Muntons vs Coopers

[druid]

So I picked up a case of Coopers cans today, and the owner of the HBS I shop at asked me if I had tried Muntons. No...the other brew store also doesnt carry it so I have no experience with it. Any of the kit brewers here have any thoughts on the two products?


Thanks for any insight.



Dave

 

[marshbrewer]

Muntons make must of the UK manufactured kits, if not all. I've tried a few, and always went back to Cooper's. Muntons connoisseurs continental lager was particularly awful. However, other people have lots of success with the kits they make, so maybe my experience was an isolated one.

 

[BeerisGOD]

Muntons do lots more premium kits so no need to add any other fermentables.
They claim to use only. 100 % hopped malt which is reassuring considering some of the kits out there

 

[terrym]

Muntons is the biggest producer of LME based kits in the UK, check out their website, and if you buy a Wilko kit that is a Muntons produced kit too.
http://www.muntonshomebrew.com/other-products/other-branded-homebrew-kits/
http://www.muntonshomebrew.com/home-beer-kits/muntons-beer-kits/
Coopers one can range covers most tastes.
Of the Muntons kits I have tried they all seem to produce beers that are a bit 'homebrewery' some even with the twang so I don't usually buy them. Most (but not all ) Coopers one can kits will produce a decent beer if you give them a boost with grain and extra hops, the yeasts they supply with the kits are usually up to the job, so personally I buy them in preference,
Kit reviews here.
Beer Kit Review A - Z

 

[Sandimas]

Of the Muntons kits I have tried they all seem to produce beers that are a bit 'homebrewery' some even with the twang so I don't usually buy them. Most (but not all ) Coopers one can kits will produce a decent beer if you give them a boost with grain and extra hops, the yeasts they supply with the kits are usually up to the job, so personally I buy them in preference,

+1

I've tried lots of kits over the years and the Coopers ones seem better with a bit of tweaking. The only exception was Muntons Sugglers which produced a decent brew.

Coopers have a load of tweaks on their website, so you can make a big range of beers using them as the base kit
http://store.coopers.com.au/brewing-info/recipes.html

 

[LarryF]

Done a good few Coopers kits and as mentioned,when tweaked will make very nice beer. I'm just now starting on the Muntons Connoisseur kits, I'm drinking the Wheat beer and liking it very much. I'm trying a first bottle of their Yorkshire Bitter today and I'll be bottling their Stout tomorrow.

 

[Kevin Falconer]

+1

Coopers have a load of tweaks on their website, so you can make a big range of beers using them as the base kit
http://store.coopers.com.au/brewing-info/recipes.html

Thanks for the pointer. Love the look of some of these relatively easy looking recipes.

 

[terrym]

Thanks for the pointer. Love the look of some of these relatively easy looking recipes.

You might also find this useful
Simple kit plus mini-mash method to improve a kit - The HomeBrew Forum
In my view the biggest single boost you can carry out to a one can kit is a dry hop or a hop tea using enough hops to make a difference. There's a wide variety of hops to choose and they are cheap enough.
More here
Suitable hops for English and American ales - The HomeBrew Forum
A Newbies Guide to Dry Hopping Your Beer - The HomeBrew Forum

 

[BeerisGOD]

Adding specialty grains and hops can freshen the one cans up
Make them passable as AG IMO

Craigtube and a chap from Newzealand called dino do some pimpin of kits

 

[druid]

I have followed some of the recipes on the Coopers site and found them really good. Im only beginning to expand my brewing using some added grains and such. From what I have read...I will stick with the Coopers.

 

[Godsdog]

Coopers one can kits are king of the one can kits for me with their value for money

 

[Frogbrew]

I know its not a Munton's or coopers but the Simply kits are the best IMO but granted not much choice of styles.
I've done 3 or 4 coopers kits as instructions but not impressed with any really. Maybe if they're tweaked it would change my opinion.

 

[marshbrewer]

You might also find this useful
Simple kit plus mini-mash method to improve a kit - The HomeBrew Forum
In my view the biggest single boost you can carry out to a one can kit is a dry hop or a hop tea using enough hops to make a difference. There's a wide variety of hops to choose and they are cheap enough.
More here
Suitable hops for English and American ales - The HomeBrew Forum
A Newbies Guide to Dry Hopping Your Beer - The HomeBrew Forum

Terrym is spot on here, kit modding makes a huge difference, and using a mini mash really does improve things and can actually be cheaper than buying dme, you just need a 5L stock pot and a bag.

 

[OlsBean]

I've just bottled (yesterday) Munton's Black Conkerwood Ale, I had a stuck fermentation (10.020) and had to repitch yeast to get it going again (after exhausting all other avenues), I believe this is quite common with some Munton's kits, after researching it. I've also done the St Peters Cream Stout and Golden Ale which I believe are also manufactured by Munton's and both of those turned out unbelievably well.

I've done Cooper Innkeepers Daughter, which is in the PB now and is really nice. I'm going to have a go at the Coopers Russian Imperial Stout Custom Recipe before Christmas.

 

[Sandimas]

I've just bottled (yesterday) Munton's Black Conkerwood Ale, I had a stuck fermentation (10.020) .... I believe this is quite common with some Munton's kits,

Yes they don't include enough yeast in the Muntons kits (little packet, 6g or so) so it can run out of steam and stick at 1020. I always use another yeast with Muntons kits, a full 11g packet, usually Wilko Gervin.

The Coopers yeast packet is also quite small but I've never had a stuck brew with those kits.

 

[terrym]

I've done Cooper Innkeepers Daughter, which is in the PB now and is really nice.

Good to hear. :thumb:
I've coincidently started one of those today, not done one before, don't know what to expect.
Anyway, why not put a review of yours in the review section, there doesn't appear to be one of this kit
Beer Kit Review A - Z
I can then add my twopennorth later.