Best kits for a base

[pms67]

Hi guys, been brewing for around 1 year and my go to 1 can kits to play around with are all Coopers---- Traditional Draught never fails and is perfect for adding hops,Cascade,Amarillo etc
IPA is a close second
Lager types,dead heat between Canadian blonde and Mexican Cerveza!both are superb "lawnmower beers" (copyright Craigtube) and both welcome hop additions.
Best 2 can kits are Youngs American range and then Festival kits,worth every single penny.
Any comments welcome,tell me if I am missing something good out there
Cheers.
:drunk:

 

[Slid]

Sound about right to me. One suggestion is that the Coopers UK bitter is fairly bitter, so hop additions need minimal boiling. Craig agrees!

Wherry is pretty good too - the Ford Mondeo of homebrewing.:thumb:

 

[pms67]

Thanks Slid,I agree, the Bitter lives up to its name however I only dry hop anyway.
Must try a Wherry someday it's just that you can get an Audi for a few extra pounds !!!
Cheers

 

[reddibaggie]

Wherry will always be in one of my kegs cause friends and family love it. Myself, the festivals rule.

 

[pms67]

Yes they are very good although the 3 American kits from Youngs produce a stunning beer from a kit,much better than many so called "craft" beers ive bought from supermarkets.
Cheers

 

[kodak79]

I like the sound of that Youngs American IPA (I love Goose Island IPA so that sounds perfect) so I think that has made up my mind on what to brew next. Would it be better in a barrel or bottle?

Also has anyone tried this and Bulldog Brew Evil Dog Double IPA? How would you say they match up?

 

[pms67]

Hi Kodak
All I do is bottle so can't comment on that but you won't be disappointed.
Very hoppy and very tasty :clap:
100g of hops and 20g of yeast,plenty of dextrose and the right amount of priming sugar all included for under £23 is a bargain to me.
Put it this way,if this was even £2 a bottle in my local Sainsbury's never mind the 50p that it works out the queue would be out the door.
Cheers

 

[Slid]

Thanks Slid,I agree, the Bitter lives up to its name however I only dry hop anyway.
Must try a Wherry someday it's just that you can get an Audi for a few extra pounds !!!
Cheers

Ahhh - I feel you are close to being drawn to the dark side that is All Grain. Best wishes for your brewing experience.

 

[Jimbolala]

Just started my 5th ever brew!!! Got Youngs American Amber Ale. Read some of the notes above and am looking forward to tasting it, albeit 5/6 weeks away

 

[pms67]

Ahhh - I feel you are close to being drawn to the dark side that is All Grain. Best wishes for your brewing experience.

One day Slid,my wife and 2 kids might have something to say about that !

Thanks mate,you too :hat:

 

[pms67]

Just started my 5th ever brew!!! Got Youngs American Amber Ale. Read some of the notes above and am looking forward to tasting it, albeit 5/6 weeks away

You will not be disappointed Jimbolala,if you can wait 5/6 weeks you are doing better than me buddy, 2-3 weeks is my limit.

These guys that can wait 3 or 4 months for a brew to mature are a different breed from me, only beers I have waited that long for are Brewferm Christmas and Diabolo.
Both were good though :hmm: maybe I should rethink my plans.

Cheers mate

 

[proost]

Sound about right to me. One suggestion is that the Coopers UK bitter is fairly bitter, so hop additions need minimal boiling. Craig agrees!

Wherry is pretty good too - the Ford Mondeo of homebrewing.:thumb:

Your right about the Coopers bitter being bitter, but I just found a bottle in the back of my brew cupboard dated February of this year and was very surprised to find it quite smooth. Can't see how I missed it, my beers don't normally last that long!

:party:

 

[Slid]

Latest brew is a Coopers English bitter plus a Wilko can of lager. Done this before and it's just a solid, go to sort of a beer. Cries out for a big hop thing, though. I'm pretty sure it will take anything within reason. So, for an experiment:

From Forum Sponsor, Rob the Malt Miller, I have some bargain hops (£1 for 100g) and am thinking Dry hop at up to 50g - Bouclier or perhaps Triskel to "add a French touch to an English beer". And drink it early, before the hoppy aroma disapears.:whistle:

 

[pms67]

Latest brew is a Coopers English bitter plus a Wilko can of lager. Done this before and it's just a solid, go to sort of a beer. Cries out for a big hop thing, though. I'm pretty sure it will take anything within reason. So, for an experiment:

From Forum Sponsor, Rob the Malt Miller, I have some bargain hops (£1 for 100g) and am thinking Dry hop at up to 50g - Bouclier or perhaps Triskel to "add a French touch to an English beer". And drink it early, before the hoppy aroma disapears.:whistle:

I agree about the hop aroma disappearing
I brewed a Coopers IPA and dry hopped with 100g of Amarillo and for 4 weeks
It was amazing but it gradually faded.
I'm now sure the only way to keep the hoppy taste is to add pellets then transfer ??? May be wrong though still learning as I go :)

 

[Slid]

I agree about the hop aroma disappearing
I brewed a Coopers IPA and dry hopped with 100g of Amarillo and for 4 weeks
It was amazing but it gradually faded.
I'm now sure the only way to keep the hoppy taste is to add pellets then transfer ??? May be wrong though still learning as I go :)

100g :grin:

Way to go, man:thumb:
Like, to Amarillo.

