Kegland Recipe Kits - Anybody tried and are they any good

[jollster101]

Hi all

To date I have been using Grain and Grape FWK's with success to make some nice tasting beers which I have mostly been happy with. Like all beers you never know if you will like them until you try and so some are not quite to my liking but on the whole they have been great. I have gone through most of the G&G kits and am happy to buy those that I have liked but as with everything a bit of variety is always nice.

I see that Kegland have a number of recipe kits on their site that come with everything needed to make similar volumes to that of the FWK's. I understand that these recipes are using extract with a mixture of hops and other ingredients when compared to all grain recipes that are in the FWK's.

Without wanting to spark a raging debate between the AGB side of homebrew compared to that of extract brewers about what's better, I wanted to know if there was any real world experience when using the Kegland kits. To be honest the instructions on the Kegland site make it look relatively straightforward to do and a bit cheaper overall than the FWK's. Before I started doing my own I have tried some of the commercial brew your own places (U Brew It being one) and I wasn't hugely impressed with some of what I made. Is that because of extract over all grain?

Keen to understand as this could open up a different avenue of playing around. My brew setup is via a fermentasaurus with a pressure kit, temp controlled fridge using an STC-1000 to maintain the right temps and then kegged into corny's.

Cheers

 

[Grmblz]

The main thing about extracts is freshness, Dr Smurto is very highly regarded for his recipes (especially his golden ale) Search results for: 'smurto' and KL are regularly out of stock of Muntons extracts so their stock is pretty fresh, Muntons craft range are also pretty good for a straight can no extras deal. Muntons 'Hand Crafted' Range Beer Kits | KegLand | No extras needed! and then of course there's coopers with their ROTM (recipe of the month) which includes everything needed but entails a steep/mini mash, and hop additions, I think they're a good insight into the brewing process whilst keeping it all very simple and approachable ://www.diybeer.com/au/recipes/ they release two each month, one for a 23L batch and one "craft" 8.5L batch, they come out about the 12th of every month and are $50 ish with free shipping, take a look at their recipes for all the ingredients and full instructions for all their previous ROTM. Obviously being a brewery and producing their own extracts it doesn't get any fresher. If interested sign up to their club for discounts, and their newsletter to be alerted when the ROTM and free shipping is on (whilst ROTM is on they do free shipping on orders over $80, sometimes $100) I brew quite a few extract beers for my everyday needs, or use extract in place of grain on big beers that the Zilla can't handle, I got a bit frustrated with KL always being out of stock of an item on the Smurto recipes, your mileage may vary.

 

[jollster101]

Thanks Grmblz, that is good info, especially around the freshness aspect. I did notice that KL were out of stock for a fair bit of their extracts which your post explains why. Reading the KL instruction manual for some of the kits, nothing seems onerous or difficult in any of this even when there needs to be a steep or mash. I really liked the look of the Chocolate Porter on the KL site and if its anything like Holgate's Temptress then I would be bang up for that.....just a shame that one of the components is out of stock (although that OOS item is in stock at G&G but would incur another lot of postage). I will have a look at both Coopers and diybeer for some of their recipes of the month.

I only brew smaller batches in the 'saurus as I only have 19L corny's and so doing some of the brewing process and then throwing into the fermenter looks to be achievable.

The key one for me is that the use of extracts and these overall recipe kits produce a decent tasting beer.

 

[Grmblz]

No worries, re freshness ignore that best before date, by the time you are within 9 months of it the goop has had it. The LME doesn't have to be Muntons btw any will do, you can even sub dried, do you have a LHBS?

 

[jollster101]

Yeah, Grain and Grape in Yarraville, Vic is only about 15 mins drive from me and where I often buy the FWK's from.

 

[Grmblz]

Well at least you can get hops, yeast, and extracts postage free, all my stuff comes in the mail, and sometimes its 3 postage charges @ $15 to get all the ingredients, hops in particular are a pain to obtain, any recipe needing 3 hop varieties are a nightmare, everyone seems to have 2 of the 3 needed so it's always a double order. Just a thought on the choco porter, all fat free choc syrups I've found have had preservatives in them, my advice is either make your own or use an essence designed for spirits (still spirits etc, G & G should have them)
Home made: 11/2 cup Water, 11/2 cup sugar, 1 cup Cocoa powder, 1/8 tsp Salt, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
In a saucepan heat the water, sugar, cocoa powder and salt on med-low whisking continuously until it gets thick about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla and pour into a jar. Cocoa and vanilla quantities can be varied to taste.
I do a Youngs triple choco stout clone using an essence and the home made syrup to naturally carbonate the keg.

 

[jollster101]

I am indeed fortunate that I have a good HBS just down the road. They are only doing postal orders at the moment so cannot drop in to get the things I need which is a shame but it is what it is.

Thanks for the info re the syrup, with your home made recipe would you use all that in a standard 19L or 23L batch? I like the idea of being in charge of my own destiny so to speak so making my own is a good option. Did you get that recipe from a certain site?

