Festival Golden Stag Summer Ale Review

[muddy90]

I was kind of persauded to do one of these new kits by my lhbs! I went in for a smugglers, I'd decided that would be my next one but she planted that seed of doubt in my mind, too much choice is a bad thing!

These kits are brand new apparently, & I was impressed by the amount of info on the box & it's contents. They have notes on smell, taste & bitterness, Which is handy. Contents wise... I've never seen such a comprehensive kit.

In the box is..... 2 bags of Malt (no extra sugar needed), yeast, a bag of hop pellets, a hop bag (for straining when syphoning) & a bag of carbonation sugar. So no more ingredients are required at all. :thumb:
They're set to be the most expensive kit available so expectations are high. :
Mine will be going in tommorrow. :drink:

 

[Mark1964]

wow kits have moved on since i did my first ones in the 80s all they were then was a tin and yeast. The new ones look pretty impressive :thumb:

 

[EskiBrew]

Interesting - keep us posted :thumb:

 

[muddy90]

They also do, Landlords finest bitter, Pride of London porter, Father Hook's best bitter & Old Suffolk strong ale.

 

[mmaguy41]

How much was it?

 

[muddy90]

Introductory price £23.99
http://www.dorsethomebrew.co.uk/shop/al ... 12839.html
Mod's please remove the link if it violates any forum rules. :grin:

 

[muddy90]

2 weeks in & still bubbling :shock: Summer will be well gone by the time it's ready. :whistle:

 

[muddy90]

Bottled tonight : Got 45 500ml bottles out of it, the most I've ever got from a 40 pint kit. I put this down to the hop straining bag that goes over the syphon tube, it's strains incredibly small particles.
Anyway, tasted amazing. :party:

 

[Pearlfisher]

Introductory price £23.99
http://www.dorsethomebrew.co.uk/shop/al ... 12839.html
Mod's please remove the link if it violates any forum rules. :grin:

Can't see how 3kg of liquid malt extract makes 23L of 4.5% ABV?

 

[muddy90]

Well, I wouldn't know! :wha:
Especially as I'm a lazy bugger & can't be bothered to take hydro readings :rofl: I have the feeling of 'it is what it is'. As long as it tastes nice that's all that's important.
IF I had taken readings I'd be able to confirm for you. :grin:

 

[eddie66]

Introductory price £23.99
http://www.dorsethomebrew.co.uk/shop/al ... 12839.html
Mod's please remove the link if it violates any forum rules. :grin:

Can't see how 3kg of liquid malt extract makes 23L of 4.5% ABV?

The ABV on the box is usually rather optimistic, i have just done a Wherry and that states on the box 4.5% but it came out at 4%.

 

[plumpton]

Just to add to this thread, I recently bought the Festival Old Suffolk Ale kit which again is a 2 tin kit and it is expected to come out at 6%.

The reason why I think it is possible is due to the extras that come in the box, mine also came with DME to add to help increase the Volume.

Like the person who posted I am quite impressed with the box contents and the instructions are also pretty comprehensive.

I aim to set this brewing at the weekend so will let u all know how it goes soon.

cheers


:

 

[dodsi]

I think my next kit will be a landords finest bitter kit from this range...

 

[simo72]

Hi all
I'm just doing one of these and have just added the hop pellet sachet after 5 days as per instruction, I took a sample for a hydro reading which shows its down to 1022 from 1042 so all is going well, so i took a swig from the sample jar and WOW it tastes fantastic already, quite hoppy and a dry citrus finish and thats before the hop pellets :thumb: If i were to compare to a commercial brew it would be Badger Hoppy Hare which i love so heres to the final brew :drink:

 

[muddy90]

Badger Hoppy Hare which i love so heres to the final brew :drink:

One of my faves too. :drink:
Mines been in the bottle now for 6 days & I'm getting very impatient! :nono: It tasted pretty amazing when I syphoned it.
It was quite a slow ferment.

 

[dodsi]

bought my Lanlords best bitter kit... review to follow!

:

 

[Archtronics]

What does this taste similar to would you say ?

 

[muddy90]

Just cracked my first one :
Couldn't help myself It's not been in the bottle for 2 weeks yet & hasn't gone outside into the cold.
Got a nice pisst & it poured nice with a decent head but that didn't last very long. The sedement was nice & solid with very little disturbance.
Taste.... WOW ! Nice & light, fairly hoppy but not overly with a slightly bitter after taste.
It reminds me of a top pub bought summer ale. :drink:
I'm so impressed & so very happy :party: Now do I do another of these or one of their others???? :hmm:

 

[Hopping Mad]

Loving the reviews I am reading on these new Festival kits! I was going to do milestone blackpearl for Christmas but changed my mind and decided to go for the festival london porter :d I will most def be trying the golden stag next.

 

[hoofy]

The Old Suffolk Strong Ale kit was my second ever attempt at brewing my own beer. It was bottled on the 31st of August and I tried it after 3 weeks in the bottle. I was so impressed it's inspired me to keep on brewing as I now know what can be achieved with brewing your own. :

I also have a London Porter bottled a couple of weeks later that I'm looking forward to trying.

It's a 10 out of 10 for these kits from me.