Brewing Depression

[PistolPatch]

Definitely go the Fresh Wort Kit. (Wish I did.)

I think cracking a kit beer is the hardest thing to do in brewing. You can do everything right and still end up with crap beer. People do brew some excellent beers with kits and I love trying to work out how they do it. The only thing that makes sense to me so far is the freshness of their kits. (I know MHB has fresh stock so I actually intend to buy a kit from him and brew it - want to prove to myself that freshness is the key.)

You'll find the majority of people though are dissapointed with kits. I have never struck anyone who is dissapointed in a fresh wort kit though and I have NEVER tasted a lousy one.

With freshwort kits you get (assuming you have your basics down) no chance of crap beer, all the advantages of a kit (no boiling, mashing or sparging equipment) and an opportunity to do a lot of experimentation with hops etc. I'm sure amongst these kits you'd find a few that you would actually be happy to keep brewing long-term.

Great to see so many people recommending FWK's. A few years ago and you would have been hammered with questions on how you are brewing your can. If so many people here have not brewed great kits then you have to wonder eh? Anyone who knows the basics of brewing and has tried 3 or 4 kits with no luck, I would advise to step up immediately to FWK's.

They'll cost you more but will totally restore your confidence in your brewing methods.

So beernography, with all the above advice on FWK's, you can safely take yourself off suicide watch now!

Step away from the window mate.

LOL
Pat

 

[PostModern]

one Cascade Choc Mahogany Porter,

Cascade yeast makes really sulphury beers, which might explain the ashtray taste you mention. Let the porter age for a couple more months in the bottle and retry. Heard heaps of people round the traps recommend that.

EDIT: oh and try a fresh wort kit, they're good.

 

[///]

I have been hearing a lot about these fresh wort kits but still don't know what they are?

Could someone please explain? and also, does the normal HBS stock them because I don't think I've ever seen one at mine, or do you have to purchase them online?


Cheers, Sponge

Just a quick note - our (NNL) packs are increasingly availible in every HB store in Australia. Brew Cellar Distribution (distributes Morgans and Coopers products) are now distributing our Wort Packs. So the local HBS needs only to contact Brew Cellar for easy ordering.

Scotty

 

[kevnlis]

I note you have only used Coopers kits, I would suggest trying a Morgans kit, perhaps something from the Chairman range with a 1kg tin of Morgans Master Blend liquid malt and a bit of fresh hops in the boil. You truely can make some excellent beers this way and Morgans is much more constant in the result it gives than is Coopers.

 

[geoffi]

I note you have only used Coopers kits, I would suggest trying a Morgans kit, perhaps something from the Chairman range with a 1kg tin of Morgans Master Blend liquid malt and a bit of fresh hops in the boil. You truely can make some excellent beers this way and Morgans is much more constant in the result it gives than is Coopers.

Add up what a 'good' kit, some kind of enhancer and extra hops costs. $25?

$10 more and you're into wort kit country.

Hate to harp on this, but use a wort kit, get real beer.

Use kits...get 'homebrew'.

 

[kevnlis]

If he has wort packs available, then yes that could be the way to go. But I have not been overly impressed with the wort packs I have sampled. If you get a good fresh kit, use good malt and fresh hops you have more control over the final product and can often get a better result IMHO. I have made plenty a K&K brew that has been just as good and even better than some of the AG brews I have made and sampled from other brews.

 

[EK]

Definitely go the Fresh Wort Kit.

+1. You can't really go wrong with these kits. All you need to do is choose an yeast appropriate to your tastes.

 

[EK]

Beernography, are you interested in drinking darker beer ie. Amber, Browns , Blacks and Stouts at all ???

I have made > 80 different kit beers and have found some gems in there along the way... Mostly darker stuff as that's my preference.

PB :beer:

PB. I am also fond of dark beers, the darker the better, just not the roasted flavour of stout unless it is just a hint of the flavour.

What kits would you recommend?

EK

 

[petesbrew]

PB. I am also fond of dark beers, the darker the better, just not the roasted flavour of stout unless it is just a hint of the flavour.

What kits would you recommend?

EK

I made a nice easy one with the basic Coopers Dark ale last year. From memory I just added a brew enhancer, 250g Choc grain, approx 20g goldings and S-04 yeast.
Nice and chocolatey.
Pete