Mangrove Jacks Single Hop Simcoe IPA review

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GhostShip

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Kit started - 27th September. Used 1.2kg of MJ liquid extract. Tesco Ashbeck Water used - made up to 23L. Fermented in brew fridge at 20C.
Hops added - 7th October
Bottled - 10th October. One carbonation drop per bottle. Secondary fermentation in brew fridge at 20C.
Moved out to cold shed - 25th October
First pint - 20th November

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I’ve become a big fan of the MJ kits in recent times - consistently good and easily as good as any kits I’ve ever done. The Pink Grapefruit IPA and Juicy Session IPA were both outstanding. I wasn’t previously familiar with the simcoe hop, but bought this one as there was very little else available at the time thanks to lockdown.

Lovely golden colour, perfect carbonation with a good head. Very slight twang on the nose (which I always seem to get), but no twang at all in the taste. I’m drinking this younger than I normally would due to the failure of my previous brew (Dead Phoney). Nice fruity flavour with a very subtle ‘smoked’ or burnt flavour and then a good bitter finish. The smokiness is not unpleasant at all I just maybe wasn’t expecting it. It’s a beautiful pint though and one which will probably get better. It comes out at around 6.5% so not really a session beer, but I know already that I’m going to enjoy this one. Another really good beer from Mangrove Jacks.
 
Done quite a few of these and got 2 in stock and I drink mine young with no problems, I prefer Juicy session over this but it's really good. I've got a Brut IPA of theirs that's nearly fermented and have done that once before and enjoyed it.
 
Just got the MJ American IPA on the go, also made with their liquid extract - good to hear more positive reviews,
been meaning to try one of their brews for a while athumb..

The American IPA is probably the one I fancy next but going to try it with dried, rather than liquid, malt extract, just to see what difference it makes.

Let us know how yours turns out.
 
Very nice! I've been doing MJ kits too and appreciate the review, thanks.

I've got an MJ American IPA 7 days in the fermenter with 1.2kg MJ LME. I'm tempted to tweak with Jester hops but think I'll stick to the supplied pellets for the first time.
 
Thank you for the informative review, I've been considering this kit for a while.

This kit and their fruity session will be my next order, although I still have a few other kits to brew before buying more.
 
I had a couple of these last night and am enjoying one now. All had been in the fridge for a day or so. They’re definitely not over-carbonated (one carbonation drop per bottle), yet when I open them, ‘foam’ starts climbing out of the bottle and doesn’t stop. I stood one bottle in the sink and 3/4 minutes later the foam was still running over the top of the bottle.

I’ve never had this before - anyone know what might be causing it?
 
I had a couple of these last night and am enjoying one now. All had been in the fridge for a day or so. They’re definitely not over-carbonated (one carbonation drop per bottle), yet when I open them, ‘foam’ starts climbing out of the bottle and doesn’t stop. I stood one bottle in the sink and 3/4 minutes later the foam was still running over the top of the bottle.
I’ve never had this before - anyone know what might be causing it?
I've had this a few times with 500ml bottles that I've added a sugar cube to and thought it was because I'd added too much sugar but I made a stout back in June and added half a spoon being as it was a stout. I tried one a month in and got a gusher, then a couple of days after the same and was really surprised. I left them a month and tried one and I got the same hiss when opening but no gusher, I have had one now and again and all is OK. Strange.
 
I've had this a few times with 500ml bottles that I've added a sugar cube to and thought it was because I'd added too much sugar but I made a stout back in June and added half a spoon being as it was a stout. I tried one a month in and got a gusher, then a couple of days after the same and was really surprised. I left them a month and tried one and I got the same hiss when opening but no gusher, I have had one now and again and all is OK. Strange.

As I said in the opening post, I’m drinking these fairly young (for me) - maybe they just need a bit more conditioning time. Thanks for your reply.
 
I had a couple of these last night and am enjoying one now. All had been in the fridge for a day or so. They’re definitely not over-carbonated (one carbonation drop per bottle), yet when I open them, ‘foam’ starts climbing out of the bottle and doesn’t stop. I stood one bottle in the sink and 3/4 minutes later the foam was still running over the top of the bottle.

I’ve never had this before - anyone know what might be causing it?

I had this with an Evil Dog IPA in 500ml bottles and batch primed. Some bottles gushed and some didn't. The gushers had a slight off flavour compared to the others so I put it down to some bottles not being properly sanitized but I'm usually very careful.
 
Just finishing my last bottle of the MJ Single Hop Simcoe IPA. I’ve enjoyed this one, but in truth, I probably won’t do it again. It’s not even my favourite MJ kit, let alone favourite kit - the Pink Grapefruit IPA and Juicy Session IPA were much better. Still getting the slight ‘smokey’ taste and still not sure what it is or if I actually like it, but it’s been a decent pint. MJ American IPA currently in the brew fridge - looking forward to trying that one.
 
Hi @GhostShip, I have two of these MJ simcoe IPA kits in cornies at the moment and as I've said before I have brewed them a few times, I find them a bit bitter (for my taste) when they're green but they're a half decent pint IMO. I've got a few in the fridge at the mo' that have been in the bottle around 4 weeks (I bottle 4 so I can hand them out) so I will be giving them a taste this weekend no doubt (due to lockdown), although I have an AG APA on tap and a Juicy IPA also.
 
Hi @GhostShip, I have two of these MJ simcoe IPA kits in cornies at the moment and as I've said before I have brewed them a few times, I find them a bit bitter (for my taste) when they're green but they're a half decent pint IMO. I've got a few in the fridge at the mo' that have been in the bottle around 4 weeks (I bottle 4 so I can hand them out) so I will be giving them a taste this weekend no doubt (due to lockdown), although I have an AG APA on tap and a Juicy IPA also.

I’ll be interested to hear what you make of it. As I say, mine had a slight ‘smokey’ or burnt taste, but maybe that’s a property of the Simcoe hop? It was a nice pint, but I much preferred the Juicy Session which was superb.
 
I’ll be interested to hear what you make of it. As I say, mine had a slight ‘smokey’ or burnt taste, but maybe that’s a property of the Simcoe hop? It was a nice pint, but I much preferred the Juicy Session which was superb.
Agree with you on the JIPA (juicy ipa), the Simcoe IPA to me it's a bitter aftertaste that mellows with time. Just mashing a Citra Saison at the moment, one of my favourite AG brews. athumb..
 

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