Brigalow Kits.

[Jonez]

Hello everyone,
Has anyone had a good experience with the Brigalow kits. I saw they were in special at Coles and picked up two cans (Club Gold) for $2.99 each. I just read the bad reviews about this kit here and was wondering: has anyone had a bit of success with this? I have only done Coopers kits o far.

I am planning to add dex and ldme. Also have some coopers lme i could use... is this going to a be a waste of time/ingredients?

The instructions say their optimum ferm temp is 25 -27 but " it starts better at 30 -32" how extrange is that!

it says if temp drops under 25C you should use a heater. bizarre! I suppose I could ignore the instructions if I don't use their yeast...am I right?

 

[chappo1970]

Hello everyone,
Has anyone had a good experience with the Brigalow kits. I saw they were in special at Coles and picked up two cans (Club Gold) for $2.99 each. I just read the bad reviews about this kit here and was wondering: has anyone had a bit of success with this? I have only done Coopers kits o far.

I am planning to add dex and ldme. Also have some coopers lme i could use... is this going to a be a waste of time/ingredients?

The instructions say their optimum ferm temp is 25 -27 but " it starts better at 30 -32" how extrange is that!

it says if temp drops under 25C you should use a heater. bizarre! I suppose I could ignore the instructions if I don't use their yeast...am I right?

+1 JoneZ
You answered your own questions and I'm sorry but I can't help ya as I never brewed a Briggas. Maybe some other the other lads can chime in with suggestions.

Cheers

Chappo

 

[clean brewer]

Hello everyone,
Has anyone had a good experience with the Brigalow kits. I saw they were in special at Coles and picked up two cans (Club Gold) for $2.99 each. I just read the bad reviews about this kit here and was wondering: has anyone had a bit of success with this? I have only done Coopers kits o far.

I am planning to add dex and ldme. Also have some coopers lme i could use... is this going to a be a waste of time/ingredients?

The instructions say their optimum ferm temp is 25 -27 but " it starts better at 30 -32" how extrange is that!

it says if temp drops under 25C you should use a heater. bizarre! I suppose I could ignore the instructions if I don't use their yeast...am I right?

Havnt used them, my Stepfather used them about 25 years ago, below average kits I hear, dont use dex.... <_<

Use all malt, maybe some hops and ferment at 18-20 degrees with Safale US-O5 or similar and you should get an ok beer...

:unsure: CB

 

[Bribie G]

Brigalow, did they offer you a set of steak knives with it?

Oh dear. Just to present my position clearly, I ran a home brew shop in the late 1970s and at that time in Queensland Brigalow were the popular home brew tin, in the days before Coopers and Morgans got going. It was a bloody awful brew but would make a bland beer you could get intoxicated on.

I got back into brewing about a year ago after a 15 year gap and just out of curiosity I tried a Brigalow again. Hasn't changed one little bit.

My suggestion would be to chuck the pathetic yeast and get a sachet of something reasonable like US-05, obtain a pack of Coopers Brew Enhancer 2 and put in a hop teabag such as Saaz.

Then you should get a marginally drinkable brew. Also forget about that ridiculous temperature range and ferment below 20 degrees. This mob should be run out of town with flaming torches and pitchforks, they are giving home brew a really really bad name.

Sue me.
:icon_cheers:

 

[manticle]

I made a couple of brigalow ciders as straight kk a while ago. Turned out ok but very bland. Made a brigalow kk ginger beer that was ok especially when mixed with rum. I wouldn't be in a hurry to grab either again now that I know what else is possible with homebrewing. However $2 is hard to turn away from and I'd be inclined to experiment if I were in the same boat.

If you want to turn them into something decent, boil a kit for 10 -30 mins to remove the brigalow attempt at hop flavouring. You should end up with a bittered malt extract. Add your coopers liquid, 1 kg of dried malt extract, a good yeast, and some flavouring and aroma hops (at various points between the first part of the boil and the end part). You should get a well drinkable beer resulting from that, provided you ferment it properly.

Don't heat it up.

 

[Jonez]

Brigalow, did they offer you a set of steak knives with it?

Oh dear. Just to present my position clearly, I ran a home brew shop in the late 1970s and at that time in Queensland Brigalow were the popular home brew tin, in the days before Coopers and Morgans got going. It was a bloody awful brew but would make a bland beer you could get intoxicated on.

I got back into brewing about a year ago after a 15 year gap and just out of curiosity I tried a Brigalow again. Hasn't changed one little bit.

My suggestion would be to chuck the pathetic yeast and get a sachet of something reasonable like US-05, obtain a pack of Coopers Brew Enhancer 2 and put in a hop teabag such as Saaz.

Then you should get a marginally drinkable brew. Also forget about that ridiculous temperature range and ferment below 20 degrees. This mob should be run out of town with flaming torches and pitchforks, they are giving home brew a really really bad name.

Sue me.
:icon_cheers:

I see I am in real trouble..
I do have ldme and liquid malt (both coopers) also got some cluster and zaas hops on my fridge(I was thinking cluster as zaas seems to be a better thing for lagers). Will need to get some yeast..( have some coopers which I though I could use/get rid off)

The reason I bought the cans is because they were very cheap and I though: why not finding out what they are like?


edit:
i did not get the set of knives.. I must have been late.
cheers

 

[Bribie G]

Actually the Coopers kit yeast would be a quantum leap over the Brigalow, and by all means use it but keep it below 20 and you should get a reasonable kit beer with the added hops and malts. Cluster (the hop of XXXX) should also work very nicely. :icon_cheers:

 

[Jonez]

I made a couple of brigalow ciders as straight kk a while ago. Turned out ok but very bland. Made a brigalow kk ginger beer that was ok especially when mixed with rum. I wouldn't be in a hurry to grab either again now that I know what else is possible with homebrewing. However $2 is hard to turn away from and I'd be inclined to experiment if I were in the same boat.

