What are the main factors that deter people from AG brewing ?

[Danscraftbeer]

yeah I cant answer or relate to deterrent either. Time is the fun too, if your enthusiastic and can make the time.
As for economy, I've left megaswill for dead in flavor at 6 bucks a slab for ingredients + gas $10 bucks a slab at most.

 

[chemfish]

Time and cost, it's a struggle to find the time to do even extract brewing (and bottling) as it is.

As for the costing that the website states they are very much marking things in their favor, the cheapest grain you can get, no spec malt, low hopping rates, brew something decent and you could easily double or triple your grain, hop and yeast bill. That said I could easily enough make something similar to Dr Smurto's golden ale in extract for around $1 a litre so don't really see the point in saving a few cents moving to AG, not till I retire at least and need something to kill the days.

 

[Beer Ninja]

I have the time and the space but I can't face a six hour session and a clean up. If I ever did go AG it would be BIAB and No Chill in cubes (so yeah, I have considered AG)

I buy a variety of fresh wort kits so do get to enjoy all grain brews (albeit at a premium price)

 

[boybrewer]

Well so far no one has mentioned anything about the media playing their hand in misinformation like the article in Gardening Australia recently as well as other articles written by misinformed journos' . With the wealth of misinformation why would you try to brew .

 

[VP Brewing]

After my first AG it was a no-brainer. The beer didn't compare to the kits that I had been doing for years. I don't think it's difficult to put aside 5 hours every 3 or 4 weeks. I find it therapeutic to forget about everything and concentrate on the brew. My first biab setup cost sweet f-all. My second was cheap cheap too (80L pot and 4ring burner for $120 from a fellow AHBer). The way I see it every double batch I make saves roughly $100 if I was to buy similar quality beer so I don't feel the slightest bit guilty spending money on improvements. I love making beer so the cheapness of it is a bonus. I can see if people think it's a chore then it's easy to make excuses but I'm glad it's not me.

 

[CrookedFingers]

I loved my extract brews, I thought they were quite drinkable.
But I personally find AG to be a lot more engaging with the ingredients, and a better quality of beer….not every time, but more often than not.

I also don't see it as losing 4-5 hours because of brewing.
I see it as gaining 4-5 hours of time to myself, doing what I enjoy…my two hobbies, brewing beer and drinking beer !
I only brew 1 or 2 brews a month, I chill and No chill, depending on fermenter space.

 

[Roosterboy]

When I started this topic I thought what the reasons were for me , I guess I thought money was the main reason , but BIAB isn't that expensive
(what's expensive in dollar terms??) and time when you have a family ( is it selfish to spend 5-6 hrs brewing, probably if you have little kids but
otherwise I don't think so). Getting your head around the food chemistry involved is also a factor.
There have been some interesting posts with personal experiences. The time goes so fast when I'm doing a brew, the clean-up is a pain , but the
satisfaction of making a beer from scratch is worth the effort and I look at the equipment as an investment.

 

[brad81]

Time. I started out with AG before kids, now, it's either a fresh wort kit or a can, AG is a luxury.

 

[Ciderman]

I think the most basic thing is different people taste different things. Unless you've got a good palate it's probably hard to see the logic in spending the extra time and money.

 

[waggastew]

For me the delay was getting good results without AG. It took me about 95 batches to graduate to 'proper' full volume AG. I went from kits, to kits and bits, to partial mash, to small volume BIAB, and then went to 3v gravity AG at the end of last year. I managed to win the AIPA and get a 2nd in the Oz lager section at the Nationals using non-AG. The long progression time meant I spent time on getting other (arguably more important) stuff right like sanitation, aeration, yeast health, ferment temp etc.

Even now I have moved to AG I am kinda overwhelmed with the number of variables/things to get right. Put all those on top of the fundamentals and I may have found it all a bit much early on? Not dissing people who jump straight in but you gotta a lot going on if you do.

As mentioned above I think time/space are a major factor. My old partial mash on the stove days were definitely faster and seemed kinda simple using essentially a 20L pot and that was it. It was limiting (I am drinking my 1st sample of a 10% Barleywine that I can't even think how you would do justice with extract) but I managed to pump out some great beers.

Stew

 

[TheWiggman]

I think it's interesting that OP said "I would like to survey (non scientifically) all the kit /extract / fresh wort kit home brewers, what are the top 3 reasons that have deterred you from trying AG brewing" and only 2 3 of whom have chimed in with their reasons.
The rest are AG brewers sticking up for AG... :blink:
Let them have their say! Kit brewers are brewers too!

