I'm Thinking of doing a kit!!!!!!!!!!

Discuss making up beer kits - the simplest way to brew.
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trucker5774
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I'm Thinking of doing a kit!!!!!!!!!!

Post by trucker5774 » Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:13 pm

Yes I can guess what most of you (regulars in AG) are thinking or about to say. Anyway, it's been at least 100 years since I did a kit and to be fair, I messed about with them a little to look for improvements.

What I fancy doing is a "one off" brew for the sake of research and comparison. I don't want to alter it or steep hops etc. I don't mind perhaps using DME rather than sugar, or doing a 2 can kit, but I want a suggestion for a near to standard decent brew.

I tend to brew light to mid beers usually with a good hop schedule and often citrus tones. I will drink any traditional beer, but dark ones are 2nd place in my taste.

Anyone have anything in mind which I can basically just add water to and drink it 10 days later? Who knows, I may be converted to the "light side" :D
John

Drinking/Already drunk........ Trucker's Anti-Freeze (Turbo Cider), Truckers Delight, Night Trucker, Rose wine, Truckers Hitch, Truckers Revenge, Trucker's Lay-by, Trucker's Trailer, Flower Truck, Trucker's Gearshift, Trucker's Horn, Truck Crash, Fixby Gold!

Conditioning... Doing what? Get it down your neck! ........

FV 1............
FV 2............
FV 3............
Next Brews..... Trucker's Jack Knife
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timbo41
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Re: I'm Thinking of doing a kit!!!!!!!!!!

Post by timbo41 » Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:19 pm

gotta be a coopers! mexican cerveza dead easy.Works well with just some brew sugar and has a bit of citrus going on anyway Do they still burn witches at the stake for being heathens?? :D
Just like trying new ideas!
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hommebru

Re: I'm Thinking of doing a kit!!!!!!!!!!

Post by hommebru » Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:47 pm

it terms of quality, the two-can kits are the most rated kit beers you can get minus tweaking a single can etc.
i've never used them personally but people always mention the colne valley bitter as a good 2 can kit.
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truemay

Re: I'm Thinking of doing a kit!!!!!!!!!!

Post by truemay » Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:54 pm

Coopers real ale I'd go for!
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Pinto
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Re: I'm Thinking of doing a kit!!!!!!!!!!

Post by Pinto » Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:57 pm

BrewFerm Grand Cru or Diablo :D

You need the patience... but it'll be WELL rewarded
Primary 1: Nonthing
Primary 2 : Nothing
Primary 3 : None
Secondary 1 : Empty
Secondary 1 : None
DJ(1) : Nowt
DJ(2) : N'otin....
In the Keg : Nada
Conditioning : Nowt
In the bottle : Cinnamonator TC, Apple Boost Cider, Apple & Strawberry Cider
Planning : AG #5 - Galaxy Pale (re-brew) / #6 - Alco-Brau (Special Brew Clone) / #7 Something belgian...
Projects : Mini-brew (12l brew length kit) nearly ready :D

Join the BrewChat - open minds and adults only ;) - Click here
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danbrew

Re: I'm Thinking of doing a kit!!!!!!!!!!

Post by danbrew » Thu Jun 07, 2012 10:33 pm

They are certainly easier trucker and certainly no shame in using them. Coopers get a lot of good press but they don't really seem to do what I would call ale in their ranges... Or they are ale with an australian slant...

Woodfordes wherry gets a lot of good mentions and could be right up your street taste-wise though I have not had it myself. Rumour has they are passed the notorious muntons stick though personally I'd never buy muntons (or any two can) again... That many people can't be that wrong about how good it is though...

The only real personal problem I have with kits is that when I have used them I didn't feel like I was making beer... I sterilized an FV, opened a tin can and boiled the kettle. Other than sprinkling on the yeast I ddn't feel like I was really making anything, almost cheating in fact.

I certainly missed all the aspects of doing all grain, figuring ingredients, substituting hops, worrying about mash temp, watching for the boil over etc... all feel like you have accomplished something when you drink the end product...

