Anyone brewed at Deja Brew?

In the absence of in person context, typed thoughts are tough to express intent.

Even at homebrew club meetings I've pushed hard to support the notion that this hobby can be as broad as you want. The proof is always on the counter. Better technique by experienced brewers always meant better beer than the process used. Like everything, practice makes perfect.

I loved extract brewing because it could be done in half the time of all grain. Sure the per batch was cheaper with all grain but with work and a growing family I could keep brewing the beers I loved using extract. Not everyone has a full day to drag out a kit, clean it, brew, clean it and then put it away in the name of all grain process. Great beer and fun was always and is always my goal. Cheers

 

@konabrewer I have tagged you in this in hopes you can chime in, seeing as you have brewed there as well. The more I read the homebrew forum on this site, the more it seems like for a 15 gallon batch, using no starter and one vial and one packet of yeast isn't nearly enough, but the beer always seems to end up quite good.

Your thoughts?

 

In my experience, the folks at Deja do a great job. as far as the yeast pitching. It is possible that they are under pitching, but I haven't had any beers that I would consider to be 'way' under attenuated. I like my beer dry, so I would just be sure the wort is healthy, the yeast is fresh, and the temp is proper. Other than that, the guys at Deja are always willing to let you add more, remove some, change this, alter that. Talk to them… they will help you make the best beer possible.

On a side note, I just was talking with @dabruguy about doing another half batch night with me… as the pro brewer in the room. I will be planning this for the early fall and we will be brewing High Horse clones. Should be fun!

 

Doing that all at my own house without plunking down $180 and worrying about driving drunk.

 

The guys there are really great. Keith, Greg (and Keiths Dad, I forgot his name) are always very helpful. I was just curious, so I thought I would ask you, as you've seen first hand the process they go through at Deja Brew.

 

How much would you have to plunk down for 3 5-gallon extract batches at home? The price is pretty comparable actually to most extract kits I have seen.

 

These seem to range from $25 to $55.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/brewing/recipe-kits/extract-kits

 

Me too, but I got the craving there.

 

Where are you seeing extract kits for that kind of money? I could see it if it was including all (or most) of the equipment* but not the ingredients themselves.
*More Beer, Austin, Northern and the rest do a beginning kit thing where it comes with an extract ingredient kit for around $150 or so.
When I was brewing Extract, ingredients for a batch would run somewhere around $60, depending on what style.
Now, with all-grain, it runs $40+ also style dependent - an IPA would run more because of the cost of hops.

 

I was talking about ingrediants. Just like you said, they cost around 60 dollars. That would be for a 5 gallon batch, correct? Deja brew does a 15 gallon batch, so triple the cost of a single extract "kit" (just ingrediants).
3 of those would equal 180 dollars, the cost Providence mentioned.

He sent me a link to northern which seems to sell many extract batchs for less than the 60 dollars though, so maybe they have gone down in price.

The whole point was that many of the batches at Deja Brew can be made for around 150 bucks, and I feel that if I were to buy 3 extract kits, it would be nearly the same cost. Plus, my experience at deja brew is that if you want to add another couple pounds of LME, some molasses, brown sugar, extra hops, etc to your batch, you can (at no extra cost).

 

@konabrewer Wanted to ask you... What do you estimate the efficiency of the steeping grains is at Deja Brew? I want to enter a recipe in a calculator and it asks for efficiency, and has 35% as the default (again, this is only for the steeping grains). I ask you because you have personally brewed there. thanks.

 

I don't recall off hand but we definitely used promash and used the default settings. They seem to hit the gravities pretty well, but I think most of the fermentables come from the extract in the recipe. The most grain we used was 8-9 lbs, I think. @dabruguy ?

 

apparently my buddy Dave… aka @dabruguy has not been on BA since 2011.

 

My aunt brought this place up to me last week and before that ive never heard of it. Sounds like something i might be interested in now that im about to brew my first batch at home. Help me learn a thing or two. Just have to get the extra money together and make the trip!

-xICooRsYIx