Brewferm 'Grand Cru' Review

[Dave1970]

As with all the reports I've read on the Brewferm kits this is well worth a try.

Only makes 9 litres, but with a OG of 1075 and finishing at 1012 it came in at a whopping 8.3%. Made it with homemade Candi Syrup from LuckyEddies guide

Takes a long time in the bottle to get any good but then keeps getting better, mines now 4 months old and is starting to get really good, and doesn't taste as strong as it is. Not a million miles away from Leffe Blonde from memory...have just got a bottle in from the garage will edit this review later having jogged my memory!
EDIT: After a taste the feel in the mouth is similar to Leffe Blonde, colour's similar too, aftertaste maybe slightly more going on in the way of hop bitterness.

 

[Kyral210]

You make me want to brew one now!

 

[bomberns127]

i made this in sept '10 and i have 1/2 pint left in the fridge, have it on order again, best 'lager' style beer i have ever drunk, would recommend anyone buying this but leave for a minimum of 10 months before trying

 

[Shanesfords]

id like to try the brewferm stuff but 10 months waiting i struggle to last 10 days :rofl:

 

[bomberns127]

in my garage i have a batch of grand cru in 1/2 pint bottles, christmas ale in various bottles and i now have abbey ale in the fermenter ready for bottling, i do all grain and could probably replicate these to a fashion but brewferm kits are the kits i still do, everything else is done AG, strange innit?
and once they are matured you then realise the waiting was oh so worth it!
i still have stout made in '10 and its superb, the longer you leave it the better it becomes, i spend a month in and out just brewing and bottling, i suppose i probably brew 4-5 months of the year but within those months its full on, mashing, sparging, boiling, fermenting, bottling. brewferm being the only respite from 5-6 hours for a brew, mind you AG brewing produces the very best of beers, brewferm is as close to AG when left to mature i think as you can get with a kit.

all good things come to those who wait......and brew!

 

[calumscott]

You know how when you've tucked a bottling away for a little while and it's cleared and you know it's nowhere near ready but you just HAVE to open one just to make sure that it's OK and it's going to turn out OK...?

...well my Grand Cru's been in the bottle five weeks, is beautifully clear and obviously needs just that first "is it OK?" sampling.

Holy bloomin' moly!!!!

Mine was brewed with a mix of clear and medium candi from Rob @ the Malt Miller + about 400g of extra light spraymalt because my OG came up much shorter than the instructions wanted.

So the result is more Leffe Brun in appearance and also in flavour, but it is outstanding, really, really impressive. Very belgian in flavour and although it's youth is quite apparent there are esters and odd sweetnesses that they do so well over there, the most exquisite tiny moussey bubbles and a lovely tight head mean that when it's properly ready this is going to be more than a little bit special. And by golly it gets you there. A small G&T, a Marks and Sparks italian lager and one of these and I'm half way there...

...just the ticket! : :drink: :drunk:

Further update later in the year, the rest will relax in their box and no doubt (if last year's Christmas from Brewferm is anything to go by) get much better.

EDIT 2012/07/16 - well I couldn't resist another sneaky bottle... It is superb, really really deliciously superb. Superb of the order of "I will be doing this again only I'll be buying two kits and doubling the batch size superb. So that's two months in the bottle and the greenness is going and letting those belgian flavours really shine. Cracking beer, getting a lot harder to leave the rest alone!!!

 

[BrewDan]

One of my first ever brews, so I made it over 2 years ago... sadly no notes so this is from memory.


Made it up as per instructions, using tap water, supplied yeast, and candy sugar.

Bottled this in tiny stubbies, which I think held around 250ml each, I think I batched primed this one with the required amount of brewing sugar.

This one was sitting in bottles for probably the best part of a year and half, it was horrid for the first 9 months or so, then it changed. It was stunning, really really nice, could quite easily sink a few of them, but they were approx 8% so I felt it.

A few friends tried it, all had nothing but good things to say about it, one friend who actually worked in a pub for a few years tried it, and said it was the nicest beer he had ever had!


