Geordie Winter Warmer or Tom Caxton's Real Ale

[gib1970]

I had a homebrew kit as a present sitting there for a year and made a batch of Cooper's Ale which is splendid (and a bottle of shop bought Ale tastes like syrup compared to homebrew now) and will be making another batch of ales next week.
Out of Geordie Winter Warmer or Tom Caxton's Real Ale which should I do next?
Is there any around the £15 mark that anyone can recommend that is around the 4.5 mark too for future reference?
Thanks.:drink:

 

[BruinTuns]

This one: http://www.tesco.com/direct/john-bull-ipa-18kg-black/213-9806.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=213-9806
gets cosistently good reviews. Currently under a tenner and you can read up on it here: http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18570
Just ordered two more myself.

 

[Frogbrew]

This one: http://www.tesco.com/direct/john-bull-ipa-18kg-black/213-9806.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=213-9806
gets cosistently good reviews. Currently under a tenner and you can read up on it here: http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18570
Just ordered two more myself.

Gets my vote too, just picked mine up from Tesco in their sale, bought with the brew enhancer at £3.75 too:wink:

 

[gib1970]

This one: http://www.tesco.com/direct/john-bull-ipa-18kg-black/213-9806.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=213-9806
gets cosistently good reviews. Currently under a tenner and you can read up on it here: http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18570
Just ordered two more myself.

Thanks for the heads up. I never knew that Tesco did homebrew stuff and at that price and the reviews etc looks like a nice drop. Will investigate!

 

[BruinTuns]

If you go for it follow frasedeb and pick up a pack of the Young's brew enhancer at the same time and use it instead of the 'sugar' that most kit instuctions suggest (apologies if you already knew that).

 

[gib1970]

As I've only made one batch of homebrew so far I've no idea how brew enhancer is different from sugar and do I use carbonation drops with the IPA you recommend?
Also I read somewhere that it had been bubbling for 3 weeks. I bought a brew belt as the house was too cold when I did my brew. Would it still take 3 weeks with a brew belt as the brew may still be on the go when my 70 year old mum is visiting for Christmas and might not appreciate sharing the back bedroom with a brew bubbling away!
Thanks for all the advice. I'm a complete newbie so please be patient if I'm asking simplistic questions.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm a complete newbie so please be patient if I'm asking simplistic questions.

We all start this hobby with little knowledge of what to make or how to make it, the forum would be like a ghost town if it were not for new members joining wanting to know more about this hobby, there is no such thing as a simple question. :thumb:

 

[eltei]

Must admit never tried Tom Caxtons but the Geordie Winter Warmer is one of my favourites, I do however only do a 25 pint batch as with all my brews.

 

[BruinTuns]

Brew Enhancer (sometimes abbreviated to 'BKE') is a 50/50 mix of dried malt extract (which gives beer flavour and body) and dextrose (brewing sugar). Most brewers agree that it brews a superior beer than ordinary supermarket sugar.
Carbonation drops divide opinion (some like, some don't) but they are far from essential. I, and many others, use just over half a teaspoon of ordinary sugar instead, works perfectly well. Some (I think a minority) prefer to 'prime' their bottles with dextrose, malt, golden syrup..
To start with I'd recommend keeping things simple and stick to table sugar. Although not usually recommended to use as the main fermentable in the brew, it's perfectly adequate for carbonation purposes.

"We all start this hobby with little knowledge of what to make or how to make it, the forum would be like a ghost town if it were not for new members joining wanting to know more about this hobby..."
Nice comment, 100% agreed :hat:

 

[gib1970]

Thanks to everyone for their input. I've ordered the IPA and the brew enhancer and it should arrive today around the corner at the local Tesco.
It says on the tin it makes 40 pints and so have ordered 40 plastic bottles as I've still got 20 pints of Cooper's Ale left.
Using the brew belt hopefully it will be done before Christmas.
I'll use the carbonation drops up I've bought.
I'd better fix the curtain pole that has fallen down first though. More successful at brewing than D.I.Y.