# Whats Your Fav. K&k/k&b's ?



## Nickwrighty (7/2/09)

If this has already been posted, bots please redirect to the correct thread as i cannot find using the search function.

Hello,
Please post some of your favourite kit and kilo or kits and bits as i am trying to get a couple of brews up in advance.
any responce will be appreciated, as i'm sure many newb's will use this aswell.
cheers,
nicko.


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## flattop (7/2/09)

Cant beat ESB 3 kilo kits if you can find them.
I have tried the Bavarian Wheat and Hoegaarden and both are decent for kits.
Easy too, add the wort, add the water and yeast, no dex or lme required as it's effectively a tucan in onecan....


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## Peteoz77 (7/2/09)

flattop said:


> Cant beat ESB 3 kilo kits if you can find them.
> I have tried the Bavarian Wheat and Hoegaarden and both are decent for kits.
> Easy too, add the wort, add the water and yeast, no dex or lme required as it's effectively a tucan in onecan....



+1 on the ESB. The Stout is a bit weak, but the American Pale Ale isn't bad.


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## Nickwrighty (7/2/09)

Ihave only tried one of thode ones,
which is the apa, which a friend put me onto. he has only tried one, but sais they are great, mine has still got another four weeks.
cheers.
nick


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## antains (8/2/09)

Black Rock Nut Brown Ale.
Stock standard approach and comes up lovely.
Plus her indoors is quite fond of it.


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## wambesi (8/2/09)

One of the easiest, simpler and tastier kits I did was Wassa's Honey Porter:

1 can of Cascade Mahogany Porter
1 KG of Dark dry malt
500gm of Yellowbox honey
15gm of Cascade hops

Leave at least a month or more in the bottle to condition, was quite nice.
Never did think much of the cascade kits, but this one slightly dressed up was good.

Now looking and experimenting with an AG version...


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## Bribie G (8/2/09)

In my experience the way to get great results from kits n bits is to 


chuck the kit yeast and use a decent yeast
add some hops for flavour and aroma
depending on style use some steeping grains, carapils being excellent for lagers / aussie beers.
don't use a kilo of sugar, at the very least use brew enhancer 2 (depending on the style)
keep the temp as low as possible and below 20 is a must.
do a secondary fermentation followed by a good cold crash then use Polyclar to remove chill haze. Gelatine optional.
Just those few tweaks lifted my brews from home brew twang to "oohhh did you actually brew this??" 

For a light coloured refreshing easy drinking "lager" I would try:

Morgans Australian Pilsener
BE2
US-05 ale yeast
300 g carapils steeped in 2L hot water then the runnings boiled for 20 mins with 15 g BSaaz hop flowers for 10 mins.

As good as most offerings over the bar. If you want it a bit more Ozzie in character, cluster hops are good or even some POR if fresh.


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## mwd (10/2/09)

Morgans Molloy Stout and Coopers Stout come out as a tasty drinkable brew even with no extras added.


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## Swinging Beef (10/2/09)

Im trying to restock quickly since the Chrismassacre and its too hot to run a boiler for 4 hours, so Im doing some kits.

Drinking now.
24 litre English Brown Ale
Coopers Dark Ale
1kg dried wheat malt
Nottingham yeast
1kg sugar
25g Fuggles 'tea' thrown in the day before bottling.
No racking, no chilling, no fluffing around.
Very happy... not my best beer ever, but its helping restock nicely.


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## chappo1970 (10/2/09)

Brewed IPA. It was simple because of the one hop variety and as tasty as. Was my first K&B. IMHO it turned out pretty good.

1.7kg - LME (Cascade Golden Imperial Pale Ale)
0.5kg - BE2
0.5kg - LDME
0.3kg - Crystal Caramalt (Steeped 2lt @ 68c for 30mins and sparged 2lt)
BOIL
30g - Cluster AA9.3% (30mins with steeped crystal)
15g - Cluster AA9.3% (0mins)
30g - Cluster AA9.3% dry hopped day 4 or at secondary
Yeast - Safale S04
Ferment @ 18c till done 

Cheers 

Chappo


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## Rurik (10/2/09)

Cooper Master Blend (the can with Old Man Cooper on the Front) IPA with some amber malt is a personal favorite on mine. Nothing need to be added it is delicately balanced as is. 