 

[Jack of all biers]

MMMmmhhh... To all those who state money fair enough. To all those who said time. Just ask yourself how long you are spending on the internet in forums talking about beer and how to make it. TIME that could be better spent doing AG or at least partials or Crystal steeping to add some fresh flavour to your beers. :chug:

 

[Danscraftbeer]

When I started this topic I thought what the reasons were for me , I guess I thought money was the main reason , but BIAB isn't that expensive
(what's expensive in dollar terms??) and time when you have a family ( is it selfish to spend 5-6 hrs brewing, probably if you have little kids but
otherwise I don't think so). Getting your head around the food chemistry involved is also a factor.
There have been some interesting posts with personal experiences. The time goes so fast when I'm doing a brew, the clean-up is a pain , but the
satisfaction of making a beer from scratch is worth the effort and I look at the equipment as an investment.

Free to do whatever I want I can afford more to hobbies including drinking the brew hobbie too. That aside!
I've also replaced my food intake with more fresh organic foods by growing it myself. Picking it fresh off the garden.
Good consumption is valuable. Knowing how to feed yourself with awareness of your intake etc.
We have lost many connections to this once common knowledge of self sufficiency.

 

[brad81]

MMMmmhhh... To all those who state money fair enough. To all those who said time. Just ask yourself how long you are spending on the internet in forums talking about beer and how to make it. TIME that could be better spent doing AG or at least partials or Crystal steeping to add some fresh flavour to your beers. :chug:

Fair enough, but this is just one activity that helps me stay sane. I paint and assemble models, I cook, I play with my kids, I go to lans, I bbq/drink with mates, I work, I watch all sorts of tv, I spend time with my wife, I watch movies, shit/shower/shave. Spending time on a forum is **** all really.

I do need to dedicate a significant amount of time to it to do it right.

 

[bjbear77]

Then: Fear, knowledge, equipment, experience and money.
Now: nothing. 3v AG brewer for 2 yrs and never looked back

 

[contrarian]

Before I started BIAB the biggest barrier was the overwhelming process. I just couldn't get my head around all the steps in the process.

Watching some friends brew made me realise it was a simple and relatively forgiving process.

 

[petesbrew]

I haven't done a knk in years, and don't really miss it, apart from the fact the only tools I needed for KnK were a fermenter, spoon and can opener, and I could make a beer whenever I want!. AG is a different ballgame.

The three major factors are Time, space, expense.
Sydney alone is getting pretty bloody crowded, and I can only guess that a lot of new brewers are living in units, with limited space, and neighbours who'll complain about the delicious smell of boiling wort wafting across the many balconies.

SPACE: The amount of brewing gear that's in my shed is getting a bit ridiculous. Eg, Urn, mash tun, fermenters, Then there's the grain tubs and extra storage tubs with random brewing gear, Not to mention the odd crap round the side of the house that comes out on brewdays.
And in a "WTF have I done" move, I recently purchased a grain mill off a mate, and have to make up a hopper now. argh, more gear!

TIME: A kit n kilo. an hour at the most. Done.
AG = Speaking for myself, It takes me weeks to plan a brewday. Finding a good day to brew, and planning around it, getting the recipe sorted, ingredients bought & grain milled. I actually do my boiling at night, cos I just don't feel safe with a 3 ring burner and 40L of boiling liquid with my kids around.

Expense = gear costs money, but yeah AG means I can cheaply make beers I like that would normally cost $80+ per slab. I love belgians (who doesn't!)
Like any hobby, you can tend to get a bit obsessed, acquiring gear along the way. I think I've got to a point where I'm now streamlining what I actually need.

Bit of a ramble, but I hope this helps.

 

[Mardoo]

When I was contemplating the switch AG looked insanely complex, and equipment seemed too big an expense. Equipment was solved by learning about BIAB. The appearance of complexity faded after a couple BIAB brews.

 

[Bomber Watson]

Stubbornness.

 

[Tahoose]

Would it be fair to say for the KnK/extract brewers out there that the ideal upgrade would be off the shelf 20litre cubes of unhopped wort?

You could buy the neutral product with a 100% ale or pils grain base. Then add a spec grain or 2 and do a mini boil with your own hop additions.

It would be pretty much the same process as extract brewing..

Thoughts??