 

[Grmblz]

Promise not to laugh Homemade Fat Free Chocolate Syrup Recipe I came across it by accident and really liked the result.
I use 100g dex/sugar to carbonate a 19L keg (which is a bit too much and use a spunding valve) so for my base choco's I use 200g syrup (which is about 100g sugar) per keg, and adjust the intensity of chocolate with an essence, this is all after fermentation of course, an alternative would be to wait till fermentation has finished, rack off if necessary and chuck in a full syrup mix for a secondary ferment and slightly different flavour profile, then keg and gas as usual, it's all a bit trial and error at first till you get the amount, and type of chocolate expression you're looking for, dark or milk for example. Cacao nibs are something to play around with for a different flavour profile, need to be roasted before use, the list is almost endless, but a solid base beer with either essence/syrup or both will get you on your way. Initially I trialled with bottles and an eye dropper using watered down solutions of syrup and essence just to get a ball park before committing to a full keg. https://www.diybeer.com/au/coopers-pet-beer-bottles-and-caps-15-x-740ml.html a buck each and free shipping.

 

[jollster101]

Homebrew is definitely no laughing matter and it doesn't make a difference how the end result is achieved as long as the flavour is where it needs to be. This will be the first time I have played around with anything like this as the FWK's have been more than adequate. It's the variety I am now looking for rather than always going back to the same FWK's.

Your info (and KL's recipe) indicates that you add your homemade (or shop bought choco) syrup post ferment. Does this mean I would add it to my fermentasaurus and leave for a couple of days and then rack to a corny keg as usual followed by putting on the gas to carbonate?

Or could I sanitise the keg, add the syrup to the keg, purge and then do a closed loop transfer of the finished ferment from the 'saurus to the keg? Does doing it this way then naturally carbonate without needing to put the keg onto the gas?

Just trying to get this bit clear in my melon.

Cheers

 

[Grmblz]

Your info (and KL's recipe) indicates that you add your homemade (or shop bought choco) syrup post ferment. Does this mean I would add it to my fermentasaurus and leave for a couple of days and then rack to a corny keg as usual followed by putting on the gas to carbonate?
If using a fermentable (syrup) I would leave it for an extra week, if using a non fermentable (essence) then rack into keg immediately.

Or could I sanitise the keg, add the syrup to the keg, purge and then do a closed loop transfer of the finished ferment from the 'saurus to the keg? Does doing it this way then naturally carbonate without needing to put the keg onto the gas?
This is what I usually do, it has a couple of benefits, by undergoing a small secondary fermentation in the keg the yeast scrubs any oxygen that may have got in during transfer, it also carbonates the beer to your desired level without using any CO2, just fit a spunding valve to the keg set at your desired carbonation level, it also extends the shelf life compared to force carbing (according to Coopers technical advice dep't) which is why I carb all my keg beers like this, as mentioned I use 100g sugar which is a bit too much, for a pale ale try 60g/70g in 19L but do fit a spunding valve, btw I use KegLand Diaphragm Spunding Valve Pressure Release Valve Kit I've tried the others and these things are just so much more accurate, the brass ones tend to hold on, and then when they blow they drop 10 to 15psi, then build up again and so on, these things vary by a couple psi at the most.

 

[jollster101]

Cool thanks. This makes it clearer. I think I may give the syrup route a go rather than essence as I am keen to try natural carbonation with sugar having not done it before. I have done a couple of pressure ferments which has achieved carbonation as well so I presume that could also be an option.

I have one of the Spunding Valve's you referenced and is what I have used in the pressure ferments and agree it works well.

 

[Grmblz]

Happy to help, hope it works out for you, there's sooo many things you can do with this hobby, some of the stuff wont work out, such is life, but when it all comes together in a eureka moment any failures get forgotten. Let us (AHB members) know how you get on, there may be folks out there thinking of doing something similar and just needing a little push.
Cheers G

 

[jollster101]

Will do, cheers.

It would be awesome if there was some sort of site database for all these hidden nuggets of info regarding what people have discovered over the beer making journey.

 

[Mrdanielpcollins]

I made the Green Lager beer kit from keg land and it was great. I would like to try some of the double IPAs but the muntons extract kits are always out of stock.

When I first saw the prices for these kits I thought they were a real bargain, but after clicking on them you soon find out that most if the ingredients are out of stock hence the low price...

 

[Grmblz]

I made the Green Lager beer kit from keg land and it was great. I would like to try some of the double IPAs but the muntons extract kits are always out of stock.

When I first saw the prices for these kits I thought they were a real bargain, but after clicking on them you soon find out that most if the ingredients are out of stock hence the low price...

Yes it's a bit of a catch 22, if they order in a heap they run the risk of "old stock" and bad reputation, the alternative "no stock" gets people (me included) frustrated, factor in the lead time from when they order to when the stock lands (from the UK and probably by ship) and I'm glad it's not my job to order the stuff. Having said that, before Xmas the situation wasn't too bad with only the odd thing out of stock, this virus thing has caused a huge run on anything homebrew related, and I can't see that changing any time soon.
As mentioned before ^#2 Coopers makes their own so is never out of stock, and if you time your purchase you can get free shipping. https://www.diybeer.com/au/recipe/hop-bomb-usa-double-ipa.html as an example.

 

[jollster101]

Quick question on the Muntons range if anyone can answer. The Dr Smurto recipe for the Choco Porter Extract - Dr Smurto's Ashes IPA - Recipe Kit says you need Light Malt Extract. Would I be correct to assume that this is the same stuff Coopers Liquid Malt Extract (LME) - Light - 1.5kg can | Grain and Grape

When I went looking I found some different references to LME and the variant so I wasn't sure exactly which one was needed.

Cheers

 

[Grmblz]

Chk yer msg's

 

[jollster101]

Got it, thanks Grmblz. I will take a look at that.