Just my two bob

Rurik


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## Pennywise (10/2/09)

Can't go past the old Mountain Goat Pale Ale "clone"

Coopers Pale Ale goo
1kg LDME
100g Med Crystal
25g Amarillo at flameout

Not so sure it tastes like MGPA but still one of my regular quick and easies

edit; forgot US-05 yeast


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## chappo1970 (10/2/09)

Homebrewer79 said:


> Can't go past the old Mountain Goat Pale Ale "clone"
> 
> Coopers Pale Ale goo
> 1kg LDME
> ...



That sounds alright HB79.


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## boingk (10/2/09)

Got a few here, some might take your fancy and some mightn't so feel free to PM me if you are interested in what other stuff I've done. These and everyone elses suggestions should tide you over though:

Any lager kit (I like Coopers, Wals and Rapid Creek, have heard good things about Morgans Blue Mountain Lager)
700g LDME
300g Dextrose
20g Tettnang @ 15min
10g Tettnang dry in secondary (or in primary after 4 days fermentation)
Any good lager yeast, fermented below 15'C, or US-05 fermented at <18'C
[A good addition to this is 200~250g of Munich malted grain]

Any pilsner kit (I like Morgans Aussie range as well as Coopers Premium & Brewmaster, although Cascade Golden Harvest Went alright, too)
1500g liquid amber malt
150g Chocolate malted grain
20g Saaz @ 15min
10g Saaz dry in secondary (or in primary after 4 days fermentation)
Any good lager yeast, fermented below 15'C, or US-05 fermented at <18'C

These are two of my favourite brews, the top one is currently in its fifth version and I think I'm done tweaking it - time to go AG! The bottom one ahs been done a few times with varying results but this is the original version I did, I also think it came out the best. Both of these have been given good rating from mates, especially the top one which has been said to 'top Heineken'. Make of that what you will.

Cheers, and good luck with upping the stocks! - boingk


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## Pennywise (10/2/09)

It is very tastey, it's one of the recipes floating around on Oliver & Geoff's


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## Jase71 (10/2/09)

I've done three Coopers Master Blend Wheat kits now, with an added can of wheat malt, and Czehk Saaz for extra flavour. Even with the kit yeast (shock horror!), I'm really happy with the results for an everyday drinking beer (everyone who has tried it also enjoys it, so that's saying something


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## wyethm (10/2/09)

Homebrewer79 said:


> Can't go past the old Mountain Goat Pale Ale "clone"
> 
> Coopers Pale Ale goo
> 1kg LDME
> ...



Sorry for my ignorence but what is "Med Crystal" and do you have to do anything special with it or does it gostraight in with the goo and LDME?

Cheers Mark


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## Supra-Jim (10/2/09)

Medium Crystal is a grain. You need to steep it in hot water (67-70 deg) for about 30 mins. Then you boil the liquid. Kinda like a big tea bag, you're LHBS will be able to supply you with grain bags or you can strain out the liquid through a seive.

Do not boil the grain!! Only boil the liquid after the grain is removed!

:icon_cheers: SJ


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## unterberg (10/2/09)

Kiwi Mark said:


> Sorry for my ignorence but what is "Med Crystal" and do you have to do anything special with it or does it gostraight in with the goo and LDME?
> 
> Cheers Mark



Medium crystal malt means that its not to light nor to dark in colour. Probably around 120EBC?
You need to steep the milled grains in hot water (70C not boiling!) for around 30 mins to get the sugars out of the malt into your liquor.
Then just use a strainer to get rid of the grains/husks.


