What Kit To Buy

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scooza

scooza

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hi all, just chasing some expertise on what are the better kits to buy. have seen the blackock, muntons etc. is there a grading on which are the better ones to buy
cheers scooza.
 
scooza said:
hi all, just chasing some expertise on what are the better kits to buy. have seen the blackock, muntons etc. is there a grading on which are the better ones to buy
cheers scooza.
Click to expand...

Hi Scooza,

I recommend the coopers kits and particularly the international and thomas cooper range; not that the normal series can't make a good drop!

Being locally made they may be fresher than imported kits. The general impression is coopers yeast is not that bad when fermented at a good temperature range; the quality of other kit yeasts is difficult to confirm and without consensus.

Be sure to use at least 50% malt extract with your kits as well. I found that it improves the flavour, body and head retention.

Lodan
 
Whichever one you buy, the fermentation and maturation processes will be just as important.

Keep the temperature consistent and in the right range (16-22 for an ale, 7-14 for a proper lager using a proper lager yeast) and your beer will be 100X better using a cheap kit than someone using the expensive ones and fermenting between 26 and 32 degrees.

Let it finish properly and allow it to condition before bottling. Don't rush, be patient.

Once you get that down pat, buy a decent quality can kit and a fresh wort kit. Ferment both under similar conditions and see which oe you think is the best beer.
 
scooza said:
hi all, just chasing some expertise on what are the better kits to buy. have seen the blackock, muntons etc. is there a grading on which are the better ones to buy
cheers scooza.
Click to expand...

Only place u can get any of those in lovely Tbar is an overpriced BrewCraft branch with a monopoly.
Get em from IGA once a month when often on special and buy up grabbing the fresh ones at the back.
Coopers international only ones they have that are worth your time as a base, but toucan up with anything really. It will be better than using any dextrose etc.
Buy good yeast & steep malts + hops from said LHBS or the sponsors.
 
As above,

Also my preference was for Ales, go with the Coopers kits the Premium ones were better, I am not sure you get them at the supermarkets though. For lagers go for BlackRock, and avoid those that use the enzymes. Then there are impoterd ones too, but I would not start there.

Fear_n_loath
 
I reckon the muntons kits are the best over all but just make sure they have a year on the best before.

Muntons Pilsner, Mt Mellick Cream ale and the Muntons Yorkshire Bitter are some of the ones I made often (make them with 1kg of Light Dry Malt Extract and a better yeast, perhaps some hops also for a bit more flavour).
 
if you like lager styles, mangrove jacks blonde is very hard to beat and very easy to drink and on the cheaper end of the scale.
also beermakers lager tricked up with some brew enhancer is a good thirst quencher.
 
You can't go past the premium Coopers range(coloured not white cans) for availability. They sell at my local Big W for $12.50 si i always have a couple in the cupboard.

Mt favourite kit i have brewed so far is the Black Rock Amber Ale... i made it to the instructions(except the temps) ..added a brew enhancer from IGA and 40g of Williamette hops and it was really good. I really was not expecting the good result.
 
The best kit i made was not really a kit but it was pretty easy (i went to full mash pretty early on).

You will need 2.5kg light dried malt, .5kg dextrose 20g of pride of ringwood hops and a bottle of coopers pale ale (optional).

to a pot add 5L of water and 500g of malt extract. Bring to the boil and add 20g of pride of ringwood hops. Boil for one hour. Afte one hour add the rest of the malt extract and the dextrose. Put some cold water into a sanitised fermenter, add the mix from the pot, hops and all. Top up with more cold water to 23L.

NOw to ferment you have 2 options. If you are confident, you can use the bottle of coopers pale ale to make a yeast starter and throw this in (do a search for coopers yeast). Obviosly you will have done this BEFORE you make the brew. Or you can use US05. The coopers yeast will make a beer very much like coopers pale ale, the US05 will make a refreshing (but slightly boring) aussie ale.
I've done both and i reckon the one using the coopers pale ale is far superior.

My first brew was with the coopers yeast and it came out surprisingly good. Thinking back it was a tad bananery but it was my first brew. Tasted much better than my mates knk beer. The taste of his beer is what made me research brewing before i started!

I know the OP asked for a kit brew but i think this is pretty easy and well within the realms of a newbie brewer.
 
thanks to all for the replies. will start to play around a bit more with these sugestions.
cheers scooza
 
I've only personally brewed with Coopers myself, but have tasted beers made from other kits. I've always found the Coopers kits to make a nice beer, especially the International and Thomas Coopers range. The English Bitter, Irish Stout and Australian Pale Ale have been my favourites so far. :icon_cheers:
 
Second only to fresh wort kits are the ESB 3kg cans. Wort kits can be expensive to post.. I can't afford to ship them from sydney, so the G&G wort kits are good. You have more flexibility with the G&G worts for hops etc and they are easy. The ESB cans make a good brew, liquid yeast improves things but they do come with a SAF yeast.

Once you taste your first fresh wort kit it spoils you a bit and you will want to make better tasting beer! No fuss really just stop it getting too warm or cool and there you go.
 
I have to also recommend the esb 3kg kits they turn out fantastic and no need to buy too much extra malt/ add to much extra stuff to get something decent which justifies the higher price. I'm not a fan of the fresh wort kits as i dont think they hold up as well in the homebrew shops but ymmv. I've had some great simple extract brews and some great ag's despite what people will tell you both will come out better or as good as commercial beer even from the micros if you put in enough effort. AG might have the edge and it lets you customize but kits can be great!
 
maz91379 said:
I have to also recommend the esb 3kg kits they turn out fantastic and no need to buy too much extra malt/ add to much extra stuff to get something decent which justifies the higher price. I'm not a fan of the fresh wort kits as i dont think they hold up as well in the homebrew shops but ymmv. I've had some great simple extract brews and some great ag's despite what people will tell you both will come out better or as good as commercial beer even from the micros if you put in enough effort. AG might have the edge and it lets you customize but kits can be great!
Click to expand...
Dont start that again!
 

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