What to brew? Suggestions

[JohnSant]

I'm heading to my local supply today or Tuesday to pick up a few things was wondering if someone may have a suggestion on what my next kit should be. Done a few Mr. Beer Kits, now thinking of brewing a five gal. kit and splitting it between two LBK's. Plan on using original yeast one LBK and getting a different yeast for the other LBK. Any and all suggestions would help and not to sure about what to ask for and don't want to leave to sales person to recommend a yeast. Really don't want to use grain but a few dry hops would be ok.

[JohnSant]

Should mention that the brew kits they have are Brewers Best.

[RickBeer]

My understanding, which may be incorrect, is that many of the Brewer's Best kits including steeping grains, and you've said you don't want to do grains. You also mention dry hops, I believe many of the kits include hop boils, at least when I go to their site and look. http://www.brewersbestkits.com/

If you're looking for 5 gallon HME kits, you want Muntons or Coopers, where they supply you with a large can of HME, you add LME or DME, split it between two LBKs, and go. Most kits you add around 3 pound of LME and you're good.

As far as the yeast, you can use the included yeast in one LBK and try a different yeast in another, but the yeast is going to depend on what you choose for the brew. You'll use a different yeast for a Nut Brown then you will for an IPA for example.

[JohnSant]

Hey Rick your saying that the Brewers Best kits won't work with 2 LBK's? I'm just wanting to do 2 LBK's with same ingredients but different yeast to see what type of different taste I get. Not to well versed in brewing but want to try little things to get my confidence up on what to expect and make some small mistakes on the way with no wild swings yet.

[RickBeer]

No, I'm saying you said you didn't want to do grain or hop boils, that it seemed you were looking for a bigger can of HME that brewed 5 gallons so you could split between two LBKs. As I said, when I go to their site I see steeped grains and hop boils.

[Inkleg]

Like Rick mentions, the Brewers Best kits include steeping grains as part of the kit. Their directions are easy to follow and you will do fine with it. Steeping grains is just like making a tea base for the rest of the brewing process and just another advancement in your brewing knowledge. Plus we'll help from this end as needed.

If it's a LHBS then a sales person should be knowledgable about recommending a yeast to use depending on what beer style you choose.

[JohnSant]

Rick; sorry misunderstood. Well not sure if I'm ready for grains yet only done 4 LBK's two in bottles and two in LBK's now for one and a half weeks. Thought I may need more practice to get brewing tech. down maybe start with dry Hops then go to small grain steeps. Then at the end of year or first of next year go to full 5 gal kits after getting another temp. controller and 5 to 7 cf freezer. I do know I want to increase my production with 5 gal. kit don't want to jump in to fast. After twenty years in the Navy I do know that a person should take his time to learn before going to something bigger when he hasn't fully accomplished the small stuff yet.

[RickS]

John, If you can make a cup of tea you can do a steep. Brewers best kits come with specialty grains and the yeast for the kit. They also come with the muslin grain bag that you have to put the grains into to steep them in. The LHBS can tell you which of the kits are the easiest and also tell you what yeast that you can use to make one of your LBK's A different beer.

[berryman]

John, Brewer's Best are some good kits and real good instructions with them, I've done quite a few of them. Steeping is easy and you will like the results. I'm basically a extract brewer myself, but always do at least a steep. we will help and walk you through it..... Splitting a 5 gal. in 2 LBK's is a good deal also.....just ask...............and we will help

[JohnSant]

Ok guys you convinced me. I'll get one of the Brewer's Best kits and start my oh so short brewing life into the realm of steeping of grain. May be on here quite often with questions though. I was looking at the Brewers direction sheet and know I'll be going DUH a lot, but thanks to all of you I think I can make BEER. What a great group of home brewers who supports us Newbies. Once again THANKS Guys....

[BigPapaG]

Ok guys you convinced me. I'll get one of the Brewer's Best kits and start my oh so short brewing life into the realm of steeping of grain. May be on here quite often with questions though. I was looking at the Brewers direction sheet and know I'll be going DUH a lot, but thanks to all of you I think I can make BEER. What a great group of home brewers who supports us Newbies. Once again THANKS Guys....

Houston... We have a winner!

Glad you're gonna go for it, you won't regret it...

[Dawg LB Steve]

You'll be ok, I was hesitant and on the fence doing AG. As soon as I did it was not as bad as I thought it would be. They are good kits and informative instructions.

[John Sand]

I'm sure you are ready John. Those BB kits are very straight-forward. I found the American Pale Ale to be a bit sharp. Let us know what you choose, and how it goes.
And thanks for your Navy service. -from an old Coast Guard man.

[braukasper]

Ahh here lies the rub. If you can steep why not do the partial mash. Partial mashing adds so many options fro the home brewer.

[mashani]

Ahh here lies the rub. If you can steep why not do the partial mash. Partial mashing adds so many options fro the home brewer.

I do PMs, and full on BIAB mashes too. But also steeps and pure extract/candi sugar stuff - steep vs. PM/Mash reason for me is up to 20 minutes vs 60 minutes of "tea making" time, and a choice to do a shorter duration boil if I am really crunched on time. So the difference between a steep and PM on a brew day can be 90 minutes less time spent easily for me if I'm front loading the hops and forgoing a traditional bittering boil, and that's without resorting to an HME as a bittering base. If I shortcut with an HME as a base, it might be 2 hours less time.

So pretty much it's if you got the time and like to then spend it, but in my case time is more at a premium at times - but I want to keep pipeline full. So I do whatever it takes as long as it makes good beer.