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## Pennywise (10/2/09)

Crystal type malts are grain that needs to be steeped in hot water at about 70 deg (not boiling) then you use the licquor that results from the steep, discard the actual grain and boil the liquid. They don't need to be mashed like base malts and such. Medium Crystal malt adds a slight caramel/toffee taste. Prolly one of the must have malts IMO. Craftbrewer has a fair bit of info on each grain they stock http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=779

Man I'm sooooo slow at typing


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## unterberg (10/2/09)

Homebrewer79 said:


> Crystal type malts are grain that needs to be steeped in hot water at about 70 deg (not boiling) then you use the licquor that results from the steep, discard the actual grain and boil the liquid. They don't need to be mashed like base malts and such. Medium Crystal malt adds a slight caramel/toffee taste. Prolly one of the must have malts IMO. Craftbrewer has a fair bit of info on each grain they stock http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=779
> 
> Man I'm sooooo slow at typing



Thats alright  
At least you pointed out that its an important step to actually boil the liquor achieved from the steeping/straining process to kill any potential bacteria before you add this into the fermenter.


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## chappo1970 (10/2/09)

Homebrewer79 said:


> Crystal type malts are grain that needs to be steeped in hot water at about 70 deg (not boiling) then you use the licquor that results from the steep, discard the actual grain and boil the liquid. They don't need to be mashed like base malts and such. Medium Crystal malt adds a slight caramel/toffee taste. Prolly one of the must have malts IMO. Craftbrewer has a fair bit of info on each grain they stock http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=779
> 
> Man I'm sooooo slow at typing



A+ 
I have to agree with HB79. Since I started doing K&B been using crystal malts and it has made such a quantum leap IMHO to my brews. No HB twang! I only have two 20lt pots and a strainer ($2 shop special) and some other odds and sods but it is well worth the effort. Can't wait to go AG but need to save some more yet. Kegging first then AG.

HB79 what yeast do you use with that pale ale? I need to replenish the stocks ATM, I'm down to 70 odd bottles  , so I thought I would have ago at your MGPA recipe and Biongk's "Black Pils" this weekend. I have some S04 on hand as well as CPA LME and the some crystal caramalt will that do for your recipe?


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## RobboMC (10/2/09)

Best kits I have made are Muntons Nut Brown Ale ( read dark ale )
and Muntons Yorkshire Bitter. 

The two can India pale Ale kit isn't bad either,
especially if you add a third can of straight liquid malt. Three cans, no boiling, no steeping,
no fuss and really good beer.

Worth the extra $ if you want to sip good beer rather than make megaswill.


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## brettprevans (10/2/09)

thread here and here, and here another here, here

hope that helps

edit: also a couple in my sig


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## Pennywise (10/2/09)

Chappo said:


> HB79 what yeast do you use with that pale ale? I need to replenish the stocks ATM, I'm down to 70 odd bottles  , so I thought I would have ago at your MGPA recipe and Biongk's "Black Pils" this weekend. I have some S04 on hand as well as CPA LME and the some crystal caramalt will that do for your recipe?




It's not my recipe, It's one thats floating around Oliver & Geoff's site. It calls for US-05, you could use S-04 but I don't think you'll get as much of a hop hit as S-04 tends to favour the malt where as the 05 is a hop hunter


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## tcraig20 (11/2/09)

One of my favourite kits and bits would have to be this:

1x coopers euro lager
500g LME
250g dex
500g carahell, steeped
10g saaz and 10g hallertau at 5 minutes.

Ferment at 10-12C with S-189.


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## Nick JD (11/2/09)

My current favourite is just bits.

2kg LDME
0.5kg Dextrose
0.2kg caramalt & 0.2kg carapils steeped @ 65 degrees
25g of any hops for 60 min
25g of any hops for 5 min (then chuck in fermenter)
Safale.

Beats _any_ kit by a country mile and only about $5 more...


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## Rodolphe01 (11/2/09)

recipe linkage

ignore the IBUs & recipe colour, takes no account of the goo. it is my favourite so far.


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## Bribie G (11/2/09)

Rudi 101 said:


> recipe linkage
> 
> ignore the IBUs & recipe colour, takes no account of the goo. it is my favourite so far.



That would be a very nice drop, I take it that the Carapils quantity is based on buying a kilo and splitting it over three brews.... worked for me  

I've found that Coopers plain old Lager does a really good job as an ingredient especially if you can get it on special for ten bucks, as opposed to the $14 fancy tins like blondes or cervezas. Just need to take account of the extra bitterness from the Lager tin.


