B&M kits

[BridgeBrew]

Got a few of these kit's at weekend from B&M Market Drayton, we were down that way for a couple of days holiday. Managed to get one IPA, and two real ale kit's. Put the IPA on tonight with 500g of light spray malt, and the supplied dextrose, made up to 20 litres at 1038, hopefully can get it down to 1006, then we could have a nice beer (not to keen on the mind blowing stuff folk's seem to go for these day's 4 to 4.5 is enough for me) it's beer at the end of the day, not wine :)

 

[Drunkula]

Got a few of these kit's at weekend from B&M Market Drayton, we were down that way for a couple of days holiday. Managed to get one IPA, and two real ale kit's. Put the IPA on tonight with 500g of light spray malt, and the supplied dextrose, made up to 20 litres at 1038, hopefully can get it down to 1006, then we could have a nice beer (not to keen on the mind blowing stuff folk's seem to go for these day's 4 to 4.5 is enough for me) it's beer at the end of the day, not wine :)

I'm interested to see how much flavour it has thinning about a 11.5 litre kit to 20 litres. Will probably still have 5 times the body of Carling.

 

[BridgeBrew]

I will keep ya posted :)

 

[Nicks90]

Has anyone else found the real ale kit very slow to finish?
Just doing my second one and it's been nearly 3 weeks at 18c and still not fully finished.
First kit did the same too.

 

[BridgeBrew]

I have just doubled up on the Ale kit's, and bunked them in a spare fv. Got them at 20c. The pale ale that i put on last night is going mad in the beer fridge at 21c, gonna leave the pale in the fv for a long time, so the yeasties can devour everything (apart from the bucket :) Hopefully can get the fg to about 1005-06 :)

 

[Dutto]

This morning, the Met Office promised that it would be windy and that it would get worse before it got better; and it did!

I decided that AG brewing was going to be impossible for at least ten days so I nipped out and bought 4 x B&M Ale Kits (to get 2 x 23 litres in the FV's).

Instead of using the Brewing Sugar in the first two Kits I used some H&B Malt and a few tablespoonful of T&L Black Treacle; which may give a "Bonfire Toffee" flavour for early November!

Which accounts for the darker colour and the lower OG.

I've not had any problems with the B&M Ale Kits but this is the first time I have used the Brewing Sugar that they provide and even then only for the brew that I will be Dry Hopping with Hallertau Leaf: 'cos when I got the kits home one was missing the Hop Pellets! As can be seen, it is lighter than the other Kit and has a slightly higher OG.

 

[smithsj1]

I am currently drinking the American IPA and reckon it is one of the best kits I have tried. Its now £5.99 and as BeerisGOD says the contents are good for the money. I have bought another IPA and a Pale Ale in case they go out of stock. So you get dextrose, malt, yeast & hops for your money and I think that is a great deal. I have 3 all grain batches under my belt but couldn't resist getting these as they are good value. Yes they are the same as you get in "The Range" but cheaper. I'd say if you want to brew but don't have the time for All Grain then a couple of these for a Keg would be a great idea. I got 18 bottles out of my batch but I can't say that I had a great bottling session

 

[Scottyburto]

Are these still available cause last few b&ms ive been have either the desperado clone or none at all!

 

[Scottyburto]

For £5.99 per 20 pints/bottles the IPA is amazing value! Even the all grain crew surely can't manage a 10l brew for £5.99

 

[smithsj1]

Well I think it depends on the store - Spalding and Peterborough (Showcase) had the American IPA in a couple of weeks back but I went to Peterborough (Town) store last week and they only had the Desperado Clone in. If you have more than one store near you then it pay to make a visit if you are in the vicinity.

 

[smithsj1]

Well I think it depends on the store - Spalding and Peterborough (Showcase) had the American IPA in a couple of weeks back but I went to Peterborough (Town) store last week and they only had the Desperado Clone in. If you have more than one store near you then it pay to make a visit if you are in the vicinity.

