Bout ye! from Belfast

[belfastboozer]

Kit brewing for a while in for trying this all grain brewing in the future too, is there much difference in quality?

[johnrm]

Huge. Go for it.

[sub82]

Definitely!

[matthewdick23]

absolutely!

although, I'd say get your fermentation temp control going first before going AG. you will improve even your kits immensely if you can accurately control your ferm temp

[belfastboozer]

Cheers lads! Ive been brewing in the house and haven't really paid much notice to the temp as the house is usually around 18 degrees when its really cold I wrap round a brewbelt. How do you recommend keeping temp constant

[matthewdick23]

I use a heating tube with an stc controller in a big fridge I got for free online.  lets me ferment and condition 2 fvs at once.

heating belts are another option, but im not convinced they are consistent/accurate

[belfastboozer]

Is the heating tube submerged or in open space? What's an etc controller?

[Will_D]

Hi BB.

Welcome to the NHC.

There is a fairly comprehensive guide to equipment and brewing. Here is the link to the Fermentation Equipment section:

http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.com/wiki/doku.php?id=fermentation_equipment
You can then navigate around the information wiki!

Any questions ask away!

[LordEoin]

Kit brewing for a while in for trying this all grain brewing in the future too, is there much difference in quality?

depends on if you do it right.
hack a kit well, with a bit of thought and the correct controls in place and you'll make kit beers just as good as most AG in a fraction of the time.

[belfastboozer]

Been doing abit of reading up on the all grain seems very interesting just trying see what a set up is going to cost me, my biggest disappointment with kits is usually flat beer but have made a few weakers form kit hacks

[Ciderhead]

Go to one of the brew days and see first hand what's involved on a practical and financial basis.

[LordEoin]

if your biggest disappointment with kits is flat beers, then you'll be disappointed with AG too.
From the moment it goes into the FV there's no real difference in the process, including carbonation.
kit->extract->AG  -  The only real difference is how you get your sugar.

As CH says though, go to a brewday somewhere, or spend an evening with mr google and ms youtube