Silly question but, can someone define the difference between "ext

[Nizmoose]

As the title suggests I'm looking for a clear definition that seperates the two. Is it as simple as "kit" means tin+yeast+BE2=kit and anything else such as tin+1kgLDME+US05=extract? or to contitute extract and not kit do you have to use spec grains? I'm not fussed about whether people think you should use this should use that I just want to know what people mean when they say kit and when they say extract. Whats the difference between a kit beer and an extract beer?

 

[peas_and_corn]

"Kit" tends to mean one of your ingredients is a pre hopped kit- coopers pale ale as an example.

Extract means that a majority (if not all) of your fermentables come from non hopped extracts- liquid malt extract and/or dry malt extract.

Both terms can be used to describe beers made using steeping grains.

 

[mr_wibble]

I started brewing with Charlie Papazian's Book "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing" - (this is an awesome book BTW).

I made up extract based beers based on recipes presented inside. I did not consider these to be "kit" beers.

For me, a "kit" is a pre-packaged set of ingredients. Kits are usually extract-based (I don't know of any that aren't, but I assume there are some). You don't have a lot of control over what goes in (following the kit rules), which I guess helps keep it simple. Peas_and_corn pretty much nails it based on pre-hopped extract vs non.

There's not a whole lot of difference I think. Just about all of your ingredients are not simple, even if it's malt - that's been grown, germinated, kilned and toasted to a rigorous science-based method. Extract just takes the processing a bit further, and kit a little bit more. Each step does remove a little bit more flexibility in your recipe, as the decision has been made for you (e.g.: what sort of hops).

 

[Nizmoose]

Okay awesome thanks guys, so the difference comes from the extract being hopped and the decision to choose your own fermentables thanks guys!