Best Beer Kits you have brewed

lagerfeld · Dec 11, 2015

wheazy_joe said:
Had you asked me 12 months ago I would have said I was a lager drinker only. However now, I can't remember the last time I bought a bottle of lager (other than Pilsner Urquell), all I buy these days is IPAs, and I find I'm only thinking about brewing them as well.

Anyway the Youngs AIPA is outstanding, and my LHBS (Glen Brew on Dumbarton Road, Glasgow) sells them for Ã¯Â¿Â½ÃÂ£22.99 which is, in my opinion at least, an absolute bargain.

I'm glad it not just me. Been a lager drinker for 35 years but since taking up home brewing my taste is changing.
The best kit I have made was the Coopers Stout with liquorice, done twice now but I have also fallen for BrewDog IPA and will be getting an IPA on in the new years, probably Youngs AIPA

wheazy_joe · Dec 11, 2015

lagerfeld said:
I'm glad it not just me. Been a lager drinker for 35 years but since taking up home brewing my taste is changing.
The best kit I have made was the Coopers Stout with liquorice, done twice now but I have also fallen for BrewDog IPA and will be getting an IPA on in the new years, probably Youngs AIPA

I can't recommend the Youngs AIPA highly enough, as you will see from me constantly badgering on about it here!

I see loads of really positive comments about the Coopers Stout and am really tempted to give it a go. Not a massive stout drinker, though I did have two pints of Guinness last night. I reckon it would take me a right good while to get through it but couple of my mates like the Guinness so I could donate some their way. I'm talking myself into it here!

lagerfeld · Dec 11, 2015

wheazy_joe said:
I can't recommend the Youngs AIPA highly enough, as you will see from me constantly badgering on about it here!

I see loads of really positive comments about the Coopers Stout and am really tempted to give it a go. Not a massive stout drinker, though I did have two pints of Guinness last night. I reckon it would take me a right good while to get through it but couple of my mates like the Guinness so I could donate some their way. I'm talking myself into it here!

I promise to follow your advise re the Y AIPA and hope you will take the plunge re the Coopers Stout. It is a very nice pint and if like me you don't go for the strong stuff it is a good session beer :drink:. Ive done another stout (my 3rd) which should be perfect for xmas but this one was with coffee. This one was a Brewmaker Shamrock Velvet Stout (Lakeland) and tastes very promising.

wheazy_joe · Dec 11, 2015

lagerfeld said:
I promise to follow your advise re the Y AIPA and hope you will take the plunge re the Coopers Stout. It is a very nice pint and if like me you don't go for the strong stuff it is a good session beer :drink:. Ive done another stout (my 3rd) which should be perfect for xmas but this one was with coffee. This one was a Brewmaker Shamrock Velvet Stout (Lakeland) and tastes very promising.

Decision made I will give the Stout a go. Any advice on fermentibles or additions? Coopers suggest 1kg of BE1. Brew short?

Might just go with the BE1 as a first go, see how the kits is as intended then look at additions if I do it again. I'm right in thinking this one goes a bit mad, blow off tube required??

Frogbrew · Dec 12, 2015

Only tried cheap kits as i'm a tightwad:smile:
1..wilko golden ale 2 can
2..john bull Ipa
3..Simply pale ale
4..wilko cerveza
5..Coopers English bitter.

lagerfeld · Dec 16, 2015

wheazy_joe said:
Decision made I will give the Stout a go. Any advice on fermentibles or additions? Coopers suggest 1kg of BE1. Brew short?

Might just go with the BE1 as a first go, see how the kits is as intended then look at additions if I do it again. I'm right in thinking this one goes a bit mad, blow off tube required??

Sorry Wheazy, been a tad busy.
I have added muscavado sugar each time (250g) and either strong coffee or liquorice and would recommend them all. However I have never brewed it as intended so its difficult to know how much better/worse it might be.

I defo needed a blow-off tube so get that ready.

Good luck.:thumb:

Gingerbrews · Dec 16, 2015

Linalmeemow said:
I've had the Black Rock Riwaka Pale Ale in bottles for about 5 weeks now and it's got seriously good. Not got the punch of the Youngs AIPA or the Evil Dog (though that was pretty awful IMHO) but flavour and body-wise it's better than a lot of mid-range commercial ales.

