newish kits from hambleton bard

[Fish'n'Chips]

Got the stout started last night.OG was 1047.Just have to wait now.

Stout down to 1010 after 1 week.Get it bottled next week and give it a try.

[crunchie]

I have just bought Better Brew's Czech Pilsner kit. This is my first attempt at a pilsner\lager brew as I've only brewed bitters till now but as the weather's starting to warm up and I like a nice cold lager when sat on't patio I thought now's a good time to try one. These Better Brew kits sound good but will they taste as good as they sound? Only time and drinking will tell
I plan to use a kilo of Muntons beer enhancer instead of sugar which i've also not used before. I'll be brewing up this weekend so I'll let you know how it progresses. Do you think the beer enhancer will be better for secondary fermentation as well?

[crunchie]

Oh forgot to say. Hambleton Bard have a comparison chart on their website that shows SG, FG, ABV etc. for the Better Brew kits that may be useful

http://www.hambletonbard.com/products/b ... pared.html

[Simon Williams]

The hydrometer reading stayed constant for 3 days after 12 days in the FV, so I siphoned it into a barrel with priming sugar, linen siphoned it into bottles from there (easier than trying to pour sugar in bottle by bottle) . The bottles are now in a warm room for the next few days before moving into somewhere cooler to clear. Looking forward to trying it in a couple of weeks.

[cellone]

Bottled my czech pilsener yesterday, there was a large krausen ring and plenty on the lid of the FV. I haven't seen this when brewing lager only ale.

[Fish'n'Chips]

Stout bottled.Went in at 1006.Had a taste and it was very good.

[Cozzyb]

also made two of these the Newcastle brown was nice using Brew sugar and the IPA is being made now with DME light. Great thing about these kits is at least they are 1.8kg or LME and at most 2.2kg for £12/13, beat that coopers.

[Hippo]

Update from me....

I have just bottled the better brew Mild after 3 weeks in FV ...fermentables added = 2 X jars of H & B malt extract and 500 g of brown suger plus a drop of T & L treacle...OG 1045 - FV 1013

quick taste while capping - seems quite favourable, if slightly sweet (surprise surprise)

will give an update in a few weeks, but

Better Brew gets the thumbs up from me.....so far

Hippo

[timbo41]

update on the czech pilsner... its all gone!! . Sorry folks been offline for a while choosing new laptop as old one died! Have to say this has been one of the best kits I've done. Left in bottles for two weeks then couldn't resist any more. Clean and bright, nice but fairly light aroma and very morish. Don't think a little bit of saaz or helletauer dry hopped would do it any harm as not as hoppy as some commercial pils i've tried but 8.5/ 10 definitely. Will use this brand again prob the export as others have. Well done hambleton b

[timbo41]

update on the czech pilsner... its all gone!!

. Sorry folks been offline for a while choosing new laptop as old one died! Have to say this has been one of the best kits I've done. Left in bottles for two weeks then couldn't resist any more. Clean and bright, nice but fairly light aroma and very morish. Don't think a little bit of saaz or helletauer dry hopped would do it any harm as not as hoppy as some commercial pils i've tried but 8.5/ 10 definitely. Will use this brand again prob the export as others have. Well done hambleton b

[markle]

Ive just ordered myself a czech pilsner kit after reading this thread ive been umming and arring for about a month whether to get one or not but timbo41 has just made my decision for me im looking forward to making this kit

[timbo41]

excuse duplication of last bit folks bit technophobid me . One day ,ll work out how to quote someone else in a comment. (message to self..Tim you are a [censored]!!)

[cellone]

+1 for the pilsener. Plenty of flavour, quick to brew and condition. Think this is an ideal candidate for my first yeast swap, next time I'll try it with W34/70 as recomended to me on a thread about lager yeast.

[simon50]

is the supplied "pilsner yeast" an ale or a lager one please ?

thanks

[johno53]

Reading the write up from Hambleton Bard and members on other forums this is not a true lager yeast but and i quote" lagers contain a particularly neutral strain" apparently this strain of yeast allows them to be fermented above 16degs C. Hope this answers the question.
cheers
johno