Kit Of The Week 15/01/07 - Esb Australian Draught

[sluggerdog]

Tell us your thoughts and results using this kit, the additions used, ferment temperature, bottled/kegged, different yeast? etc etc

ESB Australian Draught

Sorry no desciption for this kit as the ESB website is currently Down.

ESB Australian Draught - Homebrew Kit Reviews

Recent reviews from Homebrew Kit Reviews (To Get Us Started)

This beer tastes sensational. Very easy to drink, but still packed with taste & character (for a draught, that is!!). Highly recommended, though if you're kegging it, you may want to put a little bit extra dextrose in (250g max), to get the alc % up a to 4.5-5%. This is my new favourite beer...
By Michael

Very nice beer, didnt last 1 week in my 18lt keg, got better every day would definatly make it again. Used yeast supplied, 1 week in primary then 1 week in secondary then into keg. Fermenting temp was around 18 deg c. I give it a 5 purely for the ease of making it you would be hard pressed to get a better beer.
by Chris

Made to 22 litres using WLP029 German Ale/Kolsch yeast. Temp 21-23C, 8 days primary fermentation. FG 1004. This beer is fantastic if you like Australian draught beers. Same style as a commercial Aussie draught but was considerably better when I did a side by side comparison with Crown Lager and Carlton Draught. More depth, fullness of flavour and complexity, little bit more malt and more hops (both bitterness and aromatic) than the commercial equivalents. Highly recommended.
by Timmmay

 

[andreic]

"Deeply Disappointing" is my comment

I bought 2 of these kits after reading the reviews on the "homebrew kit reviews" to perform a yeast comparison with my first liquid yeast. The first kit was fermented with S-04 with 10 days primary at 18C, and 6 days secondary at the same temp. The second kit was fermented with WLP008 East Coast Ale yeast with 10 days primary at 18-21C, and 5 days secondary at around 23C (yeast is rated best at 21-23C). OG was 1.040 for both, and FG was 1.010 for both.

The overriding impression I got from both of these beers was "too sweet". I just did not like them. The WLP008 version was much cleaner tasting, and by far the better of the 2 beers. I do not have detailed tasting notes, but some of my comments (other than "too sweet") included "a bit lemon'y", "slight smell of apple", "big fluffy head".

I still have a few bottles of this left. I put one in the fridge the other day, and it sat there for 3 weeks whilst all the other beers around it were drunk... maybe I will put the last bottle in soon, have another tasting, and report back to this thread.

Andrei

 

[Steve]

Ive also done this a few times over the past 3 years. Didnt do anything fancy at all and they used to be great quaffers..the last couple have been too sweet (as have the rest of the ESB 3KG range) and barely drinkable. I wouldnt be making it again.
Cheers
Steve

 

[andreic]

Ive also done this a few times over the past 3 years. Didnt do anything fancy at all and they used to be great quaffers..the last couple have been too sweet (as have the rest of the ESB 3KG range) and barely drinkable. I wouldnt be making it again.
Cheers
Steve

that's an interesting observation... I was trying to work out why there were so many "5 star" reviews on the HB kit review site when my beers were so crap.

Its a shame I got the "sweetened" version rather than the "5 star" version of this kit. I purchased mine January 2006, so maybe that helps provide a timeline as to when they went downhill. Its a shame this happened because in general the ESB 3kg kits used to be excellent. Anyway, I think I'll be sticking mostly to AG and fresh wort brews now...

Andrei

 

[sluggerdog]

Anyone else have something to add about this kit to help out new brewers looking to try it?

 

[Stuster]

With the health problems that Mel of ESB has had, I wonder if this kit will be available for much longer. :unsure:

Is ESB now closed for good?

 

[sluggerdog]

With the health problems that Mel of ESB has had, I wonder if this kit will be available for much longer. :unsure:

Is ESB now closed for good?

Good Point Stuster, if this is the case then it probably was a poor kit choice. Oh Well..

 

[Steve]

Ive asked over and over it the 3kg Tins are going to be continued the same as the fresh worts. No answer. Not too stressed as I now brew AG

Cheers
Steve

 

[Goo]

Good Point Stuster, if this is the case then it probably was a poor kit choice. Oh Well..

I bottled one on the weekend. gimmie a couple weeks and I'll report on it!

 

[Stuster]

Good Point Stuster, if this is the case then it probably was a poor kit choice. Oh Well..

Not to worry. Still an interesting thread. Hopefully somebody who knows the situation with the ESB kits can post to say what is going to happen.