of other grains, and I've just picked up 5kg of carapils to have a go at oven roasting specialty grains.

I also buy my hops in bulk (450g from Ross).

I don't know how much each batch cost's, but I know I do it pretty cheap, and as others have said you can have much more control over your beer.

I'd say if your interested in AG and currently do K&K, I would skip partials and go to AG, after a few patials you will want to convert to AG anyway and may have to upgrade your equipment again.

Hope this help,
Cheers.

 

[HKS]

This was a similar question I was going to ask. I thought AG was cheap or cheaper than K&K. However I found out today its definitely not.

Question:

Why should I go to the added expense of buying all the gear to go AG + the uber hours it takes to make it, when I can simply go and buy fresh worts at the same or similar price that only the grain costs me? OK so its not truley my own beer made from scratch, but what the hey. I can't see the point at this stage for me to even consider going to AG when fresh worts exist.

 

[braufrau]

This was a similar question I was going to ask. I thought AG was cheap or cheaper than K&K. However I found out today its definitely not.

Question:

Why should I go to the added expense of buying all the gear to go AG + the uber hours it takes to make it, when I can simply go and buy fresh worts at the same or similar price that only the grain costs me? OK so its not truley my own beer made from scratch, but what the hey. I can't see the point at this stage for me to even consider going to AG when fresh worts exist.

well most AGers love their expensive equipment and the uber hours but if that doesn't excite you then go for the fresh wort!

 

[Uncle Fester]

I find that buying my malt by the individual kilo, it's about even money for a Muntons kit and 1.5kg LME and an AG grain/hops bill - circa $30 a brew (22 litres)

However, the results are incomparable.

If I was offered a Nissan Cedric and a Ferrarri for the same price, I know which one I would choose!

Festa.

 

[Screwtop]

Question:

Why should I go to the added expense of buying all the gear to go AG + the uber hours it takes to make it, when I can simply go and buy fresh worts at the same or similar price that only the grain costs me?

My malt (Bulk 25Kg) costs me about $2.60Kg x 5 =$13. If you could buy a fresh wort kit for that a lot of brewers would be using them.

I like to make my own, it's not about time or money. I enjoy the time spent in the brewery and it's only as expensive as you let it become, as those before this post have testified.

Have a look around your LHBS or home brew section of the Woolies aisles you'll find some tightarses to bond with. They want to make a liquid containing alcohol as cheaply as possible and don't care much about the taste, 90% of the members of this forum would not fall ino that category.

 

[tangent]

fresh wort kits? why would i let someone else decide what recipe i want to use?

 

[haysie]

IMO k&k vrs a/g
cost`s? comparable, depending on access to grain supplier, i dont have mill yet (milmaster has been ordered), so i travel other side of city to p/up 10 kg`s crushed grain, this equates to an extra $10-$15 (petrol) & $10 (e-tag), certainly bumps my cost`s up, but wouldnt make beer any other way.
taste? beyond comparison

 

[hoganknowbest]

I'd get a fermenting fridge before moving to AG. If you can control the fermenting temperature accurately, add some grain to the KnK and use a liquid yeast, you'll be brewing a nice beer which takes a fraction of the time it takes to do an All Grain.

I think this is a great point, i haven't got that far yet but after trying to keep a pilsener recipe at 14c for 4 days, i'll be upgrading my home fridge very soon to use our old one for brewing.

 

[HKS]

My malt (Bulk 25Kg) costs me about $2.60Kg x 5 =$13. If you could buy a fresh wort kit for that a lot of brewers would be using them.

I like to make my own, it's not about time or money. I enjoy the time spent in the brewery and it's only as expensive as you let it become, as those before this post have testified.

Have a look around your LHBS or home brew section of the Woolies aisles you'll find some tightarses to bond with. They want to make a liquid containing alcohol as cheaply as possible and don't care much about the taste, 90% of the members of this forum would not fall ino that category.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not one of those people who wants to make beers for 1c a bottle. I certainly wouldn't scrimp on almost anything just to save money. I'm sure our goals are still the same to make quality beer yourself, some just go about that differently than others.

I didn't realise there was such a big price diff though when buying in bulk. That certainly raises an eyebrow. I will go AG one day no doubt. I've already read a stack up on it here and elsewhere and it is really interesting to me. The start up cost and the time involved per batch I can't justify at this stage but only because I'm only getting back into brewing after a 10 year break and coming from a K&K background, AG didn't exist (that I was aware of), or certainly wasn't a common way to brew 20 years ago when I 1st started, so its quite foreign to me.

The time aspect of AG for me though is the big stumbling block atm rather than any costs involved. Running my own biz and the Mrs with a broken leg and a 5yr old stuntman with a deathwish are keeping me extremely busy atm. When the Mrs can go back to doing her thang (oh nearly said when I don't have to do anymore women's work, that was close :lol: ) I'll certainly have some more free time. I'm sure MHB will talk me into AG sooner or later. Especially after seeing the old fella down their yesterday getting his grain mixed/cracked.

 

[tangent]

when you start meeting fellow HBers, the wealth goes on. People give me crystal malts and hops all the time. I'll try a hop and give the rest of the bag to someone for them to try. When bulk buyers mix into these circles it all gets cheaper :super:

 

[Uncle Fester]

People give me crystal malts and hops all the time.

Not just grain and stuff.... Stagger was kind enough to give me a 50l vessel for a boiler a couple of years back. I have since upgraded and dutifully passed if off to another brewer who is on the verge of making the leap of faith to all grain.

I think you would find the vast majority of the brewing fraternity would gladly pass gear on happy to have strengthened the hobby a little.

Fess.

 

[Screwtop]

The start up cost and the time involved per batch I can't justify at this stage

Taste some well made AG, you'll soon justify all the means required.

 

[tangent]

Definitely

 

[warra48]

Taste some well made AG, you'll soon justify all the means required.

Oh yeah, have just downed an Amarillo Ale, and a SNPA clone, after bottling a hefeweizen. The dunkelweizenbock is bubbling away happily in the fermenter. Life feels good at the moment, with the most difficult decision to make, "what will I drink next?".