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## Rodolphe01 (11/2/09)

quantity of carapils is pretty much completely random haha, i'm a nubbin and just pick a number between 250g and 400g


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## Mantis (11/2/09)

Jase71 said:


> I've done three Coopers Master Blend Wheat kits now, with an added can of wheat malt, and Czehk Saaz for extra flavour. Even with the kit yeast (shock horror!), I'm really happy with the results for an everyday drinking beer (everyone who has tried it also enjoys it, so that's saying something




yep. Made a few of these with light and wheat dry malt and lots of saaz. Same result, I loved it and so did the missus, and the friends I gave some bottles too. 
Used US05 yeast in mine and thinking back came out like a light golden ale, just lovely.

Got a mini mash of a similar thing in the fermenter at the moment


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## jacob6699 (12/2/09)

I'VE JUST READ SOMTHIN ABOUT COLD CRASH WHAT DOES THIS MEAN AND HOW DO I GO ABOUT IT. ALSO DOES ANY ONE HERD ABOUT GET YEAST FOR PALE ALE BREWS OUT OF PALE ALE STUBBIES IF TERE ALREADY THREADS ON THIS CAN POINT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION


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## WarmBeer (12/2/09)

pisswreck said:


> I'VE JUST READ SOMTHIN ABOUT COLD CRASH WHAT DOES THIS MEAN AND HOW DO I GO ABOUT IT. ALSO DOES ANY ONE HERD ABOUT GET YEAST FOR PALE ALE BREWS OUT OF PALE ALE STUBBIES IF TERE ALREADY THREADS ON THIS CAN POINT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION



I'VE JUST READ SOMTHIN ABOUT CAPS-LOCK, PUNCTUATION AND SPELL-CHECK.

Nah, just havin a go, mate 

Cold crash is when you put your finished beer, still in the fermeter barrel, or a secondary cube, in the fridge for a couple of days to a week. This will cause the majority of the yeast to drop out of the beer to the bottom of the barrel, and gives you a clearer beer ready for bottling.

There's plenty on reculturing from Coopers bottles (here's one for you). Just try a search on "Cooper's yeast", there's plenty.


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## jacob6699 (12/2/09)

yeah yeah i no i typed it all out and then relised it was caps lock. im at work and dont ve time to retype things. cheers for your help bro


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## under (12/2/09)

I've done around 15 K&K. Im happy but it seems to be lacking something.

I think im ready to move over to K&B. The steeping of carapils sounds easy.

Maybe even just steeping mixed grains adding malt and hops? And doing away with the actual kit of goo. Sounds pretty easy.


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## muckey (12/2/09)

WarmBeer said:


> Cold crash is when you put your finished beer, still in the fermeter barrel, or a secondary cube, in the fridge for a couple of days to a week. This will cause the majority of the yeast to drop out of the beer to the bottom of the barrel, and gives you a clearer beer ready for bottling.



bang on. as an addition to that I often turn the fridge on when fermentations has completed and after 24 hours, transfer to a cube and store cold for 1-2 weeks



under said:


> I've done around 15 K&K. Im happy but it seems to be lacking something.
> 
> I think im ready to move over to K&B. The steeping of carapils sounds easy.
> 
> Maybe even just steeping mixed grains adding malt and hops? And doing away with the actual kit of goo. Sounds pretty easy.




someone's picking up speed on the slippery slope................ :lol:


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## under (12/2/09)

Muckey said:


> someone's picking up speed on the slippery slope................ :lol:



Heh. I would move straight to AG. But I have no room. When I get my own place with a decent shed or garage im definately moving over.


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## brettprevans (12/2/09)

under said:


> Heh. I would move straight to AG. But I have no room. When I get my own place with a decent shed or garage im definately moving over.


Under have you seen this thread. perfect example of how little room you actually need to go AG> if your in Melb I'd recomend you bid for this and go AG.

EDIT: fill in your location details


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## buttersd70 (12/2/09)

under said:


> Maybe even just steeping mixed grains adding malt and hops? And doing away with the actual kit of goo. Sounds pretty easy.



