What next recommendations please!!

[johnston]

My coopers European is near done. It doesn't look like its doing much but dropping on the hydro

The thing is what next??? I'm not a big one for drinkin to get blocked just with dinner etc so don't have a great knowledge of beers in general but apart from the lager if we're out I'd go for smithwicks or bass for a change

So any tips for something like them. Or should I go with ditchs stout wouldnt mind something like guiness but without the burnt taste if ya know wat I mean.

[Hoodlum]

knock your socks off - to be honest, if you spend £15.00 on it and don't like it, give it to your mates, and it's only cost you £15.00

Try anything in the coopers range - it's very good stuff by all accounts. I'm particularly partial to their IPA.... try one of those.

[Ditch]

Just out of curiosity, Johnston; Where in the world are ye? Only, I've never seen Smythwicks outside of Eire. And I've never seen Bass in it.

Granted, I'm not clued uo on what may be available in Dublin. But I'd never even heard of Smythwicks till I came here. One taste and I wished to god I never had too!

[gaztop]

Johnston,

I had a great day recently doing a brewer's choice best bitter kit.
The kit comes with spraymalt and tea bags, then you get three choices of what else you want to add.

It was my second ever brew and went without a hitch. It's fermenting well now, Should be ready to be bottled next week.

I have just bought my third kit. A Coopers Pale Ale.
I'll stick a post up here comparing the two kits as theys seem to be the two most recommended by brewers on this forum.

Let me know what you go for.

[johnston]

Ditch I be in a small place called doagh near antrim norn iron.

But done a bit of traveling about the country when I was rallying so you never knew what the local was going to have on pump most of the bigger places had the fashionable stuff the wee places had the better stuff

[Ditch]

Aha! I see! So, I guess I may well have been about right in my initial thought then; That Smythwicks has never crossed the water?

Must say, I can't stand the stuff myself. But that's just my personal taste. I found it compared best ~ for those who may be curious ~ to Boddingtons. Another beer I loathed. I'm not sure what one would call either 'style' of brew. But it's definitely not a style I like. But, then; I know people who like Smythwicks and wouldn't thank ye for a stout.

Great thing about beer though, isn't it? With so many different types, everyone can get happy in the end

[lollypopp]

Hey Ditch, agree with you! Boddingtons should only be drunk, to remind you, that your latest brew isn't as bad as you first thought?

[Ditch]

Lollypopp; I think it suffices to say that Smythwicks and Boddingtons are the Only two beers I've ever had a sample taster of ~ ye know how the Landlord will shoot a drop into the bottom of a glass for ye to taste? And I genuinely wouldn't want, or bother, to try either again.

It's not just that I prefer other beers. Those two simply disgusted me.

Anyway, can't go bending the mans thread. Johnston? Coopers Stout!

[johnston]

tell me it dont have the burnt taste of guiness and it be done.

[FlourPower]

Mine had a bit of smokeyness in the nose when you breathed out, but it doesn't have that burnt taste. At least not when green.

[Ditch]

Johnston; I've read it said, on here somewhere, that Coopers Stout was their attempt at replicating Guinness.

If that's so? All I can say is that they failed ..... Beautifully!

I have to drink A Lot of Guinness here. Pubs don't sell Coopers Stout. And, ye'd better believe this; I'm perfectly frank and forthright in explaining to Irish Landlords how my HB Coopers Stout makes their mass produced Guinness taste like dish water, to me. I don't care if they don't appreciate hearing that. It's simply the god damn Truth!

They're Beer Retailers. They buy in what they're offered and pretty much sell it on to us as the producer / seller decrees. Fine. I still buy the stuff ~ or else I'd get very thirsty on a run into town.

But, the Coopers Stout I produce, to my tastes is a world away from Guinness.

And it's f*cking gorgeous!

Look around ye, mate. How many flies does it take? Try some!

[the real deal]

Heya Ditch,
Ive only recently discovered this forum about homebrew etc.
If I had read your comments about Coopers stout earlier than I did I wouldn't have made up a 2 can kit recently. Anyways..
I was wondering your opinion on any of the other Coopers range eg. Coopers real ale. As I'll have to drink my way through the 2 can stout kit I've made 1st before attemping the coopers stout version And that could be awhile yet.
Your advice appreciated

[Mogwyth]

I think I have my 5th coopers kit on the go and so far none of them have disappointed me. Not only have they all fermented out to at least 1010, but they all taste good too.

Cheers

Bill

[pauljmuk]

i'd either go for cheap can (like youngs harvest or geordie) and improve body with spraymalt instead of sugar, maybe some more exotic sugars too. or, ive just put a brewfem ambiorix kit on with candi sugar.


either way have some fun and experiment

alternatively, cider?

[tatlock]

This is an interesting thread for me and i hope there are more recommendations.
I have never done a kit beer before,(just all grain for the last 25 years!).
After discovering TC on the Other Brews forum though and being well pleased with the results i am thinking i may be able to brew a good beer from a kit.(and save myself some trouble).
Muntons special and brewferm look like the best to buy based on cost.
Quality is my main aim so price is not that important.
Keep those reccys coming lads!