I started with the youngs lager kit aswel, i used brewing sugar but prob still taste crap, im also thinking of trying grainRussDeBuss wrote:which youngs kit did you get?
I started with the larger kit, and it is ok-ish. i used standard white sugar and tap water, tried it after 2 weeks like the instructions say and it wasn't too great, after 4 weeks it tasted a lot better, but still not great, using standard sugar has left it a bit thin, it certainly has strength, got pretty merry when i had to get one of the 2 litre coke bottles i used for it out of the fridge to make room for food(girlfriend doesn't agree that the fridge should be 75% full of beer and food is jammed into any gaps she can find, strange ;D ).
theres also a slight "twang" to it, i am not sure if this is from chlorine and fluoride in tap water, or because it is a kit from a can, i'm still new to this so not sure but it's definatly drinkable after 4 weeks in the fridge, not the 2 they suggest, but try it anyway.
my 2nd brew i used an edme lager kit from wilko's, but made it half volume and didn't add any sugar, trying to emulate a 2 can kit. it's still maturing by i sampled one, definatly needed more time, and was very bitter, i guess from me making it half volume. i also used asda bottled water with this one, gonna try it again in a week or 2 when it's had a month.
my next brew is a woodfords great eastern kit. as its a 2 can kit no sugar is required, the original sample i took for OG readings was very nice, again made with asda bottled water and is now maturing in the shed in a wilko budget barrell, only just put in in shed and needs another 3 1/2 weeks maturing, but can't wait, i'm tempted to save it for xmas though.
next brew i'm going to try extract brewing, either bewers choice IPA, or something else, not sure yet.
it is definatly addictive, i've just got into it and considering going all grain already.
I expected it to taste home brewy but its all part of the learning curve
