Favourite can kits?

[micklupulo]

The beerworks kits from lovebrewing are very good. Easy to follow instructions too.

I like the look of these so have looked at the instructions on line which puzzle me a bit. I can't find them now but am pretty sure they say that on day 8 (for ales such as Dragons Speciale) the hops should be chopped up ( this suggests cones?) then be steeped in boiling water which should then be discarded with the hops added to the FV. I wonder if you are able to cast any light on the thinking behind that but from what you say whatever you brewed turned out well?

 

[jimbo1982]

I like the look of these so have looked at the instructions on line which puzzle me a bit. I can't find them now but am pretty sure they say that on day 8 (for ales such as Dragons Speciale) the hops should be chopped up ( this suggests cones?) then be steeped in boiling water which should then be discarded with the hops added to the FV. I wonder if you are able to cast any light on the thinking behind that but from what you say whatever you brewed turned out well?

The instructions I had said to chop the hop pellets add boiling water and continue to chop, strain liquid and add hop mush to the fv. I was a bit dubious but followed to the letter.

Turned out well.

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

Ain’t read much but the coopers Aussie pale ale is a fab can to tweak. Neutral , light in colour you can pimp it big style. Change the yeast or not Coopers yeasts ain’t bad if fresh. S05 for me though , gets me sorted on most styles.

 

[micklupulo]

The instructions I had said to chop the hop pellets add boiling water and continue to chop, strain liquid and add hop mush to the fv. I was a bit dubious but followed to the letter.

Turned out well.

View attachment 28785

Thanks that makes sense so I must have misread. It certainly looks good!

 

[Norse John]

Has anyone tried ditching the standard issue ale yeast and using a high temperature lager yeast like California lager yeast? And if so does it make much of a difference? Have you got the same Northern European lager taste?

 

[Scottyburto]

Has anyone tried ditching the standard issue ale yeast and using a high temperature lager yeast like California lager yeast? And if so does it make much of a difference? Have you got the same Northern European lager taste?

I've used CML Cali common a few times now and feel it has a dryer crisper finish than the wilko kit yeasts which I prefer. Although it does seem to suffer with quite a lot of yeast debris in the bottle. It sticks to the bottom pretty well tho.

 

[pms67]

I like the look of these so have looked at the instructions on line which puzzle me a bit. I can't find them now but am pretty sure they say that on day 8 (for ales such as Dragons Speciale) the hops should be chopped up ( this suggests cones?) then be steeped in boiling water which should then be discarded with the hops added to the FV. I wonder if you are able to cast any light on the thinking behind that but from what you say whatever you brewed turned out well?

I ignored that and just threw them in as a dryhop, I’m too tight to throw anything away!

 

[micklupulo]

I ignored that and just threw them in as a dryhop, I’m too tight to throw anything away!

I was already thinking of using them for dry hopping though perhaps keeping about a quarter back for another day as some reviews complain the beer is a bit thin so was thinking of brewing short to 20L which will also boost the ABV above the rather modest projected 4%.

 

[cossie.j]

I really enjoyed the festival golden stag kit and it’s not really bad value either, another was the coopers Mexican cerveza using their brew enhancer 2

 

[Applesnmore]

I like the look of these so have looked at the instructions on line which puzzle me a bit. I can't find them now but am pretty sure they say that on day 8 (for ales such as Dragons Speciale) the hops should be chopped up ( this suggests cones?) then be steeped in boiling water which should then be discarded with the hops added to the FV. I wonder if you are able to cast any light on the thinking behind that but from what you say whatever you brewed turned out well?

Just bottled their Goose that I started on the 28th July. Certainly citrusy. The instructions are as you say @mickluplo yet the hops were pellets. Didn't understand the reasoning for rehydration but did. Couldn't discard as once rehydrated it was set green jelly. All went in. Going into the bottle, it was hazy, but I need the bucket. Tastes good this far.

 

[micklupulo]

Just bottled their Goose that I started on the 28th July. Certainly citrusy. The instructions are as you say @mickluplo yet the hops were pellets. Didn't understand the reasoning for rehydration but did. Couldn't discard as once rehydrated it was set green jelly. All went in. Going into the bottle, it was hazy, but I need the bucket. Tastes good this far.

It would be interesting to know how it turns out when bottled/kegged a while.

 

[Perrin_Abara]

Seems like the best ones are stouts.
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Not a can but one of my favourite kits has always been Festival Pride of London Porter and I tend to brew it short to 20l.

Currently really enjoying the Mangrove Jack's pouches brewed with LME as the extra fermentables.

The first Premium kit I did was Festival Pilgrims Hope and it was absolutely fantastic. I've also don the razorback IPA as well. I dont think you can go wrong with the festival kits

 

[micklupulo]

It would be interesting to know how it turns out when bottled/kegged a while.

Just reread and clearly to be bottled!

 

[Theoriginalrich]

Coopers Bootmaker with added can of cooper light malt and 500g extra light DME, dry hopped with 100g each of Mosaic and Citra. Turned out great and didn’t last long, had to stop the missus pinching it.

 

[Gunge]

Last time I was on this forum, I exclusively did all-grain. Moving to a house which was not really suitable for that, saw me going back to kits... enhanced of course. Done loads in those nearly 3 years and can't say I've had a bad one tbh, but a recent John Bull Irish stout and Pilsner came out very nice indeed, much to my surprise....

 

[micklupulo]

Last time I was on this forum, I exclusively did all-grain. Moving to a house which was not really suitable for that, saw me going back to kits... enhanced of course. Done loads in those nearly 3 years and can't say I've had a bad one tbh, but a recent John Bull Irish stout and Pilsner came out very nice indeed, much to my surprise....

Weirdly after returning to home brewing after about 25 years I resumed with kits (encouraged by the fact that they had obviously improved) but my attempts to enhance them by eg. dry hopping were largely unsuccessful which provided an incentive to revert to all grain! I would be interested to know which kits you most successfully improved and how.