Have to say as well that if you can get the bottles at 12 for £7.99 then they look good value too being Grolsch type bottles. better value that the ones from Wilko which I do have quite a few of tbh.

 

[Drunkula]

For £5.99 per 20 pints/bottles the IPA is amazing value! Even the all grain crew surely can't manage a 10l brew for £5.99

I just tried a brew with pale malt, 500g of sugar to match the kit, with bittering, 10 minute and a dry hop with columbus, new pack of MJ Liberty Bell and it's £4.99 for 11.5 litres at 5.6%. Without the sugar it would cost £5.75. Not the most exciting beer but you could swap out some of the base malt for a bit of crystal or biscuit without moving the price about too much.

I know somebody that does a Pedigree clone for 12p a pint and it's the thing they brew most of.

It's the saved time that makes these a good shout.

 

[Mavroz]

They were 5.99 when I bought mine a while back.

 

[RichK]

I manged to pick up a couple (more) of the real ale kits in the second B&M I went in yesterday. First had one left. Second had half a dozen. I've only ever seen the IPA once the whole time they were available. Definitely a case of buy it if you see it now.

 

[parpot]

Just started an American IPA, so looking forward to see how it turns out. It cost me £4.99 the other week along with one of the Desperado Clones (for my Daughter, NOT me) at that price it had to be done, also the flip top bottles for £7.99 for 12, can not be bad.

 

[BridgeBrew]

I just tried a brew with pale malt, 500g of sugar to match the kit, with bittering, 10 minute and a dry hop with columbus, new pack of MJ Liberty Bell and it's £4.99 for 11.5 litres at 5.6%. Without the sugar it would cost £5.75. Not the most exciting beer but you could swap out some of the base malt for a bit of crystal or biscuit without moving the price about too much.

I know somebody that does a Pedigree clone for 12p a pint and it's the thing they brew most of.

It's the saved time that makes these a good shout.

Yep the time is the key, and this is where kit brewing has the edge over grain. I can put a kit on in 25 min's, and that's including re hydrating the yeast, and sterilising the gear. Grain is so time consuming, i remember culturing yeast from live stout bottles in the early 80's, mashing, sparging, boiling, cooling. Took about 7 hour's, a full day, the yeast took about 3-4 day's before it got going in the bottle, after an addition of a spoonful of lme, or sugar. What a lot of messing, when your can get a decent pint from most kit's available these day's. Kit's have come a long way since the day's of the Boot's kit's (they were awful, really, really awful) The selection of yeast's available these day's is incredible, think the Boot's kit's had baking yeast in

 

[Mavroz]

Have to say, the B&M ipa kit I made a while back at this moment in time tastes rank.
It is the only kit I have done that doesn't taste very nice whatsoever at the moment.
Will have been about 7 weeks now since I brewed it. Will leave a few more weeks before retasting then will dump the remaining 18 bottles if it hasn't improved.
Have got a couple more ipa kits to go at and have a bitter in a FV now that I have played around with hop additions.
Due to be bottled this weekend.
On my 10th and 11th brews now with no issues other than the b&M ipa .
Currently working my way through making partial mashes from the malt miller.

 

[soupdragon]

I'm Halifax with the Mrs and they still have some real ale and lagers in the b&m in town. Not been to the big garden one a bit outside so can't say about that one.
Just thought I'd mention it in case anyone in the area was looking to get some

Cheers. Tom

 

[Heshofcheese]

Couldn't find these kits in the B&M in Washington this morning. Might as well have been talking to myself when I asked one of the staff if they had any in

 

[Mavroz]

Bottled a Real Ale kit up earlier today that i had tinkered with using goldings, fuggles,cascade & crystal hops instead of the supplied ones..
Didn't taste too bad to be honest, will see when it has carbed up and conditioned.
Will try another with a different variety of hops very soon.