Boots Bitter

[sparky Paul]

Oddly enough, there is a Boots bitter kit on ebay!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Boots-Home-Brew-B ... 240%3A1318

That's not the one I've got, mine's called 'Best Bitter' and is in a glossy screen printed can, so it must be the deluxe version!

[rollin danny]

Funnily enough, the Boots standard bitter was a lot better than their Premium kit.

The best thing about Boots kits was the yeast - it stayed firmly glued to the bottom of the bottle.

Boots also did a very good Dry Irish stout and Strong London Ale. They must have stopped selling homebrew gear about seven or eight years ago at a guess.

Thats what I was talkin about with the clear jelly yeast.The yeast in Coopers kits is a dry yeast but it stays stuck to the bottom of the bottle with very little disturbance when pouring/de-canting.As I remember it was best bitter in a black can with a picture of a pint on the front.We didn't brew it all the time because we thought it was expensive[tight gits] compared to cheapo Brewmaker kits.

[sparky Paul]

As I remember it was best bitter in a black can with a picture of a pint on the front.

That's the one I'm brewing, but it came with a packet of dried stuff - 'Genuine Brewer's Yeast'.

Perhaps they did away with the liquid stuff later on. Can't ever remember doing a Boots kit before, so I wouldn't remember what came with them. Boots were too upmarket for me, in those days I split my trade between the homebrew section of the local chemist, and a local hardware store. Those were the days, two homebrew shops on a village high street, within walking distance...

[rollin danny]

Just looked at that Boots kit on e-bay.The seller must have forgot to mention he's had it ten years or more

[sparky Paul]

Well, I cracked open a bottle of the Boots Bitter this evening.

It's perfectly okay, quite nice infact with good body to it, but I did make make it with spraymalt and some extra hops. There is the very faintest twang of an odd flavour, but I'm not familiar with this kit, and it is still very green. A bit darker than usual for a bitter, but I expected that with the age of the extract... certainly not unpleasant though.

[rollin danny]

Nice one Sparky.Now for a seventies party.Get yer old Mud records out.Kipper tie and flares.Stand in front of partner ,hands on hips.Bend forward to partners left while twisting at waist ,straighten up,twist and repeat on partners right.Dont forget to keep downing pints of Boots bitter between tracks until you fall over

[sparky Paul]

That odd flavour I mentioned earlier is coming through a bit more now it's conditioned a bit...

...and it's banana.

Not overpowering, but a very definite hint of banana. It's not down to ferment temperature, it was consistantly under 20°C, so I can only put it down to the age of the kit.

Anyway, I've had several 2L bottles of this, and it hasn't killed me yet, so it must be safe.

[double d]

Guys, your interesting chat regarding Boots kits prompted me to join the forum. My uncle recently gave me his old Brown Boots Barrel and a Boots Lager Kit he had as he only does wine now. I couldn't find an expiry date so I went ahead with additional hops and 15% extra spraymalt for a flavour boost. I am shocked to learn (from you guys) that this can was at least 8/9 years old. I put it in bottles recently with sugar/spraymalt 50/50 but the colour is very dark (almost bitter like), the can was unblemished on the inside and in the bottles seems to be clearing well. I am new to this brew business, do you think it will be ok to drink or am I at risk of blinding or worse?

[TC2642]

I am new to this brew business, do you think it will be ok to drink or am I at risk of blinding or worse?

Only if you distill it. There is no known lethal pathogen which will survive in beer, the worst you can get is a dodgy stomach. Your beer should be fine tho.

[double d]

Cheers TC, I figured it was worth a try. I've never thrown a beer out in my life. When it's ready i'll build up from one bottle, colour worries me for a lager tho but might be a good hybrid...

[adm]

Theres nothing wrong with it if a man wants to wear womens clothes From now on I want to be known as rollin tranny

I went to the docs the other day, he said "what's wrong?", I said "I think I'm a cross dresser", he said "what do you mean?"

I shouted, "I can't wait to fuggin' get home, you fuggin' cnut and get wife's fuggin' panties off. Theyr'e fuggin' killin' me and I'm really pissed off about it"

[sparky Paul]

Cheers TC, I figured it was worth a try. I've never thrown a beer out in my life. When it's ready i'll build up from one bottle, colour worries me for a lager tho but might be a good hybrid...

It'll be fine, as TC says.

The dark colour is from the age of the extract, it darkens considerably with age.

[double d]

I think I'll call it "Old Dunkel Boots"

[Lillywhite]

I think I'll call it "Old Dunkel Boots"

I said Boots Bitter kits were c**p and nobody believed me!

[Normski]

hI double d

Give it a go and let us all know how it turns out.
Even if it's not the best kit in the world and a bit old and a funny colour, it'll be a useful test of the equipment.