Replacing the kit goo with unhopped malt extract, and then boiling hops for longer (to bitter and flavour it yourself) is extract brewing. Combined with the use of specialty grains for steeping, it's a very good brewing method...it gives you a lot more control over the process. You're not locked into the volumes, bitterness levels, and flavour profiles that the goo manufacturers supply you with, so your options are a lot more open. Partial mashing and AG allows even more control (because you can control how fermentable the wort is, because you are mashing the grain yourself), but extract brewing with specialty grains is a great intermediate step and can produce some excellent results. have a read of Palmers 'how to brew', it goes into good detail.
link


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## muckey (12/2/09)

> Under have you seen this thread. perfect example of how little room you actually need to go AG> if your in Melb I'd recomend you bid for this and go AG.


have to say thats very true. very little room and very little cost. My biggest issue was getting my head straight. The rag and bone brewery was easy to beg, borrow or steal. Butters will probably want some of his kit back soon h34r:
edit - now to unhijack the thread. 
- see butters post - grain steeps, replace sugar completely with malt extract. Hop boils, dry hopping, better yeasts will all give improvements. try them all and find out what you like. I found that my kits were going to need grain steeps to give the flavour I was looking for. I decided at that point to end my kit days and begin my AG adventure as I found malt extract flavour to be very bland and grain steep is the only way to get a fuller malt flavour.


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## buxton brewer (12/2/09)

Everyone has there own favs so here is my 2cents worth.

coopers canadian blonde kit
500g liquid corn syrup
250g liquid dark malt
250g light dry malt
250g honey
mb 89 hops bag 12g


throw it all together brew bottle enjoy! a lot like killkenny.


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## ollave (11/4/09)

wambesi said:


> One of the easiest, simpler and tastier kits I did was Wassa's Honey Porter:
> 
> 1 can of Cascade Mahogany Porter
> 1 KG of Dark dry malt
> ...


Having seen this recipe referred to a number of times (but can't find it in the recipe database, _hint_), and having a kit of the Cascade Mahogony Porter (bought before I discovered what high renown it's held in generally on this site :angry: ), I have two questions:

1. at what time should the Cascade hops be added? Are they being used for flavour or aroma or both?
2. recommendations for yeast? (Obviously _not_ the kit one ... would Safeale S-04 or Nottingham be OK?)

Ollave

P.S. I'll probably use light dry malt and take my chances on the colour (LDME being what I have at the moment) but if there is a chorus of "No, don't do that!!!" I'll add a trip to my LHBS to the TODO list before brewing this one and start keeping dark dry malt on hand too.

Edit: this post (which I found _after_ posting, naturally) says dry hopping. Comments? If no comments, I'll do it that way ...


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## ollave (12/4/09)

ollave said:


> Having seen this recipe referred to a number of times (but can't find it in the recipe database, _hint_), and having a kit of the Cascade Mahogony Porter (bought before I discovered what high renown it's held in generally on this site :angry: ), I have two questions:
> 
> 1. at what time should the Cascade hops be added? Are they being used for flavour or aroma or both?
> 2. recommendations for yeast? (Obviously _not_ the kit one ... would Safeale S-04 or Nottingham be OK?)
> ...


Following up my own posting (well, nobody else wants to!): I found this posting from Wassa on another site:



> I usually use hop pellets and dry hop, that is throw the hops pellets in just before you pitch the yeast. For my latest brew of this I used 500gm of KLeatherwood honey and used 2 x 12gm hop teabags in place of the hop pellets.
> 
> Brewing isn't an exact science and you try different things and see what yoy get for the results.



So, going with LDME and Stringybark honey, the former 'cos it's what I've got and the latter 'cos it's what I found when shopping for quality honey on a crazy Saturday during the Easter weekend between Good Friday (everything closed here in Vic) and Easter Sunday (also everything closed). Victoria's shopping laws are strange. 

Tasting the Stringybark honey shows it's nicely flavoured; probably stronger than Yellowbox but not in the same league as Leatherwood! I'll hope it brews up nicely, and at a minimum the left overs will be enjoyable.  

For the yeast, I'll go with the Safeale S-04.

