So THAT's what the fuss is all about...

[Wadey]

Well done AJ, I did my first All grain BIAB last Saturday, going to throw in the fermenter today, nervous about how it will taste but can't wait. Going to start a Lager receipe today and no chill, so it's ready to go in a couple of weeks.

Hope it all lives up to the expectations, I also want to stick it up my mates who tend to lift their noses up at home brew and tell me to just go buy a carton of XXXX.

Cheers Wadey

 

[Pickaxe]

@ OP - I know exactly what you mean. I'm just planning my third AG. No comparison to extract.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Well done AJ, I did my first All grain BIAB last Saturday, going to throw in the fermenter today, nervous about how it will taste but can't wait. Going to start a Lager receipe today and no chill, so it's ready to go in a couple of weeks.
Hope it all lives up to the expectations, I also want to stick it up my mates who tend to lift their noses up at home brew and tell me to just go buy a carton of XXXX.
Cheers Wadey

If it isn't your first AG that does it, it'll be one of the next 2-3 that does.

Unless your mates are the 'what's that taste' type. Um.... that's what hops & malt really taste like. Accept that a lot of people prefer megaswill, so you're not upset when they aren't raging craft brew converts - home or commercial.

 

[DU99]

well done AJ..

 

[AJ80]

If it isn't your first AG that does it, it'll be one of the next 2-3 that does.

Unless your mates are the 'what's that taste' type. Um.... that's what hops & malt really taste like. Accept that a lot of people prefer megaswill, so you're not upset when they aren't raging craft brew converts - home or commercial.

I'd already converted most of my mates with full extract brews!! The rest will be doomed to forever drink VB, but that's fine by me. Horses for courses really.

I think I will still do the odd full extract brew, I've come up with a few recipes I've been really happy with. Who would have thought I'd go from my first k&k to 3v AG brewing within 9 months!!

 

[warra48]

Congratulations on your move to AG.

Yeah, AG beers brewed yourself are great, and you get to brew almost any style you wish.

You'll probably find, like many, that you want to brew a heap of different styles. Then you work out what your real favourites are, and rationalise your brewing to fit your own taste as it develops.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Congratulations on your move to AG.

Yeah, AG beers brewed yourself are great, and you get to brew almost any style you wish.

You'll probably find, like many, that you want to brew a heap of different styles. Then you work out what your real favourites are, and rationalise your brewing to fit your own taste as it develops.

One of the best bits of advice I've seen given in a long time.

2 scenarios if you don't do this.

1. You'll never perfect a beer (your house beer usually), they'll all be 'new' beers that aren't quite right. Perfect 1 beer to your tastes.
2. You'll end up making a beer that's everything but nothing (you know, the AmericanBrownRauchSouthernEnglishWeizenFarmhouseMarzenViennaBockPilsenAle).

 

[AJ80]

One of the best bits of advice I've seen given in a long time.

2 scenarios if you don't do this.

1. You'll never perfect a beer (your house beer usually), they'll all be 'new' beers that aren't quite right. Perfect 1 beer to your tastes.
2. You'll end up making a beer that's everything but nothing (you know, the AmericanBrownRauchSouthernEnglishWeizenFarmhouseMarzenViennaBockPilsenAle).

I agree entirely and warra48 has eerily exposed my brewing efforts so far! That said, I'm already working out a few styles I love more than others and am already focussing my efforts!

 

[Black Devil Dog]

Well done AJ, I can relate to what you're saying. I've just done the switch myself and tried my first A.G beers last night.

First mouthful, I was thinking "no way, I didn't think it was going to be THAT much better".

It was a revelation.

 

[Dunkelbrau]

Nice work mate!

I had my "AHAA!" moment a couple of weeks ago. Me and the old man brewed an American Pale Ale BIAB a few weeks back, and once it was done i kegged most of the (small) batch, and the fresh hop flavour, the nice maltiness, the zing from the simcoe, it was there!

I think my favourite part of being able to do AG is the wide selection of available flavours. Its virtually endless! With K&K you cant really change the base malts from whatever is in the pre hopped tins. Unless you go extract.

I like the "from scratch" method, i think its the inaccuracies that make some things better (especially in music.. my main other hobby), even if its simply from the constant striving for refinement that make you want more!

