Best Beer Kits you have brewed

pms67 · Jan 11, 2015

In case anyones interested,I mixed up my Golden Stag and nothing happened for 72 hrs,think I killed the yeast by leaving it in the shed one night when temp was around freezing? Anyway,I threw in the yeast from the Youngs American Amber Ale and it's going like a rocket now,not sure what effect on the taste it will have ?will worry about that at the time : cheers:

Now,what to do about the yeast-less Amber Ale :wha:

Slid · Jan 11, 2015

pms67 said:
In case anyones interested,I mixed up my Golden Stag and nothing happened for 72 hrs,think I killed the yeast by leaving it in the shed one night when temp was around freezing? Anyway,I threw in the yeast from the Youngs American Amber Ale and it's going like a rocket now,not sure what effect on the taste it will have ?will worry about that at the time :
Now,what to do about the yeast-less Amber Ale :wha:

You could re-use the yeast by "washing" it. This involves pouring the (top part of the) trub into a large container, adding some cooled boiled water, shaking and leaving it to settle in the fridge and then pouring away the water, saving the middle part of the washed yeast in little bottles and chucking the bottom part away.

This has worked OK for me and I am thinking seriously about this approach as the standard one, given my regard for the yeast that comes with the kits available from Wilko's.

pms67 · Jan 11, 2015

That's a good tip Slid and definetly on my to-do list.
I've also spare Wherry yeast but I won't be chucking that in to my Amber Ale.
:wink:

Joeyriles · Jan 16, 2015

I'm a big fan of Festival Ale kits. I brewed up a Pilgrim's hope in December and it's already tasting very good. Bitter and malty with a little bit of hop spice coming through. :thumb:

pms67 · Jan 17, 2015

Yeah,pretty foolproof and quality kits for your money.
I sometimes wonder if it's worth buying a Coopers kit,adding 1kg of spray malt and dry hopping to get something similar,it costs about the same anyway.

clibit · Jan 17, 2015

You could buy a Coopers kit and mash 2kg of base malt. Bit more work but cheaper, more involvement and probably better. 3 quid grain and maybe a quid for 30-40g of hops.

Slid · Jan 18, 2015

Very much the way to go, I suspect.

Many thanks for your input, clibit, your suggestions are really well appreciated.

For a lot of homebrewers, time and space are the main constraints, but a partial mash might just get past the gatekeeper, known around here by the acronym SWMBO.

Bunglebrewsbeer · Jan 18, 2015

SWMBO? Do explain.

Joeyriles · Jan 20, 2015

Bungle- She Who Must Be Obeyed. Assuming you're in a heterosexual relationship (or indeed, one at all) this is shorthand for the gatekeeper of your finances/brewing habits.

Case in point: in Wilko's the other day and I spot a Cooper's stout.

Me: Ooh, shall I get one of these on the go?

SWMBO: Wait until they have a sale, again. I thought the whole point of homebrewing was to save money!

Me: *mutters obscenities to self*

Bunglebrewsbeer · Jan 20, 2015

Ahhhh now I see. I too have one of those around. Who has been a showing a keen interest into my proposed funding of a swanky 50L stock pot.

Chippy_Tea · Jan 20, 2015

Joeyriles said:
Bungle- She Who Must Be Obeyed. Assuming you're in a heterosexual relationship (or indeed, one at all) this is shorthand for the gatekeeper of your finances/brewing habits.

Case in point: in Wilko's the other day and I spot a Cooper's stout.

Me: Ooh, shall I get one of these on the go?

SWMBO: Wait until they have a sale, again. I thought the whole point of homebrewing was to save money!

Me: *mutters obscenities to self*

Brilliant post, you see the LOL smile used in many posts but I actually did laugh when I read that.

Spapro · Jan 23, 2015

+1 for that, nice post by Joeyriles, made me chuckle out loud too, love the phrase 'shorthand for the gatekeeper of your finances/brewing habits'

I am sure there are a good number of us who can relate :smile:.

Anyway must dash, if SWMBO catches me on the forum she will worry I am getting ideas of spending money on kits/equipment and she will call a meeting to discuss budgetted expenditure !

torvil · Jan 25, 2015

I've done 4 wilkos golden ale kit and love them! Just trying their equivalent larger kit.

Joeyriles · Jan 26, 2015

Cheers, chaps. I speak from painful experience!

Smileysmiles · Feb 16, 2015

1 year on my tastes have changed. No kits make it on.

1. Apollo and simcoe DIPA
2. Black IPA
3. Funky Apollo IPA
4. Strong english bitter. Apollo and EKG
5. Oatmeal stout.

All allgrain now. Got some kits to use tho.

pms67 · Feb 25, 2015

Black IPA sounds good
I have a Muntons Old Conkerwood in the FV and was thinking about a load of hop pellets but also would like to try it as is,may split the batch.

Redsnapper · Mar 1, 2015

Hi all, I have been brewing kits for just over a year now and everything has been quite drinkable especially if left for long enough....mebbe I have been lucky!!

Of single can or pouch kits I rate Betterbrew.
Did a BB IPA with 1.5 kg of Coopers LME. This was really nice.
Also a BB Irish Stout with 1 kg of Briess Porter Dark Malt and 227g treacle,fantastic!!

Two can or pouch kits,I can't see past Festival kits.Every one has been great.
Recommend Razorback IPA,completely standard.
Highly Recommend Old Suffolk Strong Ale, again completely standard WOW.

Finally just finished scoffing a Youngs American Oaked Rum Ale.Really great,you pitch it with oak chips added. Definetly worth a try.

Of 15 so far these are the one's I liked best with the Festival Old Suffolk Strong Ale the standout brew.
I am limited with space and the patience of SWMBO regarding more kit lying around.But can't help thinking its time to move on to extract or partial mashes.THE DARK SIDE is beckoning!!!:shock:

Bunglebrewsbeer · Apr 16, 2015

Not made that kit but patience is they key. Will get better as taste develops. I was disappointed with my second brew as wasn't the best 2 months later. Lovely!!!

Bunglebrewsbeer · Apr 16, 2015

I've done 2 extract recipes and the difference is great. My mate who makes kits had one of my extract last week and said just as good as a commercial beer. I did my first AG, BIAB yesterday now bubbling in FV. Wanting to taste this I think my slip to the dark side may well be complete. But deffo give extract ago well worth it!!

ian808 · Apr 18, 2015

Well I'm just sampling my bad cat and that goes on my list. Cracking beer and very strong 8% I've brewed a few evil dogs but this is better. Waiting for my first AG to be ready for sampling and getting my next little batch going, hopefully be able to get it on this afternoon or it will have to wait till Monday morning

Best Beer Kits you have brewed

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