Which kit should I go for?

[pat]

I'm very new to home brewing, but fancy trying my hand at it again!
The last time I tried it was as a poverty-stricken student, and I used one of those brew bags - "Just add water and sugar!". Predictably, it was foul.
NowI'd like to try it again, using decent equipment and a decent kit - but my taste is generally towards the "fizzy piss" budweiser, corona type beers..... there, I said it!
I do remember having an IPA (Otter Creek IPA) in the US, which was great stuff - so I thought maybe an IPA would be an idea for my first "proper" attempt at home brewed?
But I am certainly open to suggestions, I just want to make something that won't shock my unlearned taste-buds too much before going on to more adventurous brews.
Any reccomendations as to particular kits you have tried and think would be a good first step for me?
I'm assuming that one of the 3kg type kits would definitely be a good idea, but which one?

Cheers,

Patrick

[DRB]

I would try the lighter beers like Woodfordes Great Eastern Ale or Brupaks Linthwaite Light or Fixby Gold.

[pat]

Thanks, both!
I see the kit you reccomend is a "small" kit, DaaB - is there no great difference between the 3.x kg kits and the single can kits, provided I go for a decent brand of single-can kit and use spraymalt rather than adding any sugar?
I suppose what I'm getting at is, are the larger kits basically just the same as a small kit but they include spray malt in the 2 cans rather than me having to add it myself?

[sparky Paul]

I suppose what I'm getting at is, are the larger kits basically just the same as a small kit but they include spray malt in the 2 cans rather than me having to add it myself?

That's about it. 1Kg of spraymalt is more or less the equivalent of 1.5Kg of canned liquid malt extract.

Any of the kits mentioned, or a lager kit such as the Coopers will fit the bill for you I reckon.

[flything]

I've made about 8 kits so far and the Coopers IPA is by far the best, brilliant.

Woodfordes Great Eastern is very good indeed, not so keen on Werry but that hasn't stopped me drinking it all.

[Stonch]

If you do like lagers, I suspect you'd be disappointed with anything that isn't particularly carbonated. On that basis you need to think about the dispense method. If you're planning on putting the beer in a pressure barrel, you'll need to get one with a CO2 injector valve and use the little bulbs of gas that go with it. Personally I haven't bottled much beer yet so don't have much experience with that.

[sparky Paul]

I don't think a pressure barrel will ever give you enough fizz for a lager. You need either a cornelius keg, co2 bottle/regulator and dispense tap, or you can bottle it in PET bottles.

You also need to think about the serving temperatures needed for lager, and bottles are very handy being fridge sized. I use 2 litre PET bottles and they work great for me, I use 4 tsp of priming sugar per 2l bottle for lager to get the necessary pressure up.

I really need to devise some contraption to sterilise and rinse 12 bottles at a time now...

[pat]

Thanks, people, for the great advice.
Coopers IPA it is, then!
Is there anything besides using DME I should consider to make the kit a success? I intend to ferment in a bucket, then transfer into a barrel fora couple of weeks. Then if it tastes decent and not like "boil in the bag instant beer", I'll probably buy a corny and gas reg - I already have a fire extingusher for the CO2.
Yay, I can't wait to start blowing money on shiny pieces of equipment!