Brewing kits

[Igsy]

I am in the process of making my first brew (I don't have much in brewing equipment just the basics).
This is a bulldog lager kit.
I am wondering on thoughts for other kits to use in the future (brands etc)?
I would like to make another lager, ipa and cider in the future.
Please let me know of any recommendations for each of the beers.
Thanks

 

[The Baron]

If you search the forum there are some members opinions on many kits

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thread moved to the kit forum - Admin.

@Igsy
This will give you some idea of which kits are popular while you wait for an answer - What kit beer are you drinking tonight?

 

[damienair]

I’m a huge fan of Mangrove Jacks Kits. Pink Grapefruit IPA, Juicy Session IPA and Mango IPA are amazing.
Also Razorback IPA is a great kit. Festival do good kits too. Loved their Wheat Beer.

 

[Graz]

The more malt extract the better the kit usually. I don't tend to make kits that you need to add additional sugar to these days (one can kits).

For an IPA either the Festival Razorback or the Young's American IPA are pretty good.

As for cider, I've done the odd kit in the past but never been that impressed. If I'm making cider it tends to be a turbo cider, look it up on here, dead easy as it basically just involves fermenting apple juice from the supermarket.

 

[damienair]

The more malt extract the better the kit usually. I don't tend to make kits that you need to add additional sugar to these days (one can kits).

For an IPA either the Festival Razorback or the Young's American IPA are pretty good.

As for cider, I've done the odd kit in the past but never been that impressed. If I'm making cider it tends to be a turbo cider, look it up on here, dead easy as it basically just involves fermenting apple juice from the supermarket.

I’ve genuinely had some good results with one can kits and dry malt extract as the fermentable. I’ve just done a Razorback IPA which is a premium kit. Next I’m doing a Coopers Blonde Ale and pimping it up a bit with Light DME, Citra and Mosaic Hops for dry hopping and a Verdant IPA yeast.
I have had excellent results with the Mangrove Jacks kits in the past.

 

[Beermonster66]

I can thoroughly recommend Munton's premium kits. Their West Coast IPA is consistently good. Also Bulldog's Evil Dog IPA. My all time favourite was MJ's Citra single hop IPA but sadly that's not available anymore. I've done a few MJ kits but I've been disappointed with the last 2 or 3. They never seemed to hit FG in the FV so were over-carbed after secondary in the bottles. Foam was thick and creamy yellow. Not undrinkable but could've been so much better. Those kits were close to their BB dates so I'm wondering if the yeast lost some vigour lying on a shelf for so long. Anyway, happy brewing!

 

[Kit-brewer]

I make mostly Woodforde kits. Always a good result.
As for cider, not heard many good things about those kits. I tried one, tastless.

 

[Ale House Rock]

Other posts have covered the main beer kits to think about. Not too much on ciders so for what it's worth, I found the basic apple ciders from Youngs, Bulldog and Wobbly gob to be fine. Youngs peach and passion fruit was nice. Their strawberry and lime a bit so so. MJ kits have a sweetener sachet but you have to add a variable amount of it depending on whether you prefer sweet, medium or dry cider which I've always found to be a bit iffy when it's something you've never made before. Happy brewing!

 

[matt.]

"I make mostly Woodforde kits. Always a good result."

Snap.
What sugar/ LME do do add to the kit?

 

[Kit-brewer]

"I make mostly Woodforde kits. Always a good result."

Snap.
What sugar/ LME do do add to the kit?

They only need some priming sugar at bottling. I use one rounded teaspoon per bottle, bottled in a 2l pet bottle. Old coke bottles.
I don't like it too carbonated and find this gives enough pressure to carbonate but it then pours fairly flat.
SWMBO won't let me buy kegs, not enough room and I don't drink it quick enough, to warrant them. I am thinking of getting a 10l kegs to see the difference in flavour and it would be better at Christmas.

 

[GhostShip]

I can thoroughly recommend Munton's premium kits. Their West Coast IPA is consistently good. Also Bulldog's Evil Dog IPA. My all time favourite was MJ's Citra single hop IPA but sadly that's not available anymore. I've done a few MJ kits but I've been disappointed with the last 2 or 3. They never seemed to hit FG in the FV so were over-carbed after secondary in the bottles. Foam was thick and creamy yellow. Not undrinkable but could've been so much better. Those kits were close to their BB dates so I'm wondering if the yeast lost some vigour lying on a shelf for so long. Anyway, happy brewing!

I’m glad to find someone else who has brewed the MJ Citra. Absolutely fantastic kit and I cannot for the life of me understand why they discontinued it.

 

[SJAughton]

I made the Woodfords Bure Gold last year it came out very good - I then made the Coopers Euro lager, but as I tend to enjoy a hoppy beer I pimped it up with malt extract and hops using the M52 California lager yeast.

It did come out excellent, although a tad pungent from way too much hops (lesson learned).

I'm planning trying coopers carveza next month with 50g Saaz dry hopping and a sugar enhancer unless anyone has better tip for a light golden lager?

Id welcome any kit recommendations and recipe ideas to improve them