Brupaks Colne Valley Bitter Review

[Essex_Lad]

For information I have made this kit twice, I will speak about the first brew and then the second.

This was the first two tin brew that I decided to do. After speaking to Cliff in my local home brew shop he passed comment that he rates the Brupaks rage as some of the best kits available, on this I decided to go with the Colne Valley.

What I liked about this is kit is that it comes with a bag of hops which you make a hop soup with and add to the brew, this gives it a nice bite :) SG - 1040 FG - 1010 so 4% - I placed the brew into a keg and from memory I waited around two weeks before caving in and having a tester, the whole keg was gone in around ten days.

The first pint I poured of this brew was amazing, a real clean taste and I could really taste the added hop soup.

The second batch of this brew I made around six months later, figures were the same as above but this time I bottled with one tsp of granulated sugar in each bottle. This was placed indoors for two weeks and then outside for nearly to three months.

I found that bottling the brew the second time round gave it even more flavour. I tried a cheeky bottle after four weeks and was happy, having brewed more brews I knew that sitting on my hands would pay off and pay off it did! After three months I would say its one of the best brews I have done to date.

If you are looking at doing a Brupaks kit I can 100% recommend this, you will not be disappointed.

:drunk:

 

[Scorrie]

This was the first kit I used after starting to brew again.

Good, clear instructions and I liked the hop 'teabag'. There's more detailed instructions included, giving options for a stronger brew and a couple of options on how to use the hops.

I put the first brew into a barrel. After 2 weeks in a warm room and just under two weeks in a cooler spot...I finally cracked.

The first beers tasted very yeasty, and the beer was still a little cloudy. But over the next couple of weeks it cleared down to give a lovely clear beer that tasted great. In fact I'd say it was just getting into condition properly as I finished the barrel.

I've just put another Colne Valley into bottles and am brewing another one into a barrel this weekend. The plan is to leave well alone for a little longer and then report back here. :drink:

 

[Scorrie]

As an aside. I've not had any of my kits go as low as 1010 FG it's around 1015 with them, despite being in a stable 20C environment. doesn't appear to be a problem though.

 

[Sandimas]

Got to admit that, after hearing rave reviews about this kit, I was a little disappointed. It got stuck at 1018 and wouldn't go any lower, highest FG of any kit I've done, and seemingly no particular reason for it - it had a good constant temperature, and all my other kits have dropped lower. After 15 days I decided to move it, so did half kegged and half bottled.

Not a bad beer by any means, but didn't excite like some others I've brewed. I put some bottles aside and they were getting much better after 2 months, so maybe I just didn't leave it long enough, although other kits I've tried are great after 3-6 weeks.

Mate of mine brewed it and the FG went right down, so maybe I was unlucky. Will get another one sometime, but not in a hurry.

 

[jobby]

mine has been in the keg for almost 4 weeks and is clear as a bell, not quite ready for drinking yet ill leave it another few weeks before i get stuck in :

 

[jobby]

well 8 weeks in the keg and its turned into a very nice pint indeed, i put the keg in me beer fridge for a couple of hours before connecting up to me pump so as to give it a chance of staying fairly cool in these hot temps we are getting at the moment, i tried one straight from the fridge and it wasnt bad to be honest but as it warmed up during the afternoon it got so much better the flavours came through very well, then as it got too warm popped it back in the fridge for half hour and away we went again, not much left after the inlaws made a visit :drink:
will be getting this kit again soon thats for sure

 

[Capone]

Hello Forum,

I Guess its best to start from the beginning, I went to my local (HBS) and after much discussion I went with
Brupaks - Pride of Yorkshire - Colne Valley Bitter - Microbrewery Series.
When I opened the box the first thing I saw was the clear Idiot proof instructions on how to make this batch.
I made this batch using the Basic Instructions as I wanted to keep it simple as possible and not forget something
that could damage the batch if it was not done correctly.
I had an OG of 1.043 and a FG of 1.009
So i worked out that 1.043 - 1.009 x 131.25 = 4.6%
I bottled the beer one week after I had a stable gravity priming the bottles with 5mg of caster sugar.

It has been two weeks since then and this evening I have decided that it is time to open one for taste testing.


I feel i must share this moment with you forum it is very serious. :rofl:

Ok as I cracked open the bottle with the opener I herd a slight ssssst and I smiled to myself.
I then slowly began to pour it into a straight glass taking care not to spill any.
At first look it was clear it needed to be tasted, as i took my first mouthful I could almost breath in the malt sweetness
and as it went down it was smooth. I then took a breath had a relaxing shiver but that was not all oh no
for a short while after i had a flavor of hoppy bitterness sitting on my tongue that was not over powering.

This is a great session beer and it must be tried. I am now on my fourth :