Never brewed, Equipment Ordered, go with kit or use recipe?

[cjever19]

Hey all, about to be a first time brewer and I've got some questions about kits vs. recipes. I've ordered all my stuff online and am waiting for it to arrive. While I wait I'm trying to figure out what to brew. I went with a full setup so I have lots of options going forward. Here's what I got...

The Bayou Classic SP-10 burner
A 60 quart stock pot
The Deluxe Equipment kit from Northern Brewer.

So I can do a lot with this. Like I said, never brewed but I've been to a few classes/demonstrations and watched several videos, so I feel like I have a good handle on what to do.

I'm debating about using a kit or just choosing a recipe. I want to make a pale ale or IPA for my first brew. These are what I love. I'd also like to do some steeped grains. I live in San Diego and have 3 LHBS' nearby so I can get ingredients easy. Why not just choose a recipe?

Should I do a full boil? With my 60qt I will have plenty of space and I've read that you get better hop utilization.

If I choose a kit and the directions call for a partial boil, can I just boil it all?

Thanks for taking the time to help. Cheers!

 

[ChrisNH]

Even as a beginner I don't see the value of a kit over a good recipe other then convenience in ordering.

I have been selecting clone recipes so I have something to compare to. For instance, my brew this weekend is based on the Sierra Nevada Porter.. of which I have a some put away in the fridge for reference..

Chris

 

[breez7]

The nice thing about kits is that they come with very clear instructions which is nice for your first brew. Do one or two kits till you get the hang of it then start experimenting.

I def. recommend doing a full boil.

welcome to HBT

 

[cjever19]

The nice thing about kits is that they come with very clear instructions which is nice for your first brew. Do one or two kits till you get the hang of it then start experimenting.

I def. recommend doing a full boil.

welcome to HBT

Even if the kit directions say to boil x gallons, you say still do a full boil?

 

[ChrisNH]

The more experienced folks can speak to this better.. but my understanding is that will increase hop utilization which will result in more bitterness being extracted then the recipe intended. You would have to make an adjustment..

Chris

 

[HexKrak]

When you're doing a partial boil, then it's more like a high gravity boil. If the kit is specifically built with the extra hops and time differences to counter, then you won't want to mess with it, but doing a full boil (with the correct ratios) should come out with a better finished product (better attenuation and whatnot).

Another thing to consider is that adding the cold water in after the partial boil is a big part of your cooling process. So if you don't have a cooling system set up, you might want to consider that as well.

 

[Fishing73]

Even if the kit directions say to boil x gallons, you say still do a full boil?

I believe you would have to scale back on the hops if you do a full boil. Not 100% sure though. Still a noob myself.

 

[Pilgarlic]

I would suggest that the most important part about your first brew isn't how you decide to do it -- kit v recipe -- full v partial boil -- but that you put it behind you. And another. And another. Make it easy on yourself. Go with the kit. Follow the directions. Put it behind you. While it's fermenting, get a copy of "How to Brew" or "Brewing Classic Styles" and read through the extract/extract with specialty grains/partial mash process descriptions. Then set a game plan for your next brew.

 

[breez7]

Sign up for Beersmiths free trial, enter in the recipe and let the software adjust it for you so you dont end up with a bitter mess.

 

[cjever19]

Sounds like I need to find a recipe for an IPA with steeping grains with clear directions that calls for a full 5 gallon boil!

Any suggestions?

 

[DrawTap88]

Since you have so many homebrew shops in your area, you can always go to one of them and ask them to put a recipie together for you. That way you can do a full boil, which is a good thing, and have your hops in the correct proportions.

Getting a kit and following the directions to the "T" is good as well. It'll allow you to kinda figure everything out. Plus, you'll have homebrew to drink while you make your next batch...if you wait for the first batch to finish before starting batch 2.

Welcome to a cool and addictive hobby.

 

[JVD_X]

I have been brewing for 20 years and still use kits for most of my brewing. All grain kits but kits none-the-less.

