Ales - Pale Ale or Finlandia?

Lugh Ildanach

I'm not that fussed on any Ales that i've drank in pubs, and wouldn't be my first choice to brew although i'm brewing as part of a collective and the others have requested the next batch to be an Ale.

My idea of an Ale is something slightly dark, maybe amber, although I see these Pale Ales seem to be very popular with the homebrew community. They look pretty much like a lager and I can't imagine that Ale drinkers would be particularly keen on them.

I've also seen the Finlandia ale kits on offer. Have any Ale lovers out there tried these ones? Or can anyone recommend a non-pale Ale kit, or perhaps I've misjudged these Pale Ales and should really give them a chance!!! I imagine that since i'll be making them myself that it won't be hard to brew them to my own (and our collective) taste

Lugh Ildanach

Sorry, meant to post in home brew sub-forum!

poitinstill

COOPERS, not finlandia, I made the winter ale and its ok but bland enough. might suit as a transition beer from the likes of bud etc to a proper ale. a dark ale thats good is woodfordes NOG real surprising taste for a dark beer real fruity. Im not gone on coopers dark ale. the coopers pale ale is a bit like a lager/ale cross over and needs hop tea/ dry hop to be great cooper ipa is class with a few extra hops. if not real into full on ales try coopers pale ale straight up with 1kg dry malt.

Lugh Ildanach

Well despite advices I went for the Finlandia, as there were 7 kits for 45 Euro, including a cider, which I also put on.

I've put on the Tradionelle and the Dark Ale. I used medium spraymalt with both instead of brewing sugar.

I went for the lower end of the ABV for the Traditionelle by making 20 litres, and tried for the high end for the Dark by making only 16 litres. Traditionelle had an OG of 1030, which has gone down to 1010. The Dark Ale started at 1040 and is down to 1012.

They've been in the fermenters now for three weeks (transferred them into a secondary after 2 weeks to be safe). Last week they had both dropped 3 points, so there is still some movement, will do another test in a few days to see if they have stabilised.

The Dark Ale doesn't taste great to my liking, the Traditionelle isn't great, but isn't too unpleasant. And of course with time they might improve in any event. If they don't improve much, I'll definitely be paying the extra for a different kit next time round.

On the plus side the Cider has fermented to expected levels and tastes great, just have to bottle it now! And I still have the 2 Lagers, Winter Beer and Bitter to go!!

Ellis Dee

I spend a lot of time in Finland and have never heard of Finlandia beer. There is a Finlandia vodka, though.:)

In fact, they sell really funny T-shirts that are very popular with Finnish ice-hockey fans when their national team plays the old enemy Sweden::D