Beer Kit review thread

scrapsmac

Hi all!

I'm fairly new to homebrew but I've been a long time lurker of this sub-forum and I am mighty impressed by the help and advice. As some of you know I currently have my very first brew on, a Canadian Blonde Ale (yeah I know original right!).

What I have noticed was a lot of people start up threads asking for advice on what kits to buy for specific tastes.

What I'm proposing is a single thread where people can post up info on whatever kits they've brewed with a little bit of info on the taste and their experiences brewing it e.g. quantities of malt etc that work best.

Mods - not sure if this was ok so feel free to close it but thought I'd give it a go anyway

merc230ce

Yep, I think that's a good idea.

Shiny

Great idea! All the experiences could then be summarised into a sticky perhaps?
i.e.

Ales
- Coopers IPA Kit (For example)

• Bullet point description
• Recommendations
• Tips for modification (hop Tea, Orange Peel etc...)

- Another kit

• Bullet point description
• Recommendations
• Tips for modification (hop Tea, Orange Peel etc...)

Lagers

Stouts

Ciders

Wines


etc

scrapsmac

Shiny wrote: »

Great idea! All the experiences could then be summarised into a sticky perhaps?
i.e.

Ales
- Coopers IPA Kit (For example)

• Bullet point description
• Recommendations
• Tips for modification (hop Tea, Orange Peel etc...)

- Another kit

• Bullet point description
• Recommendations
• Tips for modification (hop Tea, Orange Peel etc...)

Lagers

Stouts

Ciders

Wines


etc

Exactly what I was thinking Shiny! I'm already thinking about my second brew and It'd be mighty handy having a sticky with lots of reviews all in one place

3greenrizla's

another newbie here (with my first brew in a bucket) & I'm wondering what to brew next. would love a thread like this to take off.

what about a survey.

What are you drinking now?
What is it similar to?
Will you brew it again?
How did you brew, Did you/Will you do anything different?
What do friends think about it?

merc230ce

3greenrizla's wrote: »

1. What are you drinking now?
2. What is it similar to?
3. Will you brew it again?
4. How did you brew, Did you/Will you do anything different?
5. What do friends think about it?

Ok, I'll go first:

1. Coopers Canadian Blonde
2. Nothing on God's green earth! ;-) Ah no, I'm being a bit harsh - it'd be similar enough to Tesco's Biere d'Or (Mmm, delicious)
3. Maybe. But only after trying a good few alternatives.
4. I would change just about everything, starting with temperature control. I assume that that's the most likely cause of the sharp off-flavours.
5. Not much!

merc230ce

3greenrizla's wrote: »

1. What are you drinking now?
2. What is it similar to?
3. Will you brew it again?
4. How did you brew, Did you/Will you do anything different?
5. What do friends think about it?

I just cracked a bottle of my 2nd brew last night so:

1. Coopers IPA + 1.5kg Light LME + 500g hopped Light DME, Safale US-05, dryhopped with 30g Apollo for Week 2 in primary. OG 1.047, FG 1.007. Bottled in a mix of 500ml (1.5 carbonation drops) and 330ml (1 drop) bottles.
2. Erm... not 100% sure. It's not as bitter as an IPA, it's more malty. Maybe Anchor Steam?
3. I gladly would (although I'll probably do a similar extract recipe instead) - it tastes good, has great carbonation and head retention, and it's clear as a whistle.
4. 'Recipe' above. I would up the hops a bit - maybe do a hop tea to add to the wort, and probably leave it for at least 2 weeks before dryhopping for a few days. I was panicking towards the end that I was leaving the hops in for too long.
5. I haven't given anyone else a sample yet, but I bloody love it! ;-)

Funsterdelux

3greenrizla's wrote: »

1. What are you drinking now?
2. What is it similar to?
3. Will you brew it again?
4. How did you brew, Did you/Will you do anything different?
5. What do friends think about it?

My first proper beer:

1. Finlandia Dark Ale (my first kit, got it as part of a starters pack, I just wanted the fermenter and stuff :P)
2. Just after I bottled it, tasted like flat warm stout. Now, I dunno I'm still working on it.
3. Perhaps. After I try more first. Looks like cola when poured!
4. As per instructions, The plastic fermenter bucket for 2 weeks in the sitting room, only bottled about a quarter of it, stored the rest in demijohns and 5Ltr cans(hadn't enough bottles). If I make it again, I'll add less water(made 24litres), and maybe more spraymalt.
5. They liked it, but then they were already after drinking various liquids by then!

irish_goat

1. Coopers Real Ale Kit + DME
2. Whitewater Copperhead
3. Probably not but only cause I'd want to try other kits/step it up to more advanced brewing.
4. 2 weeks in fermenter with added orange peel + dry hopping with centennial hops.
5. Had good reviews from friends who drink pishy lagers and people in the pub I work in.

TheCosmicFrog

1. Finlandia Traditional ale
2. Nothing. Maybe malty muck.
3. Doubtful.
4. In 5L demijohns with little care for ingredient control. I weighed out the sugar with my eyes
   I made another 5L batch later using 1L of green tea in an attempt to give it a more bitter kick. I ended up just making a really refreshing malty drink that doesn't taste like alcohol but has all the effects of such!
5. Everyone loves it. That's the strange part. One person even went as far as calling it "the nicest beer she'd tasted". Weirdo...