 

[logan3825]

If I went all grain I would buy ingredients but looking at extract kits vs buying ingredients, they are pretty close in price unless you start buying ingredients in very large quantities. A lot of the time kits are actually cheaper because you can't buy some ingredients in a small enough quantity(not online anyway). I would go with a kit for your first brew and until you find a recipe you really like, just stick with kits and tweak them. With extract brewing, the only way to really save money appears to be yeast harvesting. Once I find a recipe I like I will probably start buying bulk ingredients along with a scale. So far we have 5 brews with 4 different kits and styles(amber ale, Abbey ale, cream stout, dunkel weisse). The next 2 will be different as well.(hefeweise, leon heffe)

 

[cruckin78]

I think this meet almost all of what you want.
Kit, good instructions, specialty grains, and it's damn tasty....IT whats I have on tap at home new. However it is NOT a full boil.

http://store.homebrewden.com/miccosukee-ipa-recipe-kit-p258.aspx

Miccosukee IPA.

 

[dleonard]

Even if the kit directions say to boil x gallons, you say still do a full boil?

Yes, do a full boil. And yes it does make a difference in the hops amounts. But I wouldn't worry about it. I bought kits, and went ahead and did full boils, and never thought, 'wow this non-hoppy style of beer is really hoppy, and all I did different from the instructions was a full boil'.
Being your first brew, I'd not worry so much about the beer as I would worry about getting used to your process. Thus, I'd say that you should grab a kit, and just make it happen as close to the instructions as possible.
My first beers done like that weren't the best but they were good enough for me to be impressed with my own homebrew.
Good luck!

 

[munche]

I believe you would have to scale back on the hops if you do a full boil. Not 100% sure though. Still a noob myself.

I started with a few extract kits but did full boil the whole time, never adjusted the hops and they came out fine. But then they were hoppier beers in the first place, so who knows.

The only real difference is in how you get the ingredients....if you have a good recipe you want to try, there's absolutely no reason not to just go grab the ingredients you need at the LHBS.

This weekend I bought two AG "kits" except for I just had the store give me the ingredients page, and I went and grabbed all my grain and milled it myself. The only difference between that and when I've come in with my own recipe is I used their recipe instead of one I printed out at home.

If there's something you really want to brew, print that recipe out, bring it down to the LHBS and have them help you out on finding everything if you're uncomfortable.

One nice thing when it comes to kits for stuff like IPAs is that they'll have the hops pre-measured and separated. They also tend to be a bit simpler, whereas if you try to clone a West Coast IPA or something you'll be buying 5 different freaking types of hops.

If you want, I'll post the recipe that I brewed for my first beer, it was the "American IPA" kit from MoreBeer

 

[DrawTap88]

If you do get some grains, make sure they're milled/crushed. I can't tell you how many times I've walked out of the LHBS without crushing my grains after having a few "samples."

 

[scottieo2]

I just got into the hobby with samekit from NB. I've done a couple of extract kits and they've gone fairly well. The directions helped me build confidence in my techniques.

One consideration I would give is that if you are doing a full boil it is going to take you awhile to cool the wort. I use the ice bath technique with my partial boils and it takes about 30 min for the wort to cool to pitching temp.

 

[dleonard]

I use the ice bath technique with my partial boils and it takes about 30 min for the wort to cool to pitching temp.

I've been frowned at before for saying this, but what I used to do is add ice to the wort after the boil to cool it, and top it up. That meant, I would do a mostly full boil. I would still have to do an ice bath for the brew pot, but it sure helps allot.
There are risks... but wow it's easy.

 

[vandeg]

kits are fun, started with a Mr. Beer and progressed to Brewer's Best and hopefully soon I'll be able to do AG soon...

Trying different things is fun, I personally would go with the kit, they come with instructions and take out a lot of the guess work if your on your first batch, unless you have friends that brew to help out then I'd go with a recipe.

Either way I wish you luck! and remember have fun!

 

[mlanoue]

I think kits are fun. i live to open up the box and look at all the little packs of hops and grain. The bottle caps and priming sugar. Even thugh I know exactly what's going to be in there, I still feel like a little kid on Christmas day tearing open a present!

 

[Strangebird]

I agree with going for the kit the first time. I'm brand new as well. My first batch was a smoky porter kit from the LHBS. I felt like a fish out of water for that first batch. I'm glad I had the instructions. My second batch was Yuri's Thunderstruck Pumpkin Ale. I went to the LHBS with the shopping list and hemmed and hawed over whether to buy their pumpkin ale kit or stick with my list. Talking to one of the women there I decided what the heck and stuck with the list. Having had that first batch under my belt made things way smoother since I knew what to plan ahead for. So, you don't have to stick with kits long if you don't want to. But like others said above. Get a feel for the process first and maximize your chances of success out of the gate.