Also discussed in the thread quoted was whether to brew 23L or hold it down to 20L; the master Wassa says he alternates. :lol: I'll go 23L and if it ends up "easy drinking" that's just fine; my last brew (still carbonating) was a toucan dark ale, which should look after the more robust styles for a while!

Learning by experimenting,

Ollave

P.S. If this brew turns out even halfway OK I'll try it as per the original recipe, but I kinda slid into this brew sideways, not having purchased the kit with Wassa's adjustments in mind.


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## mwd (12/4/09)

Be interested in the results of this one Ollave. Been on the to do list for a while.

But I have a feeling this Porter probably improves with some ageing so maybe a while to wait.


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## ollave (23/4/09)

Tropical_Brews said:


> Be interested in the results of this one Ollave. Been on the to do list for a while.
> 
> But I have a feeling this Porter probably improves with some ageing so maybe a while to wait.


Yes -- I've seen recommendations of 1-3 [minimum (edit)] months aging, and as I was a bit slow off the mark getting it started and have been busy it will only be bottled tomorrow. Smelt heavenly going into the fermenter, and the yeast took off vigourously. Bonus the weather has been cooler so it's spent most of its time at 18C. Fingers crossed that this will be a good 'un.


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## joshuahardie (24/4/09)

My fav kit beer, which is still still used by a few extract mates is

Coopers Pale can
Coopers Light extract can
30gm Cascade
US05 american ale yeast

Mix the light extract can in 4 litres of water bring to the boil, chuck in 15gms of cascade, boil for 15 mins, throw in another 15gms of cascade boil for 5 more mins.

strain wort into fermenter, add the coopers pale can, and add the rest of your water and yeast

could not be easier.

a 15gm cascade dry hop could finish it off nicely too, methinks


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## .DJ. (24/4/09)

ollave said:


> Yes -- I've seen recommendations of 1-3 [minimum (edit)] months aging, and as I was a bit slow off the mark getting it started and have been busy it will only be bottled tomorrow. Smelt heavenly going into the fermenter, and the yeast took off vigourously. Bonus the weather has been cooler so it's spent most of its time at 18C. Fingers crossed that this will be a good 'un.


absolute minimum 3 months.. I've made this and when first tried it was, to be honest, CRAP..

3-4 months later, much much better!!


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## petesbrew (24/4/09)

joshuahardie said:


> My fav kit beer, which is still still used by a few extract mates is
> 
> Coopers Pale can
> Coopers Light extract can
> ...



Just did something similar but with amarillo.
Coopers Pale Ale
Morgans Pale LME
100g Crystal steeped.
roughly 50-60g amarillo, divided up into 30min steep, dry hopped, and also dry hopped again 4 days later.
US-56

There's still some hops floating round in each bottle.  
Bloody lovely, and a hit with friends.


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## ollave (24/4/09)

.DJ. said:


> absolute minimum 3 months.. I've made this and when first tried it was, to be honest, CRAP..
> 
> 3-4 months later, much much better!!


Ah well, what's cupboard space. 

Checking FG preparatory to bottling shows the colour is too light for the style (as expected 'cos I used LDME), and it's quite bitter just now (should moderate, but misremembering 20g instead of 15g hop might not have been a good thing). Honey taste is there, not overpowering. If the bitterness and hops balance up it should be nice drinking. Although what I should call it now I have no idea, given how light the colour is! Next time, dark malt extract, definitely.


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## .DJ. (24/4/09)

bitterness will mellow in the bottle... 

should turn out fine... although not how originally intended!


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## ollave (1/5/09)

Tropical_Brews said:


> Be interested in the results of this one Ollave. Been on the to do list for a while.


Couldn't resist trying one after a week in the bottle. (Yeah, too soon. But curiosity won.)

Colour unchanged (of course?), and the initial scent after pouring a glass is of the honey. If there's hop aroma there, it's hiding ... but I've had hay fever this week so it's a wonder I can smell anything.

