Bloc Party Amber Ale

[Pezza24]

I got this kit with my starter kit and haven't brewed it yet as I had stove top AG in mind so have done 5 or so of those first but I plan on making this next to really bolster my stocks.

It's a bit like an extract kit but instead of DME it comes with liquid malt and some grains to steep. It also has 1oz of Willamette hops to add to the boil. I do however have some El Dorado and Mosaic hops to hand so I was wondering if it might be better to pump this kit slightly and add a small amount of hops to boost the flavour and if so how much and when would people reccomend?

Or leave it alone and brew it as Northern Brewer intended? I don't know if the LME has been hopped already? But the Willamette are a bittering addition.

 

[matt76]

That's the one and only kit I ever made and then I just went straight to AG BIAB - use the search too see what others found, some notes on my take on it here.

IIRC I'm not alone in saying it ended up too sweet. I'd look for a really good and clean attenuating yeast to try to dry it out a bit more, and yes some more hops for both bittering and flavour might help balance out the sweetness.

 

[Pezza24]

Because the yeast was off I bought a CML West Coast I think to go with this kit. Good to know about the sweetness though hopefully I can balance it out.

Edit: Just checked and it's a CML Five.

 

[Pezza24]

Having read that thread @matt76 Im hoping if I can get it to ferment down lower it will be a lot less sweet.

Thinking of a hop stand of 10/15g El Dorado and the same of Mosaic to add a bit more flavour to the brew.