I've also got the St Peter's cream stout at the same age and that's coming good as well, though sadly it's nothing like the commercial version.

How long did you leave the Black Rock before you tasted it? I've just bottled some and it has a bit of a "metallic" youngish flavour at present. Hoping it will improve

Linalmeemow · Dec 17, 2015

Gingerbrews said:
How long did you leave the Black Rock before you tasted it? I've just bottled some and it has a bit of a "metallic" youngish flavour at present. Hoping it will improve

It's probably been in for about 5-6 weeks at the moment. WHat I've noticed though is that at "cellar" temperature the sediment doesn't stick to the bottom of the bottle at all and is impossible to pour without it all ending up in the glass. Not such a problem if it's chilled though...

Gingerbrews · Dec 18, 2015

ok. Reckon I'l leave it till around end of January then and see how it's doing. Thanks

wineguy · Dec 20, 2015

1) Muntons Midas touch golden ale
2) Evil Dog double IPA
3) Muntons Smugglers Ale
4) St Peters Golden Ale
5) Woodfordes Sundew

As you can tell, i prefer the lighter coloured beer!:thumb:

ianh82 · Jan 13, 2016

daf said:
1.
2. Better Brew IPA...very hoppy and grapefruit citrussy

now that sounds up my street, not heard of those kits.

my new fav is youngs american ipa. 6.5% of splendidnous!

gruntgp59 · Jan 14, 2016

As mentioned above, Muntons Santa's Winter Warmer is a seasonal favourite in this house ! For an IPA that'll blow yer socks off, give Razorback IPA from Festival a go. It's loaded with hops and fruit and packs a real punch, summer or winter !!

pms67 · Jan 27, 2016

Looking forward to brewing these

Fore · Jan 28, 2016

Here's my entire kit record...

dad_of_jon · Jan 28, 2016

brewferm abdij

brewmaker ipa or

muntons oaked ale (not my fav but others really raved about it)

Javalian · Feb 6, 2016

I've just cooked my 3rd batch (sorry, been watching breaking bad)
1st Caxtons real ale - in the drinking stage- quite nice but nothing to measure against in homebrew speak.
2nd batch, Coopers IPA with dry hop addition of centinial - in conditioning at present.
3rd batch Woodford's Wherry, just put on today - so no idea , but will probably dry hop with Target.

BREWERS DROOP · Feb 6, 2016

Festival Endeavour really nice,and its on offer at ÃÂ£19.99:)

pms67 · Feb 6, 2016

It started off as "top five beer kits"
There are so many now,it's all good though :thumb:

MonkeyM · Feb 6, 2016

In no particular order from the ones Iv brewed and tasted so far, my favourites have to be

Ã¢â¬Â¢ Coopers Irish Stout
Ã¢â¬Â¢ Festival Golden Stag
Ã¢â¬Â¢ Coopers Australian Pale Ale (great to mess about with)
Ã¢â¬Â¢ Youngs IPA
Ã¢â¬Â¢ Coopers Bitter

As you can tell you can't go far wrong with a coopers. Great to play around with or great for a cheap knock up beer [emoji481][emoji1303]

wheazy_joe · Feb 6, 2016

Really difficult but here goes:

Youngs American IPA - outstanding kit and despite it being a premium price (ÃÂ£22.99 from my LHBS) it is amazing value for money.

Coopers European Lager - make this to the kit instructions and it is fantastic. Add a bit of a saaz hop tea and it is an absolute belter. I brewed at about 16C and it turned out great so no need to worry too much about hitting the perfect 12C.

Coopers Canadian Blonde - a great base for experimenting with.

John Bull IPA - picked this up from Tesco sale and added 1kg of brew enhancer then dry hopped and it has turned out absolutely amazing.

Youngs Harvest Lager - Another kit on the cheaper end of things that worked out so much better than I ever expected. Dry hopped with a wee bit of tettenang (spelling?).

Best Beer Kits you have brewed

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