Best Beer Kit?

[fxrs]

I have recently completed my first brew, a Youngs lager, and will be sampling the fruits of my labour tonight Its been in the bottle for 3 weeks so will give a couple a try and see how it is.

Looking ahead I have a Muntons Gold Continental Pils ready to brew and this will be in the fermenter next week.

I would like to do a beer after this. What would you suggest?


Grateful for your views

[RobWalker]

We just did the Admiral's Reserve and it tastes marvellous. Not cheap but definitely still much cheaper than the pub!

[candygold1]

im drinking a st peters ruby red at 5 weeks old and it lovely better than the wherry imo

[fxrs]

Thanks.

Just did a bit of research on the Admiral and St Peters and they both are highly thought of. Not too far away on price either.

The problem for me is I only drink lager and wouldnt know a decent beer if it bit me. I said I would have a go at a beer for a friend. Is brewing abeer any different from brewing lager? Is it more difficult? I noticed that St Peters doesnt need any sugar.

Thanks for the responses.

[john_drummer]

I said I would have a go at a beer for a friend. Is brewing a beer any different from brewing lager? Is it more difficult? I noticed that St Peters doesnt need any sugar.

what kind of beer does your friend like? No point brewing say a Stout if the friend likes hoppy pale ales, and vice versa. That's the first question you should be asking.
I'm not familiar with the brews you've done but did they require any special treatment, e.g. fermenting at lower temperatures, storing in a cold room for any length of time, etc?

Basic beer kits are very simple to do, and if you've already done two brews, another one shouldn't be difficult.
There are two basic types of kit beer: one-can and two-can kits. The one can kits require extra fermentables, e.g sugar, spray malt, malt extract, Beer Kit Enhancer. The two can kits don't need this as all the required fermentables are already in the concentrated wort.

But in both cases, it's a simple task:
1) clean, sanitise and rinse anything that is going to come into contact with the beer
2) stand the can(s) in hot water. Open and pour into the fermenting bin
3) if a one-can kit, add your other fermentables i.e. sugars, malt extract, BKE etc
4) rinse the can(s) out with hot water. Pour this into the fermenting bin
5) top up with cold water* to the required volume or gravity
6) check temperature. If less than 25 degrees C, add the yeast
7) put lid on & leave for 2 weeks. never mind what it says in the instructions
8 ) after 2 weeks, check the gravity. If it's 1010 or less, check it again on 2 more consecutive days. If it hasn't moved, it's ready.
9) bottle or barrel as with the previous 2 kits

*if you can, treat your brewing water with 1/2 to 1 crushed campden tablet. You will need a second fermenting bin or a 25 litre container of some sort filled with water in order to be able to do this. It will get rid of any chlorine dissolved in the tap water.

that's all there is to it.

<edit> damn smileys turning an eight with a bracket into a smiley with sunglasses</edit>

[HantsBrewer]

For what it's worth, my absolute favourite is Woodfordes Nelsons Revenge. I've brewed this many times and never had a bad one.

I would also go with the St Peters Ruby ale, or if you're looking for a lighter beer, perhaps a Coopers Australian Pale Ale.

[timbo41]

hiya youu could always try Geordie scottish export I find it a bit of a lager- like beer or vice versa. Also a really easy kit one can only but try making with a mix of brewing sugar and 500g light spraymalt

[Gary_P]

I agree with the comment above. I did an Admiral's reserve before Christmas and drinking now. It is a fantastic pint. It easily compares with a bottled beer. I will be trying St. Peters Ruby or Woodfordes Wherry next. Agree with comment above about finding our what your friend likes to drink first. I don't know how long you wait after drinking your lager but if you are patient (6-12 weeks or so) with the bitter it really does improve.
The ale fermentation can be warmer than lager. I brew ale at about 21C and lager at 18C (could be colder but can't find anywhere cooler but not too cold).
Cheers
Gary

[RobWalker]

If you only drink lager and want to keep some of this I would definitely avoid ruby red and admirals, they pack a punch in flavour! maybe even too much for me and I like a good ale. Maybe your tastes would be better suited to a light ale or an IPA...that way you can split some!

[spud]

Why not try Brewers Spring a 7.5l Brewers Wort kit - They are new bit pricey but wow best kit I have ever tried and there are various Lager types.

[fxrs]

Thanks for all the helpful responses.

I now have a Coppers Real Ale which will do nicely (so I'm told!)

Will let you know how it goes

[fxrs]

...........

1) clean, sanitise and rinse anything that is going to come into contact with the beer
2) stand the can(s) in hot water. Open and pour into the fermenting bin
3) if a one-can kit, add your other fermentables i.e. sugars, malt extract, BKE etc
4) rinse the can(s) out with hot water. Pour this into the fermenting bin
5) top up with cold water* to the required volume or gravity
6) check temperature. If less than 25 degrees C, add the yeast
7) put lid on & leave for 2 weeks. never mind what it says in the instructions
8 ) after 2 weeks, check the gravity. If it's 1010 or less, check it again on 2 more consecutive days. If it hasn't moved, its ready.
9) bottle or barrel as with the previous 2 kits

..................

I assume I can follow 7) above for my Coopers Real Ale kit? The instructions for the kit say 4-7 days (which does seem a wee bit soon) before its ready to be decanted out of the FV.

I will feel much happier to follow the guidance from those who have experience of brewing.

Grateful if you can confirm that leaving the brew for 2 weeks is acceptable in my case.

Thanks

[FarmerFred]

I've done a few kits now and as a rule of thumb leave for 2 weeks then check SG is constant for 2 consecutive days, then bottle or keg etc. I left my first lager (Youngs Pilsner) Lager for 2 weeks+ as I was away and it turned out fantastic. Just set my Coopers IPA going... Good luck with the brew.

[john_drummer]

yeah. two weeks is good for any beer, regardless of how it's made - kit, extract or grain.

Although, having said that, my first all grain brew in a bag was fermented out from high 1040s inside a week, I looked under the lid at day 5 to see no krausen & not a lot of bubbling, so I took a gravity sample. 1006. in 5 days. with Safale 04 yeast.
I've just done a brew with Safale US05 yeast, kept a thick head on it all through fermentation. After 10 days I decided to check the gravity & that was 1004, so there you go

[fxrs]

Thanks