Tasting -- yup, there's honey in there, and then bitterness. I do hope these both moderate and meld a bit over time. Right now the best I can say is "Yes, adding bits do make a difference to K&K brews" and "Mmm, interesting ..." (More positively: I'd take it as it is now over my first two brews, so I can claim to be learning and improving.  )

Reports to follow over the next few months unless I'm asked to shut up.


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## potof4x (14/5/09)

BribieG said:


> In my experience the way to get great results from kits n bits is to
> 
> 
> chuck the kit yeast and use a decent yeast
> ...




Took this advice and brewed up this recipe (using cluster). Was thick and sweet, will taste good when done I think. Measured OG before pitching yeast @ 15 degrees, it was 1060. Is this unusually high?


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## chappo1970 (14/5/09)

potof4x said:


> Took this advice and brewed up this recipe (using cluster). Was thick and sweet, will taste good when done I think. Measured OG before pitching yeast @ 15 degrees, it was 1060. Is this unusually high?



That's high potof4x! With only BE2 and some carapils. I would suggest that some of the goop was caught in the tap creating a higher OG reading. Next time clear the tap by running say 25-50ml out first and then take your reading sample. Otherwise you definitely have a good brew on your hands there! Well done!

Chappo

Edit: I forgot... your temp is a little low for S05 lift it up a couple of degree's to at least 16-18C. S05 brews very clean at 18-20C so no need to keep it down that far IMO.


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## potof4x (14/5/09)

Thank for the quick reply! Brew is bubbling away nicely in the spare bedroom at 18 c now. left the wort in the ice bath while i rushed off to footy training tuesday and got a little cold, didnt realise I would need to adjust temp when filling the fermentor. More practise necessary.  . Will watch out for the thick stuff in the tap next time too!

Re your signature - can you give me the 'oil' on a XXXX heavy clone? searches are proving fruitless for me!


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## Bribie G (14/5/09)

potof4x said:


> Took this advice and brewed up this recipe (using cluster). Was thick and sweet, will taste good when done I think. Measured OG before pitching yeast @ 15 degrees, it was 1060. Is this unusually high?



Chappo beat me to it, I too would suggest you got some sweet stuff caught in the tap which gave a false reading. For a XXXX suggestion, my forum dwelling buddy round the corner, The Big Burper, does kits n bits and his house beer is Morgans Queensland Bitter, a kilo of dex and a cluster teabag. To my taste it's a bit thin with the dex but a very clear and refreshing drop. Again I would give it a go with BE2. Morgans are at Beenleigh and their Queensland Bitter is obviously an attempt to do a XXXX knockoff. With a kit n bits I reckon that's about as close as you are going to get. However you would need to go all grain to get the mousecage twang  
Seriously though don't mind the odd XXXX when I'm out, at least they use real hops (drive past XXXX when there's a Northerly blowing) not just a squirt of isohop on the way to the packing line like VB.


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## The Big Burper (14/5/09)

Hello there BG and fellow forum members, and others,


My usual is Morgans Queensland Bitter, a kilo pack of the local HBS brew
booster (550g Dex, 250g LDME, and 200g corn syrup) with cluster hops, 
either teabag in keg, or loose boiled up with the brew booster.

Either way, it is a tasty drop. The latest kilo only of dex was a cost cutting
measure due the the GFC. (Global Financial Crisis) <_< , and the shop being shut
on Sundays.

I must mention your AG brews, which are AMBROSIA IN A GLASS. 

cheers all,
Dave


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## potof4x (8/6/09)

Chappo said:


> That's high potof4x! With only BE2 and some carapils. I would suggest that some of the goop was caught in the tap creating a higher OG reading. Next time clear the tap by running say 25-50ml out first and then take your reading sample. Otherwise you definitely have a good brew on your hands there! Well done!
> 
> Chappo
> 
> Edit: I forgot... your temp is a little low for S05 lift it up a couple of degree's to at least 16-18C. S05 brews very clean at 18-20C so no need to keep it down that far IMO.




Well got got my first tast of this today out of my new keg setup ,along with a toucan of coopers lager I have done. 

1 word - farknorsom. First time I think my homebrew has turned out as good if not better than what I can buy! Will sit in the fridge till the cousins 21st this weekend, maybe?

Thanks to all you on the site


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