Most beers get better towards 3 months IME, but not hoppy ones.
So I suggest using a yeast that "drops" early, brewing short and "living it large at the max". (As my daughters might say).

 

[pms67]

Latest brew is a Coopers English bitter plus a Wilko can of lager. Done this before and it's just a solid, go to sort of a beer. Cries out for a big hop thing, though. I'm pretty sure it will take anything within reason. So, for an experiment:

From Forum Sponsor, Rob the Malt Miller, I have some bargain hops (£1 for 100g) and am thinking Dry hop at up to 50g - Bouclier or perhaps Triskel to "add a French touch to an English beer". And drink it early, before the hoppy aroma disapears.:whistle:

How did this go Slid ?
Coopers English Bitter is a steady brew although I was shocked when I tried it after 2 weeks,as the name says,bitter,bitter although improved to the point of disappointment when gone !
Cheers mate

 

[Slid]

How did this go Slid ?
Coopers English Bitter is a steady brew although I was shocked when I tried it after 2 weeks,as the name says,bitter,bitter although improved to the point of disappointment when gone !
Cheers mate

The brew in question went up to the lakes for a family holiday and went down well. Great beer for mine. Still drinking it and it is just solid.

It has a very stable bitter foundation and this makes it the ideal base to add short boil flavouring hops and a big addition on the malt front. Hop wise, Cascade worked very well - the Bouclier hops are a wonderful addition to the spectrum of opportunities, but perhaps mine were a bit swamped - still a welcome addition, though.

I added a Wilko lager can (at £7.50!) and since the hopping in this is perhaps best described as "light" it made only a positive difference.

 

[pms67]

The brew in question went up to the lakes for a family holiday and went down well. Great beer for mine. Still drinking it and it is just solid.

It has a very stable bitter foundation and this makes it the ideal base to add short boil flavouring hops and a big addition on the malt front. Hop wise, Cascade worked very well - the Bouclier hops are a wonderful addition to the spectrum of opportunities, but perhaps mine were a bit swamped - still a welcome addition, though.

I added a Wilko lager can (at £7.50!) and since the hopping in this is perhaps best described as "light" it made only a positive difference.

Ok mate,I have a Wilkos pilsner in my shed,Is it worth brewing or keeping to add to another kit ? I currently have a Coopers Draught (not the international series,I made a mistake when buying,too many brews and ordering don't mix ) and a Young's IPA kit but I think that would be better brewed straight.
Me thinks a Coopers draught ,Wilkos pilsner and 50g of Cascade hops ?
Tell me if that's just wrong, I also have Amarillo hops and 50g of Hallertau hops.
Cheers

 

[Slid]

Ok mate,I have a Wilkos pilsner in my shed,Is it worth brewing or keeping to add to another kit ? I currently have a Coopers Draught (not the international series,I made a mistake when buying,too many brews and ordering don't mix ) and a Young's IPA kit but I think that would be better brewed straight.
Me thinks a Coopers draught ,Wilkos pilsner and 50g of Cascade hops ?
Tell me if that's just wrong, I also have Amarillo hops and 50g of Hallertau hops.
Cheers

Oooh, Yesss. :hat:

I'd brew long and add sugar, because that's how I roll.
Also would do half hop tea and half dry hop.

Sounds good to me.

 

[stout les]

How did this go Slid ?
Coopers English Bitter is a steady brew although I was shocked when I tried it after 2 weeks,as the name says,bitter,bitter although improved to the point of disappointment when gone !
Cheers mate

i've just had the last of my coopers bitter, i made it with 1k brew enhancer & 200gms soft dark sugar brewed to 20l. tasted after 4weeks barrel absolutely horrid. but after about 2months it was a totally different drink.

i sent my daughter to get me 1/2 a dozen bottles of newcastle broon & i cracked one open & had a slurp (at this point i was sober) & i said to her "this bugga tastes like my coopers bitter. so we put them side by side for a taste test, to me i honestly couldn't tell them apart, although my daughter liked mine better 7 said it was a bit stronger.