Quick Brew for Xmas - suggestions

[Meatymc]

Assuming I can bottle the Wherry this weekend (see Wherry - leave it a bit longer on Friday) is there anything else I can brew in time for Xmas this weekend or is it too late now and do it justice? Needs to be a straight forward off the shelf kit - although I have 30g Goulding hops which I was going to use to 'tweak' the Wherry and then decided to walk first.

Any suggestions welcome.

[Manngold]

That should be enough time for most kits.

Ditch's Stout would be ready in that time (it is ready to drink out of the FV according to the sticky).
Coopers English Bitter would also be ready.
The Wherry just takes more time than most.

[Meatymc]

Thanks Manngold

Hadn't picked up on the fact the Wheery was a longer lead time than many of the others - chosen for the good reviews and the fact suitable for an outright novice like myself. Will have a look at what the local Wilko has in as many seem to rate them on the homebrew front.

[Wekslap]

I'm a newbie too. Got my first brew in barrel two weeks now, coopers bitter
I would also recommend this. I think next time tho I may add some brown sugar or honey or a very small amount of molasses.

[Meatymc]

Coopers get mentioned quite a bit so that's one worth looking at although, having just seen Wilko have reduced their Real Ale kit to £12.75 - that might get first shout, providing of copurse I can get hold of one!

[Marcuswarren71]

I bottled a coopers sparkling ale done to their own recommendation, apparently it's best to leave at least 6 weeks but I sampled a couple with my wife and one of my mates and we all thought it was excellent. Very nice and it will only get better in time. Strong, dearer than most after additions but well worth it.

[Marcuswarren71]

I bottled a coopers sparkling ale done to their own recommendation, apparently it's best to leave at least 6 weeks but I sampled a couple with my wife and one of my mates and we all thought it was excellent. Very nice and it will only get better in time. Strong, dearer than most after additions but well worth it.
Sorry, should've said I sampled after 3 weeks!

[Meatymc]

Thanks Marcus. Now seen Wilko out of stock on-line. Will check out stores locally and if that fails, onto Coopers me thinks!

[Wekslap]

If you want something different to a wherry for your next brew a wilkos real ale may not be ideal as many on here say it is basically a wherry or very similar.

[WalesAles]

I bottled a coopers sparkling ale done to their own recommendation, apparently it's best to leave at least 6 weeks but I sampled a couple with my wife and one of my mates and we all thought it was excellent. Very nice and it will only get better in time. Strong, dearer than most after additions but well worth it.
Sorry, should've said I sampled after 3 weeks!

Marcus,
And that sums up my take on Kit Brewing, Quick, Easy and Bloody Lovely Mun!
I am the same as you, take a taste, then it`s all gone in a month!
The longest I`ve kept some beer is about 2 months, that was only because it was hidden behind some other Beer in the Fridge!
WA

[Greatcthulhu]

I would go with one of the Festival range of kits. Better, in my opinion, than the Coopers kits. They contain 3kg of malt, hop pellets for dry hopping and even a bag with the correct amount of priming sugar. The Pride of London Porter and the Suffolk Strong Ale are both very good and will easily be ready for Christmas- still got 3 months yet.

[Marcuswarren71]

Wales-
I knew patience would be a problem when I started, so I've been doing a brew a week to build up stocks! And drinking shop bought beer to get bottle supplies up. So I'll always have something decent to drink and the grand cru I bottled 3 weeks ago shouldn't get touched til Xmas!

[SquireKnott]

I'd second the Festival kits.

I've no idea how good these could get as they're perfectly drinkable after 2 or 3 weeks & don't last long.

I did a Betterbrew IPA with 1kg of beer enhancer and a big muslin bag of hops - this was very good, very quickly and I'd imagine would work with many different hop combos - I never found out what these were but I reckon chinook, citra, Amarillo or similar

[Meatymc]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. The more I read everyone's suggestions the more I'm getting hooked on playing around with additions/combinations. Think I need to get the Wherry bottled first and then choose the next brew. Landie show in Peterborough this weekend so looks like weekend after to get brew number 2 underway. Keep the suggestions coming - all much appreciated.

[SquireKnott]

I thought Wherry was one of the worst I'd done and, as a result, left a few bottles to mature and it does get much, much better.

Timewise, most of everything else I've done is fine early on.

I'll have brewed, bottled and finished kits I've not even bought yet by Christmas