Ive now gone straight to 3V with a pot and a couple of kegs the old man got from work for me (legit, he works for Lion). Im already planning my new brews. I'll have it all ready to do a leak test tomorrow, just need to source a big enough lid to cover the mash tun and build the brew stand (can ghetto one up until i can design/weld one up). I am thinking my "house brew" may require a decoction mash, so i might need to build a 4th vessel into the stand some how to keep the kettle grain free, might do a 3 (4) tier gravity setup, but have been looking at the 2 tier set ups, and my mind is racing with different ways of making it work. Ideally something separable to break it down for transport.

 

[AJ80]

Well done AJ, I can relate to what you're saying. I've just done the switch myself and tried my first A.G beers last night.

First mouthful, I was thinking "no way, I didn't think it was going to be THAT much better".

It was a revelation.

Well done mate. Truly awesome taking that first sip isn't it?

 

[AJ80]

Nice work mate!

I had my "AHAA!" moment a couple of weeks ago. Me and the old man brewed an American Pale Ale BIAB a few weeks back, and once it was done i kegged most of the (small) batch, and the fresh hop flavour, the nice maltiness, the zing from the simcoe, it was there!

I think my favourite part of being able to do AG is the wide selection of available flavours. Its virtually endless! With K&K you cant really change the base malts from whatever is in the pre hopped tins. Unless you go extract.

I like the "from scratch" method, i think its the inaccuracies that make some things better (especially in music.. my main other hobby), even if its simply from the constant striving for refinement that make you want more!

Ive now gone straight to 3V with a pot and a couple of kegs the old man got from work for me (legit, he works for Lion). Im already planning my new brews. I'll have it all ready to do a leak test tomorrow, just need to source a big enough lid to cover the mash tun and build the brew stand (can ghetto one up until i can design/weld one up). I am thinking my "house brew" may require a decoction mash, so i might need to build a 4th vessel into the stand some how to keep the kettle grain free, might do a 3 (4) tier gravity setup, but have been looking at the 2 tier set ups, and my mind is racing with different ways of making it work. Ideally something separable to break it down for transport.

Awesome. I agree with the whole from scratch thing too. It's like making a curry from a jar of paste versus grinding one from scratch.

I went with a three tier system, just seemed like a simpler way to go and I figured it AG itself was enough for me to get my head around let alone figuring out pumps! I also went with a wood stand, as I've zero skills when it comes to welding. Have seen a couple of pretty cool modular 3v systems when i was designing my stand. I've gone All electric too.

 

[Pickaxe]

+1 it is like cooking. It is like discovering curry paste made from scratch and how fresh and alive the flavors are. Done that with Thai food and recently been making Chinese/Malaysian five spice stir fries from scratch, sane time my ags are coming on.

The missus laughed at me the other night coz I can't drink commercial beer anymore, has to be my on or a seriously good craft beer.

It's like trying to eat maggi noodles or kan tong "asian food" after eating the real deal.

Celebrate with a full ag beer, I am...

 

[bum]

I never liked that comparison. Good beers can be made with the k&b method. Can't do much to help a jar of KanTong though.

 

[manticle]

The comparison isn't that bad. You can 'soup up' a jar of stuff - let's say green curry paste rather than cantong/Kantong whatever (I've never used Kantong anything) and make a great meal. Add some extra galangal, lemongrass and/or lime leaves to the base paste, use quality chicken and vegetables, add some tamarind, whatever.

You can also (something people often ignore) totally stuff up your 'from scratch' curry paste - too much fish sauce, leave unpalatable bits of lemongrass fibre in it, fail to remove all the tamarind pips, too much/too little chilli, burn it, overdo the coconut, etc.

AG gives you more potential control but also more potential stuffing up points. Also making the paste is one thing, turning it into a good meal is another.

All things being equal, I prefer the paste to the jar but things are not always equal and paste alone won't make a good curry.

 

[bum]

Try one of those jars and come back to me.

 

[manticle]

Have tried the curry paste jars but as I said - not Canned Thong. Looks pretty ordinary (but so does a tin of homebrand draught).

It's the cooking comparison I'm referencing mainly.

 

[Pickaxe]

I'll disagree there, the same way you can improve a "jar" meal, you can improve a k&k beer.

That's the way to learn. If cooking and brewing aren't related, why is there recipes and billing with ingredients? Pre made or not.

If we want to get purist, why aren't we malting or own home grown grain?

 

[bum]

They're basically jars of sugar and food colouring with the odd bit of capsicum or onion.

 

[bum]

They're basically jars of sugar

haha! Perhaps the comparison is not so flawed after all.