Why do ALL of my can kits taste bad?

[TheWiggman]

I used NS once and never will again

 

[jackgym]

I used NS once and never will again

You won't be making a 150 Lashes clone then. The recipe uses 12g of Amarillo & 25g NS. Beautiful drop.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Me too...I can still taste it

 

[TheWiggman]

Regarding the 150 Lashes, I tried it for the first time last weekend and on the first sip said to my wife "all I can taste is Nelson Sauvin, I'll bet it's in it". After being called a weirdo I checked online and boom there it was. No thanks, I'm with Stu.

 

[mashhammer]

Michael

Would love to hear your results...

Can't say I am any kind of brewing expert and yet to try AG.

What I will say is this:
1. I have done several types of Coopers can recipes, even the Coopers "Craft Brew".
2. I have only ever used DME (dark and light) as the "kilo" part, never tried BE2 or any other.
3. With these I have tried different "bits" e.g. crystal steeping, partial mash etc
4. I have changed several process along the way, but never tried boiling the water.
5. I have tried different yeasts other than the one supplied, I've tried re-hydrating, haven't tried liquid, re-cultured, or a starter.

I always end up with some level of the extract twang!

I have done several fresh work kits and no detectable bad taste.

I noticed that hops and/or a bit of grain steeping etc does change the level of badness. I think a good dose of hop flavouring and/or dry hop goes a long way towards masking the problem.

Also I notice that ageing makes a difference too, at least 3 months.

So I would really like to hear the outcome from those here who have noticed the badness and have re-visited can kit brewing with different processes.

Cheers

 

[Grott]

In general I have only tasted the "twang" when drinking weak bodied brews like Canadian Blonde where dextrose has been used as the dominant fermentable.( As previously stated I only use malt.)
​Not every everybody likes heavy hopped beers and therefore if you have to change the taste of the particular style your trying to brew to remove "bad taste" then why would you.

 

[motman]

I'm beginning to think some people are sensitive to the twang and others not but it's always there. Just like some people are more sensitive to dms than others. Unfortunately I seem to be pretty sensitive, as I'd love to be able to get away with kit brews rather than use up brownie points on a whole brew day my wife has the kids for. Just can't enjoy the stuff though.

 

[jackgym]

In general I have only tasted the "twang" when drinking weak bodied brews like Canadian Blonde where dextrose has been used as the dominant fermentable.( As previously stated I only use malt.)
​Not every everybody likes heavy hopped beers and therefore if you have to change the taste of the particular style your trying to brew to remove "bad taste" then why would you.

Have you brewed any of the newer Cooper's kits, Family Secret or Inkeepers Daughter? Using LDM and US-05 yeast produce a great beer without the need to re-hop.

 

[Grott]

I have a Family Secret Amber Ale in the fermenter now using liquid light malt extract and the Thomas Cooper kit yeast.
Out of stock now but the Thomas Cooper Wheat beer, Australian Bitter and IPA Brewer this year were great with same additives. Except for stouts I keg now and I find carbonation with co2 rather than sugar/ drops in bottles gives a real "crispness" to the brew.
Cheers

 

[Grott]

Out of interest can you give an example of a kit brew you have done, maker, style, additives etc? Bottled/ kegged?
Cheers

 

[Goose]

Regarding the 150 Lashes, I tried it for the first time last weekend and on the first sip said to my wife "all I can taste is Nelson Sauvin, I'll bet it's in it". After being called a weirdo I checked online and boom there it was. No thanks, I'm with Stu.

:icon_offtopic:

NS is definitely way out there, its not even a subtle sauvignon blanc smell and taste, its full on. But like anything, best used in moderation.

A hop with a similar flavour profile is the German Hallertau Blanc, more subtle, less dank than NS. Though I am guessing you are not a fan of white wine aromas or flavours in beer though each to their own, I have tried it in light summer ales and most recently in a lager and find them very refreshing drops.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

You only need about 0.5IBU of NS to have a marked effect

 

[Vini2ton]

Has anyone brewed any kits using saison yeasts? Made a couple of BIAB saisons last summer and was amazed at what the yeast chewed down to. I wonder what they may bring to kit brewing?

 

[peekaboo_jones]

Has anyone brewed any kits using saison yeasts? Made a couple of BIAB saisons last summer and was amazed at what the yeast chewed down to. I wonder what they may bring to kit brewing?

