Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Need to overcome irrational fear of kit beer  (Read 5283 times)

Offline erockrph

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7786
  • Chepachet, RI
    • The Hop WHisperer
Re: Need to overcome irrational fear of kit beer
« Reply #15 on: November 09, 2012, 10:10:37 am »
If I'm brewing a style that I'm not too familiar with, I'll either get a kit from one of the big online brew shops or follow a recipe from BCS. You need to start from somewhere before you start designing your own recipe. A kit is simply following someone else's recipe - they just happened to put all the ingredients together for you.

One of the best beers I've brewed to date was AHS's dunkelweizen kit. The next time I brew that style I will most likely just buy the kit again (or use the exact same recipe) - even though I generally design my own recipes.
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

Offline pointyskull

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 6
Re: Need to overcome irrational fear of kit beer
« Reply #16 on: November 10, 2012, 06:46:22 am »
No fear to be had with kits.  I love NB extract kits, and I am constantly impressed by the quality of the finished product....

Offline gymrat

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 921
  • Ralph's Brewery
Re: Need to overcome irrational fear of kit beer
« Reply #17 on: November 11, 2012, 08:53:26 am »
I see no difference between following a recipe in a book and using a recipe in a kit. Other than the kit eliminates me doing the measuring. Both NB and Midwest Supplies have superb kits.
Ralph's Brewery
Topeka, KS

Offline madscientist

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 321
Re: Need to overcome irrational fear of kit beer
« Reply #18 on: November 11, 2012, 10:27:13 am »
Personally for me, it's about the control I have over my recipe.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with Kits, and as many have said, many retailers sell quality ones.  I personally like the feeling of picking my own hops, talking with this forum and homebrew shop what hops go well, what grains are good for the recipe, and then building that recipe in Beersmith.  Then, if the first version of the recipe is meh, I can always tweak and adjust things. 
Homebrewed since 2010

Offline alcaponejunior

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 360
  • Latest creation: Big Smash Saturday
    • alcaponejunior.wordpress.com
Re: Need to overcome irrational fear of kit beer
« Reply #19 on: November 12, 2012, 04:53:17 pm »
But...I still have an irrational fear that this might be cheating.  Anyone else feel that way?  Has anyone brewed kit beer and found it worthy of submitting to a competition?

Definitely NOT cheating.  Personally, I don't care where I got the recipe, I care how good the beer came out.  Extract or AG, mine or yours, just make good beer so I can drink it.

One of my extract recipes happens to be my best batch so far.  I adapted a recipe from who knows where and adjusted it a little for what I had available.  But if they made it in a kit, I'd buy it.  And it might win competitions, who knows.  I haven't competed yet, so I can't really comment.  But I know what I like and what compares to good commercial brews, and once again, if they made that beer in a kit, I'd buy it.

Offline micsager

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1179
Re: Need to overcome irrational fear of kit beer
« Reply #20 on: November 13, 2012, 09:14:19 am »
What's wrong with cheating? 8)

LOL +1

In IT we call it reusing code.  It may or may not have been your code to start with but who cares.   ;D

No need to sweat the recipe while you're still learning to cook.

Paul

I had a boss that recomended CASE

Copy And Steal Everything.

Offline euge

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8017
  • Ego ceruisam ad bibere cervisiam
Re: Need to overcome irrational fear of kit beer
« Reply #21 on: November 13, 2012, 10:06:23 am »
What's wrong with cheating? 8)

LOL +1

In IT we call it reusing code.  It may or may not have been your code to start with but who cares.   ;D

No need to sweat the recipe while you're still learning to cook.

Paul

I had a boss that recomended CASE

Copy And Steal Everything.

The most sincerest form of flattery...
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline AmandaK

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1850
  • Redbird Brewhouse
Re: Need to overcome irrational fear of kit beer
« Reply #22 on: November 15, 2012, 08:49:39 am »
My boyfriend is just starting out brewing (as in buying his equipment tomorrow), and since he has been brewing with me using all-grain methods while making/tweaking my own recipes, he had a negative idea of extract.

He was under the impression that extract made sub-par beers, that you couldn't make what you really wanted and that extract kits were definitely not his cup of tea. That was, until I showed him that every recipe in BCS is extract/specialty grains. And then he found that NB has Maris Otter and Rye extracts, and that they were fresh! Needless to say, he's ready to start brewing - and brewing a kit at that!

Point is, it's not where the recipe came from or whether the ingredients were put in a box for you. It's about the process you use, the freshness of the ingredients and the care you take in fermenting you beer that really matter.
Amanda Burkemper
KC Bier Meisters Lifetime Member - KCBM 3x AHA Club of the Year!!
BJCP Assistant (to the) Midwest Rep
BJCP Grand Master/Mead/Cider


Our Homebrewed Wedding, AHA Article