Don't even bother with kits. There are so many recipes online if you order through www.brewmasterswarehouse.com you can just scale the recipe to 2 gallons. If I were you, I would do like me and just make small 2 gallon batches of all grain. I make 2-3 gallon batches because it's a lot of beer.
I very rarely make more than 2.5 gallon batches myself Jon. Pitch the whole packet of yeast...Fermentis and Danstar yeast are super high quality. Don't use Muntons or Coopers though because I think they're crappy. That's another reason why people put the fruit in secondary...because there's...
I got it off ebay from http://tuthilltown.com/
They were selling for $90+ship, I got this one for $100 shipped. I split it between me and 2 friends as 7 gallons of the beers we are making would be a bit much. You'll get better results with the 55, but that's just not feasible at all. I'll...
Another update:
Made a huge Dark Lord clone on 11/6/9. On 12/2/10 I racked it into my fresh 7 gallon bourbon barrel with 3 Mexican vanilla beans. Will add coffee at bottling. I've never had Dark Lord, but I doubt it tastes anything like it as the recipe was a shot in the dark...lord...
What kind of yeast did you use on the Blueberry beer? Different yeasts produce different krausens...it's so dependent on so many things that I wouldn't worry about it. EDIT: I see you used oats in the stout recipe. That helps in head retention and is probably helping the krausen look a little...
I would suggest starting off doing this: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-stovetop-all-grain-brewing-pics-90132/
Definitely don't be afraid of all grain. It's easy, versatile and will give you much better results IMO.
Decide how big of batches you want to do. I do from 2-3.5 gallons, so...
I think you might want to try ramping up the temperature on the yeast. After replication of the yeast, and fermentation has slowed, ramp up the temperature. This will force the yeast to go at it and you won't really have to worry about esters. You need to get it up to 70F.
Thought I'd post another update.
Did the 888 Russian Imperial stout from Homebrewtalk....wish I made it more hoppy!
I did a sweet stout, 1/2 plain, 1/2 on chocolate and cherries. Drinking the first of the choco/cherry right now....pretty good, but subdued
Ballast Point Amber clone...my...
That was Ramstein winter wheat. Apparently a NJ brewery can make better German beers than Germany can. I had no idea all of their beers were so highly regarded.
http://beeradvocate.com/top_beers?season=1
Granted you won't be able to find most of these in your area, but if you see any there's a good chance you'll love it.
I like RR Pliny the Younger, Troegs Nugget Nectar, OB Ten Fidy, Founders Imperial Stout, SN Celebration and Bigfoot, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout.
I guess I covered enough of them to make a point.
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