Kit recommendations please

[Scotty]

Hi folks,

I was wondering what kits are generally the best all-rounders for certain beer styles.
I am partial to an IPA but I will brew/drink anything at least once, so can you guys point me in the right direction for a good lager, bitter, IPA etc etc?

[brysie]

hey scotty

im quite new to this beer making thing after a few disasters in the 80s {including my first wife and a dodgy mullet} but ive a little time on me hands....

i should mention that ive bottled all my efforts so far.

i started with a coopers lager kit which {after some helpful advice from here} turned out fine. plenty of fizz, sparkly clear and not bad tasting
if a little appley for my liking.
next i made a woodfordes wherry which turned out excellent. took longer to clear but proper english beer flavour. so...
a coopers real ale followed made with geordie beer enhancer instead of sugar. i also upped the sugar content on secondary ferment to 120g
60g unrefined demarara and 60g dark muscovado. {just to see..}and a cheeky sample last night is tasting very good. i wont know for sure
for a few weeks on that one though.
last night i bottled my edme german lager kit and i must say that it smelled more like a lager than the coopers to me. {not so sweet}

today im starting a youngs lager kit with geordie beer enhancer and next week im planning another coopers ale but after reading one of
ditches posts this morning im going with spraymalt instead of beer enhancer. ill let you know how i get on if you like.

hope this is helpful, and its fair to say that the bitter/ale kits ive done seem more authentic than the lager.

[randomdave]

Pretty much all the coopers range turn out a reasonable tipple.

[vacant]

I'll probably get flamed (search the forum for "Muntons" and "stuck" ), but my best ever kit is Munton's Midas Touch. Just happen to be drinking some as I type. Looks quite expensive but you're getting 20% more than a 3Kg kit.

[Ditch]

Scotty; Ye Know ye want to try a Coopers Stout! Now just stop being bashful and get on with it!

Seriously, mate; It's one to Experience

[Scotty]

Scotty; Ye Know ye want to try a Coopers Stout! Now just stop being bashful and get on with it!

Seriously, mate; It's one to Experience

I was thinking of doing a stout soon anyway, type of beer I go through phases with!

Any special treatment to make it that extra special?

[Ditch]

Any special treatment to make it that extra special?

Just make it, mate. Obviously, ye use Spray Malt, instead of sugar. (I usually use Medium. I have some Dark to try yet. But, I can't comment untill I do).

Ditch's Mantra: " Make a kit as they tell ye to ~ replacing Sugar with the equivalent amount of DSM. Do a few brews. Get the(ir) idea. THEN - and only then - tweak to taste. "

[FiercelyFuzzy]

Hi All,

Can anyone reccommend a British Ale kit which ferments out to give an ABV between 5-6%?. Something along the lines of a Bishops Finger?

I tried the Nelsons Revenge but that ended up at 4.2%

Many Thanks!
FF

[WishboneBrewery]

My first attempt is going to be a Woodfordes Wherry, second I might try this Fabled Coopers Stout...
I'm just busy collecting bottles for when I do first

[sparky Paul]

second I might try this Fabled Coopers Stout...

It's pretty good. It's one of those beers that people can't believe you made it yourself, never mind from a kit.

Dark spraymalt makes it extra-good!

[farmhousekeg]

I've also done a Coopers Stout which I like, however I am more of a pale ale lover than a "Stout head". I have just made a Coopers Brewmaster IPA and in my opinion its going to turn out to be a cracker! Its been in the keg for a week now and I just had a wee tester last night and could not believe how good it tasted. I am now going to leave it for a month to get even better. It really tasted like a nice beer you'd be happy to pay a couple of quid for in the pub.

I made it using a Geordie Beer Kit enhancer instead of sugar (£5 well spent) and I dry hopped it with 15g of Fuggles in the fermenter for a couple of days after the bubbling had stopped and then another 15g in the keg.

I am returning to home brewing after a 25 year lay off and I've only made these two Coopers kits so far but I like what I see and I will be sticking to them when I don't have time to spend the best part of a day making an all grain brew in future.

[Scotty]

I have just made a Coopers Brewmaster IPA and in my opinion its going to turn out to be a cracker! .

Sounds like a plan! I love IPA's so I may give this a shot too!

[Scotty]

Just bought a Coopers stout today but looking at the cost of DSM, I'll be giving it a miss!

[WishboneBrewery]

I made it using a Geordie Beer Kit enhancer instead of sugar (£5 well spent) and I dry hopped it with 15g of Fuggles in the fermenter for a couple of days after the bubbling had stopped and then another 15g in the keg.

I guess this means its OK to Dry-hop the brew after fermentation but before bottling then?
Does anyone dry Hop their bottles too or is it just a Keg thing?

cheers