Hi from Northampton

Returning to Homebrewing after an absence of 25 years or so. Brewed kits back then, but lost interest after trying a Rotokeg for storage and losing 2 complete batches (maybe leaky seal or not sanitised well enough) and gave up, deciding it was cheaper to buy the stuff.
Anyway, while perusing the local home brew shop recently I made an impulse purchase of a Youngs American Amber Ale kit. Dug my old kit out of the loft and decided it best to replace everything for safety except hydrometer and sample jar (this impulse buy's getting expensive). It's taken a little while to start the kit while I've collected enough bottles and drank the strange brown liquid that was in the ones I bought in the supermarket, but started it off yesterday and it's now bubbling away healthily in a corner of the dining room.

The waiting time has been well spent hanging around this excellent forum and I feel I already know some of you guys quite well and picked up some useful advice. This of course has led to additional purchases: Starsan, autosyphon, builders trub, aquarium heater etc.
Assuming this brew turns out well and I enjoy returning to my old hobby I intend to try AG next, which I was tempted to do all those years ago when I owned a copy of Ken Shales' Advanced Home Brewing, but never got round to it. Probably go with BIAB in a 19L stockpot first as the outlay will be fairly small and give me chance to experiment without producing 40 pints of one beer.

Looking forward to spending time with you folks.

Welcome to the forum..

Actually as far as kits goes the Youngs AAA is pretty decent.. it was the last kit I ever did.. very grapefruity. But keen to step up to AG is a good thing!!

Welcome to the forum :

welcome back to the brewing fold

Kits these days are soooooo much better than the kits of old.. so be prepared for a pleasant surprise when your beers ready to quaff in a month or so..

Ag is more rewarding imho, and while a kit will brew you a beer as good as many commercial pints, AG can provide you with beer that is something else completely

have fun with the planning and brewing and especially the sampling

Hi.
I live in Milton Keynes.
"Anyway, while perusing the local home brew shop recently I made an impulse purchase of a Youngs American Amber Ale kit."
Where is your LHBS? I thought your nearest would be Wellingboro.

goodolpete said:

Hi.
I live in Milton Keynes.
"Anyway, while perusing the local home brew shop recently I made an impulse purchase of a Youngs American Amber Ale kit."
Where is your LHBS? I thought your nearest would be Wellingboro.

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Hi Pete
Ok "localish". Yes you're right it was the shop in Wellingborough, is it still called Keg 9?
Actually Copper Kettle at Burton Latimer are very good and a similar distance from where I live in Brixworth. The guy there is very helpful, he has a video on YouTube doing a full mash (sorry I don't have time to figure out how to post a link to it at the moment, but searching for Copper Kettle should find it).

Brewdoug said:

Actually Copper Kettle at Burton Latimer are very good and a similar distance from where I live in Brixworth. The guy there is very helpful, he has a video on YouTube doing a full mash (sorry I don't have time to figure out how to post a link to it at the moment, but searching for Copper Kettle should find it).

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[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iQefnKHvxs[/ame]

+1 for the copper kettle brewshop, ive only delt online and on the phone with em, Friendly , Helpful and informative. and will be able to kit you out with a PP bucket with element and tap holes cut for that diy boiler for your ag brews too..

Welcome back!!

Covrich said:

Welcome to the forum..

Actually as far as kits goes the Youngs AAA is pretty decent.. it was the last kit I ever did.. very grapefruity. But keen to step up to AG is a good thing!!

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Hi Covrich
Did you put all of the hops in the AAA? I'm reading that some people have only put say half the hops in as the hop flavour is too strong otherwise. I see you say it was very grapefruity.
I like a hoppy beer but don't want it to be overpowering as I will be hoping to share it around my family and friends a bit so I can get on to the next brew quicker (unless I decide it's too good to share of course).

Covrich said:

Welcome to the forum..

Actually as far as kits goes the Youngs AAA is pretty decent.. it was the last kit I ever did.. very grapefruity. But keen to step up to AG is a good thing!!

Click to expand...

Hi Covrich
Did you put all of the hops in the AAA? I'm reading that some people have only put say half the hops in as the hop flavour is too strong otherwise. I see you say it was very grapefruity.
I like a hoppy beer but don't want it to be overpowering as I will be hoping to share it around my family and friends a bit so I can get on to the next brew quicker (unless I decide it's too good to share of course).

I must admit I dumped the lot in (in a muslin bag) it was very hoppy but in my opinion wasn't overpowering.. It took about 5 weeks before the beer carbed up and mellowed/ balanced properly anyway. I thought it was quite nice but it depends I guess on whether or not how you like it.. over time the dry hop diminishes anyway.. after a few months when it was really subtle the beer was drinkable but not that great.. think these kits work well with nice fresh hoppy burst.. I would bung them all in but thats me.

Ok thanks Covrich I'll put them all in then and make the beer as intended.
Sorry I seem to have posted that question twice, my iPad's playing up.