It really is one of my favourite kits I have made to date, but in my opinion needs a minimum of 12 months to condition, the longer you can leave it the better!

Its just a shame it only makes a few litres, but QUALITY not quantity

 

[CoxyBoy123]

Just bottled this with Demerara to prime. Seems a shame to have to put it away for so long now

 

[Brewbob]

Just ordered this from my LHBS, can't wait. I hope its ready for Xmas. Does it clear or is it like a wheat beer?

 

[CoxyBoy123]

Just ordered this from my LHBS, can't wait. I hope its ready for Xmas. Does it clear or is it like a wheat beer?

Mines crystal after 4 months, was after a few weeks really, looks like leffe blonde in the glass..... Very very malty

 

[Monte Cristo]

Just bottled mine yesterday, I did a double up so have 18 litres now as I didn't have a small FV- well it was a good enough excuse!
I worked it out at 7.8% so quite strong, bottled it in small bottles and hoping it does finish up like Leffe Blonde. Just to encourage the Leffe blonde taste I am storing in Leffe crates.
So the long wait now begins!!

 

[GJB]

Bottled this a month ago, having made using Golden syrup - the lazy man's Candi sugar!

Having run 1 green bottle short for my Xmas beers (green bottle, red cap; very Xmas-y for individual presents!), I opened one of these that contained about 200ml left over from the brew.

Fantastic after a month, I'm thinking this could be epic after 3 or 4! Tasty, strong, very good fizz and enough to make me re-order another can this morning!

Now, the long a difficult task that is leaving it alone!

 

[Monte Cristo]

Now, the long a difficult task that is leaving it alone!

Judging by your signature GJB if you start with the coopers and work to the right it will be ready when you get there!

 

[nhenson22]

Put this in the FV yesterday. Made with 600g Golden Syrup. Checked on it this morning, nice foam started and an amazing smell coming from the cupboard. Expecting good things from this when it is ready but from what I have read that will most likely be nearer to Christmas!

Anyone tried priming this one with anything interesting? I have some light muscovado sugar I could use, good idea?
I am quite new to this so not sure what different effects sugars have when used for priming (if any). Also not sure whether by using a different sugar would require using more. Is there somewhere online with conversion tables or something similar?

 

[Monte Cristo]

I primed mine with demerara sugar although i wouldn't think it would make a huge difference as the amount is quite small.

 

[nhenson22]

Checked and took a hydrometer reading after 11 days in the FV. FG is at 1013 (temp corrected), down from 1075 so that is quite a kick this has got even before carbonation.

Despite it being the morning I could not resist a little taste and was pleasantly surprised. It already tastes very strong but very smooth. In fact if it had been chilled I reckon I would be quite happy to drink a whole glass of it. Looking forward to this now after being in the bottles.

What did most get their FG down to? Should I be expecting it to get any lower or should I just check hydrometer next few days and then bottle?

 

[Monte Cristo]

I got mine down to 1012 also moved it to a secondary FV for 2 weeks before bottling. :hat:

 

[Monte Cristo]

It has been in the bottle for 4 months now and I finally gave up and thought I would give on a go, so tried the plastic carbonation bottle. After the first few sips I was thinking to myself this has a familiar taste to it so I let the Fragrant lady wife have a taste and she hit the nail on the head 'It tastes of Dandelion and Burdock', Yes, guess what had been the previous occupant of the bottle! oops in deed!
I think it still needs a bit longer but the head was really creamy - roll on Christmas! :hat:

 

[gitsurfer]

Put this on yesterday as my second ever brew. Made with Brewferm candi syrup but hydrometer reading was quite low despite remembering to add 5% to the sugar. Should still come in around 7% ABV so not too concerned. Popped this in a 15 litre FV and it had foamed up to the lid this morning.

 

[gitsurfer]

One week in FV and this is down from 1.063 to 1.014 so nearly there. Am contemplating racking to a secondary FV this weekend to let it finish and clear itself up a bit. Would then give it two more weeks before bottling. Anyone got any advice to offer? This is my second ever brew so any tips gratefully received!