Recommended Kits?

[brewses like a peach]

I've just bottled my first ever brew (Coopers Bitter, for the record)and, before moving on to brewing from scratch, I fancy getting a bit more practice in with a few other kits.

I've been browsing the posts on this forum to see if there are any stand-out kits to go for, but mainly I'm just seeing ones to avoid.

Are there any kits that you've used which have worked out particularly well? Ideally, I'd be looking for a good bitter, IPA or porter, but I'll drink any ale really, as long as long as its got plenty of flavour. My local brew-shop seems to have a pretty big selection, so suggestions would be very much appreciated!

[Normski]

Welcome brewses

My favorites are Coopers Stout with 1kg Medium Spray malt, Woodfordes Wherry. Coopers Aus Lager with 1kg Light Spray malt.
My best tip is to do a kit as recommended on the tin. Others will be along shortly to give there favs and maybe a tip or two. Cheers.

[EoinMag]

Never do a kit with table sugar.......malt or BKE.

[J_P]

Welcome to the slippery slope

Best kit I ever brewed was Coopers IPA, the best kit beer I ever tasted was Coopers Bavarian Pilsner, I couldn't believe it'd come out of a tin.

[EoinMag]

I've tried most of the Woodfordes kits now and they are outstanding, the best I've done so far being a king keg primed with spraymalt of Great Eastern, amazing stuff.

[mickhew]

You'll do well with the Coopers bitter, Stout is awesome, trust me. I've had mixed results with the Woodforde kits, and tend to avoid them personally, but others have great results. Different people, different tastebuds at the end of the day.

[crafty john]

You cam't go far wrong with Brupacks pride of yorkshire kits, fixby gold and linthwaite light are my favorites.

[thedistiller]

I cant fault the admirals reserve in the woodfordes range and the colne valley bitter in brupaks

[the real deal]

For me i've brewed:
milestone crusader - was very good.
Woodfordes admirals reserve - can't stop drinking it.
Milestone blackpearl stout - its ok but theres better stouts available.
Brupaks fixby gold - Again this is very good.
Coopers Stout - Waiting for it to mature at the moment in bottles before tasting but its highly recommended by everyone.
Planning a coopers bitter next.
Anything Coopers make is probably a good bet.

[brewses like a peach]

Wow, thank you for the tips!

I'll probably visit the brew shop again in the next few weeks, I'll let you know how I get on.

[johnston]

I've done 3 kits so far.

a coopers euro with bke
a coopers stout with medium spraymalt
and a coopers mex with light spraymalt which is conditioning but the mrs liked it out of the bottling bucket (miller drinker)

If you like calsberg/heinkien like myself you'll like the euro

and for someone who never really tried stout till recently I can knock back the coopers (ditchs stout) rightly although next time I wouldnt prime with dark muscavdo sugar as it has really came through in the taste although maybe a few more weeks conditioning will help. I only tried it because of the rave reviews on here and they are correct !!!!!

I've been thinking about a woodfordes wherry because I've read it tastes like something I tried and liked (can't mind what but) but the coopers kits seem to be idiot proof for beginners so might just work my way through them for now

[mat69]

tom caxton real ale is a winner for me..

[cbucket]

I've just finished a pint of Cooper's Stout. I bottled it about 2 months ago. I still have about 6 pints left. It just gets better and better.
Usual (Ditch's Stout) recipe. 1 tin + 1 kg Medium Spray Malt. Nectar.

[pauljmuk]

I've generally moved on from kits, but recently did an excellent Woodfordes Wherry.

The kits I do keep doing (just because I like them) are the Brewferm belgian kits -

[KevP]

For kits I'd choose Brupaks Brewers Choice, fine kits that allow tailoring to suit.

Ps, due to a bit of badgering Brewmart are now currently stocking some of this range of kits as they weren't before, great price too and fantastic service.