Yes.
I've made 3 Saison's with kit cans, light dry malt and steeped grains. And all came out lovely.
One was entered into a comp and scored 85+ points in Vicbrew 2015, used the Coopers Aussie Pale ale can, some medium crystal, wheat crystal and light dry malt. No hops.
Belle Saison yeast at 18C. This one had too much crystal though apparently, otherwise it may have done better, also the Pilsner or Canadian blonde can would be good as a base. And only carapils?

Does the Saison yeast dominate any off kit twang flavours? I don't know...

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Has anyone brewed any kits using saison yeasts? Made a couple of BIAB saisons last summer and was amazed at what the yeast chewed down to. I wonder what they may bring to kit brewing?

Very good question

Kolsch would work well

 

[rude]

**** long thread havent read it all but K&K no worries

Anyone who cant make a decent beer out of a K&K aint a brewer
you do need to give it love though h34r: h34r: h34r:

 

[wereprawn]

Did a few Saisons with kit bases a few years ago. The pepper and slight tartness does seem to mask the kit twang. One standout brew was a tin Coopers Dark , some Special B, Carafa 3 and a fair bit of LDME, fermented with Belle saison . This one sat under a thick raft of mould for the whole Summer as I thought it was rooted and it simply sat in the corner forgotten .

The time came when I needed my 2nd fv back .I decided to have taste , just for laughs, and to my surprise there was absolutely nothing wrong with it.

After it was carbed I had a few with a visitor . He was raving about it, best beer he'd ever tasted ect.....

I reckon It was a combo of dark malts, yeast, time and abv (7.6%). Zero twang.

 

[megabyte]

There's a lot of talk about WilliamsWarn in the other threads lately which inspired me look into how they are making "award winning" beers with K&Ks. Looking at their American Pale Ale for example, they use Fermentis yeast and DME, with no mention of dextrose or malto. They also recommend making a hop tea and adding to the fermenter. They ferment at 23C which helps explain how they can ferment out within a week. The take away here for me is that BE2 is still probably the main cause of my twang and I need to brew again to test results with all DME.

Regarding the NS hops, I brewed Ross's Nelson Saivin Summer Ale a few years back and I quite liked it. That guy does work miracles with beer though. Maybe it's that teaspoon of table salt? I dunno. Somehow it just worked.
:chug:

 

[jackgym]

**** long thread havent read it all but K&K no worries

Anyone who cant make a decent beer out of a K&K aint a brewer
you do need to give it love though h34r: h34r: h34r:

Quite agree. I think some blokes' palates are destroyed by the thin commercial crap they drink, like Corona and suchlike.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

There's a lot of talk about WilliamsWarn in the other threads lately which inspired me look into how they are making "award winning" beers with K&Ks.

You dont need a WW to make award winning beers

 

[megabyte]

Of course not, I just wanted to know how they make a kit win awards.

I expect that if I poured my Coopers goop and BE2 into a WW it would taste just the same.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

The way WW do it is to enter a competition that only has beers made in a WW

 

[jackgym]

Maybe some of you brewers can take the "twang" out of your beer with one of these contraptions?
http://www.digitaltrends.com/home/art-brew-launches-on-kickstarter/

 

[manticle]

Quite agree. I think some blokes' palates are destroyed by the thin commercial crap they drink, like Corona and suchlike.

I'm not anti - kit in the slightest but how on earth are ag brewers likely to be destroying their palates with corona in such a way their ag beers are good but their kits aren't?

One of the weirdest assertions I've seen for a bit.

 

[jackgym]

I'm not anti - kit in the slightest but how on earth are ag brewers likely to be destroying their palates with corona in such a way their ag beers are good but their kits aren't?

One of the weirdest assertions I've seen for a bit.

I'm talking about the kit brewers.

 

[manticle]

You think the elusive kit twang detected by so many different brewers of different backgrounds is because they all drink corona?

I'm still lost mate. Can you elaborate?

 

[louistoo]

Regards the NS, I liked tuatara's sauvinova. Great beer 100% NS

 

[jackgym]

Regards the NS, I liked tuatara's sauvinova. Great beer 100% NS

Hi
Do you know the ingredients of Tuatara Sauvinova? :chug:

 

[Goose]

Hi
Do you know the ingredients of Tuatara Sauvinova? :chug:

http://tuatarabrewing.co.nz/beer/sauvinova/

 

[petesbrew]

For ***** n giggles, I bought a Coopers Real Ale kit today, ready to throw down tomorrow. First Knk beer in many years.
Just going to do something simple like:
Coopers Real Ale
1kg LDME
200g Crystal (steeped)
20g Goldings
WLP013 London Ale Yeast.
Fill to 23L
Ferment at 18c