For the time being I am doing extract brews where i can atleast mess about with grains and hops but not have to faff about mashing... Still not quite the real thing, but near enough on a temporary basis...

If you go one can then it's definately 100% DME instead of sugar... And they can take a bit of ageing to come good so your 10 days could be optimistic...
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sparky Paul

Re: I'm Thinking of doing a kit!!!!!!!!!!

Post by sparky Paul » Thu Jun 07, 2012 11:19 pm

I still reckon the Wherry was just about the best unmodified kit I did, if you wanted a nice paleish bitter for casual slurping.
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millemg

Re: I'm Thinking of doing a kit!!!!!!!!!!

Post by millemg » Fri Jun 08, 2012 7:10 am

10 days easy .......

St peters ruby red

Fixby

**Linthwaite** floral, hoppy...stunning :wink:


8)
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Monkeybrew
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Re: I'm Thinking of doing a kit!!!!!!!!!!

Post by Monkeybrew » Fri Jun 08, 2012 7:15 am

Brupaks Colne Valley Bitter is my favourite 2 can kit to date, brewed to the 'advanced' instructions (boiling the supplied hop tea bag for 10mins in some wort) ;)

Very drinklable after a couple of weeks too!

MB
FV:
AG#43 - Mandarina Wheat

Conditioning:
AG#41 - Vienna Lager - 5.6%
AG#42 - Heritage Double Ale - 10.5%

On Tap:
AG#40 - Home-Life Bitter - 4.5%
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GSMunn

Re: I'm Thinking of doing a kit!!!!!!!!!!

Post by GSMunn » Fri Jun 08, 2012 7:55 am

I agree with the Brupaks suggestions, fantastic kits, also, if you want something special, the Brewferm kits are superb, only make a small amount but VERY worth it
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Paddy Bubbles
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Re: I'm Thinking of doing a kit!!!!!!!!!!

Post by Paddy Bubbles » Fri Jun 08, 2012 10:28 am

How about a Coopers stout?

Coopers OS Stout, 1.5kg Dark LME, kit yeast, brewed to 20 litres.
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trucker5774
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Re: I'm Thinking of doing a kit!!!!!!!!!!

Post by trucker5774 » Fri Jun 08, 2012 5:30 pm

Thanks for all the suggestions so far (and no nasty comments!) I have done some Coopers and I think the last kit I did was a Wherry. I even did Ditch's Stout a few years ago.
It will be a week or two before I do it, so keep them coming and I will go with the majority........looking like it could be a brupak at the moment
John

Drinking/Already drunk........ Trucker's Anti-Freeze (Turbo Cider), Truckers Delight, Night Trucker, Rose wine, Truckers Hitch, Truckers Revenge, Trucker's Lay-by, Trucker's Trailer, Flower Truck, Trucker's Gearshift, Trucker's Horn, Truck Crash, Fixby Gold!

Conditioning... Doing what? Get it down your neck! ........

FV 1............
FV 2............
FV 3............
Next Brews..... Trucker's Jack Knife
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Geezah

Re: I'm Thinking of doing a kit!!!!!!!!!!

Post by Geezah » Fri Jun 08, 2012 6:04 pm

I sampled a John Bull IPA in my local HB shop a few weeks back and it was extreamly quaffable.
The guy said he only made it up with brewing sugar, so with a 50/50 DME and sugar mix I'd expect it to be really nice, light and a bit more body.

It convinced me to buy 1 :)
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HantsBrewer

Re: I'm Thinking of doing a kit!!!!!!!!!!

Post by HantsBrewer » Fri Jun 08, 2012 8:50 pm

Pinto wrote:BrewFerm Grand Cru or Diablo :D

You need the patience... but it'll be WELL rewarded
Seconded! Although the Triple is also worth a mention. :)
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parky

Re: I'm Thinking of doing a kit!!!!!!!!!!

Post by parky » Fri Jun 08, 2012 9:55 pm

Wherry made with bottled water
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