Newtown Warrior

1. Coopers Brewmaster Wheat Beer
2. franziskaner
3. Yes
4. See below-
5. Its nearly all gone.....


Just managed a close clone to franziskaner with Coopers Brewmaster Wheat Beer (with extra ingredients below) after being patient and leaving 2 months in the bottle. Will definitely try this one again soon.

Spraymalt Wheat 1kg
DANSTAR MUNICH WHEAT BEER YEAST
CURACAO ORANGE PEEL 50G
CORIANDER SEEDS-20g

Any stout kit recommendations? I personally find the coppers stout 'coffee' favour off putting. Has any tried to modify a stout kit to produce a mint-choc stout?

scrapsmac

3greenrizla's wrote: »

what about a survey.

What are you drinking now?
What is it similar to?
Will you brew it again?
How did you brew, Did you/Will you do anything different?
What do friends think about it?

1) Coopers Canadian Blonde

2) It's very light. Nothing I've ever tasted before. Perhaps closer to a cider

3) Nope!

4) I went with Craigtubes guide so I foolishly used way too much dextrose. I believe this is what has left it with the slightly vinegary/cidery/almost too sweet taste. The beer tastes very empty as well.

5) My mates LOVE it!! Im amazed by their reaction. Particularly those who aren't big beer drinkers go crazy for it. I much prefer german style wheat beers and stouts so perhaps i'm biased

covey09

1) Coopers Canadian Blonde

2) Nothing I've ever tasted before.

3) Nope!

4) 500g DME 700g BE1. Its more of an IPA that a Beer. Any you would need to drink a bucket to get pissed.

5) Every one said it was beer, but not great.


Currently have the Cooper european Larger fermenting, which should be strong enough to make you teeth curl.

silliegillie

Ive Just Ordered the Coopers Stour Kit (Not the Irish stout ). I made this a while back after a few Lagers attempts. Most people enjoyed this compared with the Lager ones.Just wondering of the Stout kits , which one would people recommend

poitinstill

i made the original about 4 times and the irish once..irish is nicer i think.. also made muntons connisuer one...and its ok nothing to report home about. A great kit says it a porter is Woodfordes NOG. good stuff. dark and tasty not a stout/porter as i know it but i liked it.

Newtown Warrior

1) Brupak Beers of the World Belgian Witbier (approx 4.5-5.0% abv).

2) Hoegaarden.

3) Yes, even though it is 15e for 10lt (however no sugar required).

4) I just followed the instruction which came with the kit. Requires seeping/boiling of grains/spices bag and boiling hop bag. Its got me interested maybe attempting a partial boil using grains, hops and dme.

5) I'm not going to give it to them.

scrapsmac

Newtown Warrior wrote: »

1) Brupak Beers of the World Belgian Witbier (approx 4.5-5.0% abv).

2) Hoegaarden.

3) Yes, even though it is 15e for 10lt (however no sugar required).

4) I just followed the instruction which came with the kit. Requires seeping/boiling of grains/spices bag and boiling hop bag. Its got me interested maybe attempting a partial boil using grains, hops and dme.

5) I'm not going to give it to them.

Newton, Im starting my first extract on sunday (hopefully). It's an irish red ale, got the recipe off Marytn on this forum. Hope it goes well. quite excited!

Philburns

What are you drinking now?
What is it similar to?
Will you brew it again?
How did you brew, Did you/Will you do anything different?
What do friends think about it?

1) Woodforde's Wherry

2) Tastes like a number of top real ales to me. For example Spitfire or Harvey's Best but not exactly like them.

3) Yes, definitely!

4) Followed kit instructions but added 1 Fuggles Better Brew Finishing Hop Pellet Teabags before pitching the yeast.

5) Everyone who has tried it is impressed.

This is only my second kit in recent times (after a 15 year break) and after the bland tastelessness of Finlandia it is like drink from another planet!

Newtown Warrior

silliegillie wrote: »

Ive Just Ordered the Coopers Stour Kit (Not the Irish stout ). I made this a while back after a few Lagers attempts. Most people enjoyed this compared with the Lager ones.Just wondering of the Stout kits , which one would people recommend

I'm just finishing off a batch of Coopers Irish Stout which I used 1.5kg dark liquid malt. Turned out well after racking for 2 months, tasting like Guinness out of bottle. Strong enough coffee flavour though.

merc230ce

Newtown Warrior wrote: »

I'm just finishing off a batch of Coopers Irish Stout which I used 1.5kg dark liquid malt. Turned out well after racking for 2 months, tasting like Guinness out of bottle. Strong enough coffee flavour though.

+1 to this. Tastes like beer made from espressos!
I also added 250g dark brown sugar.

covey09

1) Coopers European Lager & Coopers Brewmaster Pilsners
2) I like the Pilsner more the european Lager is older but never deliver on what it promised.
3) Yes, Pilsner might become my house beer
4) European Lager 1kg LDME 700G Dex Saaz Hop tea
Pilsner 1kg LDME 700g Dex ,Hop tea with Hallertauer Hersbrucker
5) Every thinks are are good be maybe a bith sweet (I dont taste this, but will prob go with all malt next time around )

supernoob

Hi I've brewed before but not for years so I'm looking for a recommendation for an easy & reliable ( for someone with experience ) Pale Ale / IPA / US IPA type extract kit ?

There are so many kits out there now I'm not sure where to start !

Thanks a million.

tommiet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119747541#Comment_119747541

I,m not a fan of IPA's, but an easy reliable kit is Woodfordes Bure Gold Kit - 3kg (40pt). very easy to make and very easy to drink.