Brewing kits

[Rich27]

Hi all,

I'm giving home beer making a go again after many years away from the bobby.

Since then my beer tastes have evolved away from lager (yuk) and for the last 10 years or so have been a real ale drinker with my favourites being nice hoppy IPA's.

I'm planning to start off with a couple of ready made IPA brewing kits as I've only got some basic kit left but want to make them extra hoppy. Can anyone please give me some advice on good kits to use and when to add extra hopps? I like crisp, citrus tasting hops so I'm thinking of adding Cascade and Amarillo.

Kind regards.

 

[GhostShip]

If you've not done any home brewing for many years, I'd be inclined to start with a good kit and get used to the whole process before starting to add your own hops.

Young's American IPA is a good place to start. The best kit I've done - it makes a beautiful beer. If it's a success and you decide you want more hops, then do it again and start to pimp it.

 

[kelper]

Agreed, if you pimp your kit and don't like the result, you won't know if you messed up.

 

[DavidDetroit]

I haven't had a bad Northern Brewer or Brewer's Best kit. They also give the recipes so that may be helpful with your hop preference. I'm sure there are more kits that fall into this category.
Edit: I thought I was on the American site. In any case, using recipes from these kit makers is a nice transition.
Good luck

 

[Rich27]

Thanks for input guys.

My favourite commercial beer over the last couple of years is St Austell Breweries Proper Job which is also made in my neck of the woods.

I'd like to find a recipe close to that if possible.

 

[terrym]

Thanks for input guys.

My favourite commercial beer over the last couple of years is St Austell Breweries Proper Job which is also made in my neck of the woods.

I'd like to find a recipe close to that if possible.

I agree with @GhostShip. Buy a premium kit like Youngs AIPA or the APA which come with extra hops to add and do that first. Look them up .They are very hoppy if that is what you like. And you will find that trying to brew beer from a standard kit to copy your favourite commercial beer is rarely achievable in my view.

 

[Rich27]

I checked out the Young's American IPA kit which they say comes out at around 6.5% alcohol. I'd prefer something not quite as strong and quite like the sound of Mangrove Jack's pink grapefruit IPA which they claim is styled on Brewdog's Elvis juice which is really nice.

I suppose it's possible to reduce the amount of sugar slightly which should keep the alcohol content slightly lower - or not?

On the subject of sugar, I used to use castor sugar but I see dextrose sugar seems to be recommended now. What is the advantage of using this please?

 

[BridgeBrew]

Best kit i have done for yonks is the Mangrove Jacks brewers series pale ale, tried the american pale, and it wasnt as good. Just been using the kit yeast, and dry hopping with 50g of cascade pellets after 7 days, leave in for another 5 days then keg. You will be pleased with the results

 

[Rich27]

Did you try the American IPA or just the pale ale?

Also, what sugar do you use and can you lower the ABV content by restricting the sugar?

Thanks

 

[BridgeBrew]

Yeah done the aipa, and the straight pa. The aipa is a little bit bitter for my taste, the pa is lovely. Just having a pint as i reply to your post. Made with 1.2kg of lme, 500g of dextrose, kit yeast, dry hopped with 50g of us cascade hop pellets. Brilliant

 

[Rich27]

Sorry, does the lme come with the kit?

Also, what's the difference between using dextrose and normal sugar?

 

[BridgeBrew]

No the lme doesnt come with the kit. Dextrose is a corn derived sugar, normal refined sugar is usable for brewing, and also are other sources of sugar honey, treacle, golden syrup etc etc, but dextrose gives a better result in the finished beer.

 

[micklupulo]

Best kit i have done for yonks is the Mangrove Jacks brewers series pale ale, tried the american pale, and it wasnt as good. Just been using the kit yeast, and dry hopping with 50g of cascade pellets after 7 days, leave in for another 5 days then keg. You will be pleased with the results

I too have just done this which was clear even on being bottled after eleven days in the FV. It is now a month in the bottle and agree is excellent. I did not dry hop but intend to do so next time though I was thinking of using citra which I like as in Oakham Citra. Have you tried the golden ale in the same series as I was wondering whether to do that?

 

[terrym]

Also, what's the difference between using dextrose and normal sugar?

In brewing terms not a lot. They both ferment out to produce alcohol and CO2, and nothing else. Using a lot of table sugar is said by some to give a slight cidery taste, although its certainly fine for just priming. But dextrose costs more. Other fermentable sugars like honey and golden syrup will bring their own taste to the beer if used in sufficient quantity as will muscavado sugar and black treacle which are often used in moderation in stouts.

 

[BridgeBrew]

I too have just done this which was clear even on being bottled after eleven days in the FV. It is now a month in the bottle and agree is excellent. I did not dry hop but intend to do so next time though I was thinking of using citra which I like as in Oakham Citra. Have you tried the golden ale in the same series as I was wondering whether to do that?

Yeah i have tried the golden ale, but wasnt keen, it had a distinct homebrew twang to it, but i didnt use the supplied kit yeast i used a cml real ale yeast. I suspect it was the cml yeast that caused the twang, as i have done a few brews with there real ale yeast, and had poor results. Used there cali common, and thats great, and there hops are also very good as well. I am on my 2nd mangrove jack pale, and have another one in the fermentation fridge at the moment it will be kegged on monday dry hopped that batch with 5og of chinook, the 1st one i used 5og of english cascade 2nd which i am drinking now has 50g of us cascade. These kits are gonna be my house beer for less then £11 they are great value, ok i boost them with lme, and a chunky hop addition, but they still come in around the £18 mark.

 

[Rich27]

Has anyone tried the Mangrove Jack pink grapefruit IPA?

I've had the grapefruit IPA's from M&S and they're very good. Apparently this one is similar to Brewdog's Elvis Juice which I quite like.

I picked up a pack of it today and may make it up tonight.

 

[micklupulo]

Yeah i have tried the golden ale, but wasnt keen, it had a distinct homebrew twang to it, but i didnt use the supplied kit yeast i used a cml real ale yeast. I suspect it was the cml yeast that caused the twang, as i have done a few brews with there real ale yeast, and had poor results. Used there cali common, and thats great, and there hops are also very good as well. I am on my 2nd mangrove jack pale, and have another one in the fermentation fridge at the moment it will be kegged on monday dry hopped that batch with 5og of chinook, the 1st one i used 5og of english cascade 2nd which i am drinking now has 50g of us cascade. These kits are gonna be my house beer for less then £11 they are great value, ok i boost them with lme, and a chunky hop addition, but they still come in around the £18 mark.

The yeast supplied with the pale ale worked well so will probably try the Golden with the yeast supplied. With the pale ale did you use 1kg of enhancer plus a half kg of LME?

 

[terrym]

The yeast supplied with the pale ale worked well so will probably try the Golden with the yeast supplied. With the pale ale did you use 1kg of enhancer plus a half kg of LME?

In my view its much better to use DME as an addition to wort instead of LME. It's LME thats my favourite for causing twang, so I no longer use it, and I don't get it anymore in the extract and partial mash beers I brew since I now only use DME.

 

[micklupulo]

In my view its much better to use DME as an addition to wort instead of LME. It's LME thats my favourite for causing twang, so I no longer use it, and I don't get it anymore in the extract and partial mash beers I brew since I now only use DME.

 

[micklupulo]

From

Yes thanks and noted and I now remember seeing this observation before so if I supplemented the kit at all it would be with DME.