Hybrids

[themadbrewer]

I started brewing off of extracts and I'm sliding further down the slope towards all-grain brewing.

I now do hybrids. I start with an extract kit and then add complimentary grains to boost them and then add hops to counterbalance the malt and also give it the freshness that only fresh hops can add. The can seems to give the hops a metallic tang.

I'm buying the following extract kits.

1. Munton's Continental Pilsner 2-can kit (I was thinking 3lbs Pilsner and 5oz Saaz to make it awesome)
2. Munton's Great Eastern Ale, 2-can kit
3. Munton's Imperial Stout, 2-can kit
4. Munton's Norfolk Wherry Best Bitter, 2-can kit
5. Munton's Headcracker Pale Norfolk Ale, 2-can kit
6. Munton's Dockland's Porter, 2-can kit
7. Munton's Highland Heavy Ale, 2-can kit
8. Munton's Nelson's Revenge Premium Ale, 2-can kit
9. Munton's Amber Ale, 1-can kit
10. Munton's Bock Bier, 1-can kit

Also, this'll be my first time using the 2-can fancy-looking kits. Are they any better / stronger than the regular extract kits or are they a BS way of making more money on the kits. Obviously I'm looking for most bang for the buck.

Let's see what you, the expert, say about what grains and hops to add to these in order to make these base kits awesome...or whether to go for a basic kit in lieu of a fancy box...and still, what to add in the way of grains and hops to make them awesome.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

I suggest getting away from Munton's kits and trying out Brewer's best, or some of the kits from AHS and Northern Brewer. They're all great kits and you'll just need to look at Extract + Grains recipes.

 

[Clonefarmer]

I suggest getting away from Munton's kits and trying out Brewer's best, or some of the kits from AHS and Northern Brewer. They're all great kits and you'll just need to look at Extract + Grains recipes.

I'll second trying out kits from AHS. They have options for just extract kits, partial mash kits or all grain kits.

 

[Richabt]

I'll third getting away from the canned kits. You can get great extract kits like those mentioned above from AHS, Northern Brewer and Brewer's Best. But if you have a LHBS, many of them have kits they have created as well.
With the cans, you may have extract that is fairly old.
If you go with the other options, you can usually expect to get fresher extract.

 

[DragonTail]

Welcome
I agree with all who said to get away from the canned kits.

 

[violins]

Well, there you go! Guess it is time to go all grain!

 

[weirdboy]

It's not necessary to go all grain. It's just that those canned extract kits can be a little sketchy sometimes.

There's plenty of good extract kits out there, including those with steeping grains and fresh hops, that are just as easy to make as what you're already doing, and taste much better.

Although, if you want to go all grain or do partial mashes, there's plenty of resources here to help you out, and it's not really *that* hard anyway. If you are considering going that way, I highly recommend you invest in an accurate, fast thermometer before getting too far into doing your own mashes.

 

[themadbrewer]

Thanks for the advice. I'm working myself off of kits but am still using them for a base in order to save time.

Or I could brew less often, but take longer in order to do a proper job of it.

Decicions, decisions.