Difference Between Brew Kits

[Hoppkins]

Ok,

I was stood in wilko today looking with hungry eyes at the selection of kits for my next kit.

My question is: Is price any indication of quality?

The youngs kit im using now is 9 pounds. There is a Youngs "Difinitive" kit which is only 4.99, a geordie kit for 4.99, another brand for 6 quid and 2 tin one (The company that makes Wherry bitter....i forgot) which is 14.99.

Pretty wide range between 5 quid and 15 quid.

Is there THAT much difference across the scope? Where is the best place to order kits online? Nottingham seems to have no brew shops near the center as i can find

Addtionally i feel somewhat drawn to the substitutes for sugar:

Brewers Sugar
Beer Enhancer (Geordie Brand though i assume any brand can use it)

Is there much point in these?

[steve_flack]

In a word, yes. Generally the more expensive it is the better quality it is. The Woodfordes kits are generally viewed as being very good.

Basically the difference is that the cheap kits make beer where only half of the alcohol comes from ingredients that actually have a flavour-the rest is sugar that only adds alcohol. The expensive kits have twice as much malt extract so the flavour will be better.

[guest5234]

In a word, yes. Generally the more expensive it is the better quality it is. The Woodfordes kits are generally viewed as being very good.

Basically the difference is that the cheap kits make beer where only half of the alcohol comes from ingredients that actually have a flavour-the rest is sugar that only adds alcohol. The expensive kits have twice as much malt extract so the flavour will be better.

Please dont use the cheap kits, they have done more to turn people of brewing than anything, go for an all malt kit, I like Brupaks and Woodfordes kits my self, Coopers kits are good with 1KG of spray malt added.

[PieOPah]

You will also find that the more expensive kits either come with 2 tins of malt extract or 1 tin and a kilo of DME.

With these kits there is no need to add sugar which means you should be getting more body and more flavour from your beers.

Although I have been tempted in the past, I don't recall ever buying a cheap kit.

[Hoppkins]

So the 2 can kits (like woodthorpe) dont need sugar adding as it's already a part of the mix (in the form of malt extract)?

Thanks

[Totem]

Would it matter if you only made 20 pints with the cheap kits?

[niall]

Would it matter if you only made 20 pints with the cheap kits?

No, it wouldn't matter - in fact if you don't have spraymalt or Liquid Extract to add you're better off brewing 20 pints with it. Reducing the quantity brewed will mean it won't be thinned out and it won't have off flavours from added sugar.

[Andy]

Would it matter if you only made 20 pints with the cheap kits?

The hop content of the kit would effectively become twice as concentrated in the final product if you halve the quantity produced.....

[niall]

Forgot about that. Might be an unexpected bonus though

[chopperswookie]

i did a geordie lager kit with only 16 litres. had a taster and its great. the missus says it looks like hoegarrden

[sparky Paul]

Would it matter if you only made 20 pints with the cheap kits?

I made a 5 gallon batch using two identical, very cheap, out of date bitter kits and no sugar a few weeks ago... it turned out very dark - I mean stout dark, much darker than I ever expected.

It tasted great to me, very stouty in flavour with a hint of black treacle, quite heavy and with a decent head... Although I was chuffed to bits with it, I though I'd better get an unbiased view so I tried it on someone else - "Mmmm...", they said, "...tastes like Mackesons".

I don't think hop flavour is as strong in the cheapo cans. It didn't seem to cause any problems, but I'm sure it contributed to the stouty taste. I'd certainly have a go at brewing it again!

[StrangeBrew]

Other than brewing 20 pints with a cheapy 1 tin kit, couldn't 20 pints be made from 1 tin of a more expensive two tin kit?
With all the fermentables already in the malt extract and no extra sugar needed except for priming, surely this is possible?

I'm just thinking if this is feasible, it would be a good way to do smaller batches for bottling, allowing a bit of variety with the limited amount of bottles I have.

[beardybrewer]

Other than brewing 20 pints with a cheapy 1 tin kit, couldn't 20 pints be made from 1 tin of a more expensive two tin kit?

Why would you want to do that? Generally people want more beer... not less.

FYI: you don't need to use sugar at all, even with the less expensive kits. You can always substitute liquid or dry malt extract (LME and DME respectively). If your kit needs 1kg sugar just substitute 1:1 1kg extract. Do use brewing sugar when priming for bottles tho.

[StrangeBrew]

Why would you want to do that? Generally people want more beer... not less.

You're missing the point!

What I was getting at was the possibility of splitting a two can kit to brew the same quality beer but in a lesser quantity.

To put it simply, lets say for arguments sake that I only have 40 bottles and I have two 2 can kits to brew. I could brew one can from each kit (20 pints per can) and save the other two cans to brew another time. Doing it this way gives me a choice of two different beers to drink from my limited amount of bottles!

I know what I mean

[Vossy1]

I get you SB

Seems like a good idea for what you want