If you want to turn them into something decent, boil a kit for 10 -30 mins to remove the brigalow attempt at hop flavouring. You should end up with a bittered malt extract. Add your coopers liquid, 1 kg of dried malt extract, a good yeast, and some flavouring and aroma hops (at various points between the first part of the boil and the end part). You should get a well drinkable beer resulting from that, provided you ferment it properly.

Don't heat it up.

Thanks mate!

 

[Jonez]

Actually the Coopers kit yeast would be a quantum leap over the Brigalow, and by all means use it but keep it below 20 and you should get a reasonable kit beer with the added hops and malts. Cluster (the hop of XXXX) should also work very nicely. :icon_cheers:

I must add: I have the brigalow yest pack in my hands now and it says it has been imported from Europe.

 

[mwd]

Used a Brigalow New with Coopers Sparkling Toucan with US-05 turned out nice.

Could be useful for making up toucans.

 

[manticle]

I must add: I have the brigalow yest pack in my hands now and it says it has been imported from Europe.

Not sure that means a hell of a lot besides the possibility has less of a shelf life.

ABBA were imported from Europe.

 

[microbe]

Used a Brigalow New with Coopers Sparkling Toucan with US-05 turned out nice.

Could be useful for making up toucans.

I'd second using them in toucans.

Cheers,

microbe

 

[Weizguy]

Brigalow kits, IIRC, were a major cause of homebrewers giving up after their first brew.

May have improved, but most likely not, by all feedback.

Cheap enough, and they will get U hammered if U drink enough...but is it what you really want?

Les out

 

[Mr.Moonshine]

Did a toucan brigalow apple cider a few months back with some lactose and pear juice, turned out to be a fairly nice drop after a while.
Can't say I've tried the brigalow, but around my area coopers cans are only a few dollars more and from what I hear lightyears ahead in terms of quality. For less than $5 a pop though, I'd be considering a toucan (If you've got decent yeast and some steepable grain).

 

[HoppingMad]

+1 Agree with Manticle and others, the Brigalow Cider and Ginger can come up well if done right.

+1 with Tropical and others, the Brigalow beer kits are really only good as Two Canners, I used to find them quite watery and thin (mind you last one I fermented would have been in 1994!) - you really need two or to stick one with a more flavoursome coopers can of goo.

Hopper.

 

[Bizier]

When I started brewing I got both a coopers and a brigalow starter kit (in hindsight a waste of money, did it on a whim). I did a toucan of both the coopers lager and brigalow lager that came in the boxes... has to be the worst beer I have brewed that wasn't infected.

I want to know how much malt are in the tins, they are smaller for one, less viscous and taste sugary rather than malty.

I would treat the can as if it were a sugar addition to a brew. It is amazing that they are still in business after so many years of preaching ingorant technique.

 

[manticle]

When I started brewing I got both a coopers and a brigalow starter kit (in hindsight a waste of money, did it on a whim). I did a toucan of both the coopers lager and brigalow lager that came in the boxes... has to be the worst beer I have brewed that wasn't infected.

I want to know how much malt are in the tins, they are smaller for one, less viscous and taste sugary rather than malty.

I would treat the can as if it were a sugar addition to a brew. It is amazing that they are still in business after so many years of preaching ingorant technique.

Don't even get me started on their hydrometers. At one point I thought 1.040 was the upper limit.

Thank god I broke mine and joined this forum (both incidents were connected).

 

[Bribie G]

That extra malt and the hops should hit the spot. Main criticism of Brigalow is not that it has off flavours, just has NO flavours so overlaying it with a bit of flavour it should make a drinkable beer. Plus the better yeast of course.

 

[Jonez]

I made a mistake in this post but don't seem to be able to edit it. The amount in grams of dextrose I used is 470 not 370

Made the brew last Sat anyway.
Used all the leftovers I had around:
1 (1.7kg) can Brigalow (gold club)
260 g Coopers LDME
330 g Coopers X light Liquid Malt
370 Dex ( I was a bit short of this)
100 g white sugar (to make up for DEX)
Cluster hops (tea bag steeped and added to fermenter)
Coopers yeast.
It has been bubbling for 4 days now.

I took a sample last night and it was very cloudy, a bit watery(not looking good) and the gravity was still 1.012 (down from 1.039). The temp was under 20C and the activity seemed to be very slow if any. I decided not to replace the frozen PET bottles in the fermenter bath and the activity seems to be picking up.

The bloody strip thermometer still reads 20C since last night. I don't think mine works well. The other day, while waiting for temp to drop to pitch I realised there were tow reading (six colours showing). Above the bath water level there was a reading (three colours with the one in the middle showing whatever number above 30C) and below the water level there was another (same three colours with the middle one showing 26C I think it was). It may be better to stick the strip horizontally instead of vertically. I think I've seem someone here has done that.

 

[Jonez]

Here I am after two consistent readings at 1.010 wondering if I should wait a bit more. The temp has been under 20 (coppers yeast instructions say 21-27) and I am wondering if the yeast has gone dormant. I was expecting a lower FG. You all guys say this brand can get you pissed, which I understand as being highly fermentable = more alcohol = lower FG. I did add some malt which won't ferment completely but also added DEX and sugar. OG was about 1.038 to -39

Tonight's sample tasted a bit better...drinkable, not bad. I don't seem to taste sweet on it but I may be wrong.

What do you guys think is happening here...according to formula I should have (38-10)/7.46 = 3.7 % before bottling. Is this an expected number given the ingredients I used?

Cheers,