Looking for a beer kit similar to Flowers Original

[guyb]

Hello, first time post. I've just got back to brewing wine and beer after a 15year lull.
I have just done a pinot grigio and a shiraz Beaverdale kit, and the wife is making short work of the pinot!


I have a Coopers Mexican Cervaza fermenting, and i'd like to do a kit which is similar in taste to Flowers Original (it's hard to source the real beer)

Can anyone recommend a kit that is similar to Flowers Original? I am not even sure what Flowers Original would be classified as - perhaps this is an English Bitter? But I note from looking on t'interweb that the tasting notes say "Malt fruit and hops in the mouth with smooth happy bitter finish"

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Guy

:

 

[bomberns127]

welcome back to brewing! you do realise now that you wont be able to stop this time, its like a bug that gets under your skin especially if the missus is drinking what you brew, as to the flowers original everybody's taste buds are slightly different so you could end up with a list of beer to brew before you find the one you want, mind you nothing wrong in that! go for 2 can kits if poss, normally better than the standard 1 can kits they cost a bit more but its all relative, i think you get better beer.
enjoy!
woodfordes wherry is a good beer to start with but change the yeast as it sometimes gets stuck before its ferments out

 

[guyb]

Many thanks for the information, and yes it has got under my skin to be honest - the lull is mainly due to having kids and not having the time, but now they are a little bit older I have some more time - plus I am fed up with being ripped off at the supermarket for wine / beer.

Interested in your comment about changing the yeast for the Woodfordes Wherry (oone of the ones I had my eye on) - I went for the Coopers Cerveza to get my confidence back in brewing etc.
So, do you mean use a different brand / type of yeast to that supplied? Or something else?

I have some more questions, but I'll post these via a different thread

Many thanks

 

[bomberns127]

i have brewed wherry a few times and changed the yeast on the last 2 occasions to safale s-04 its a bigger pack of yeast 11g instead of 6-7g and its down in around 4 days dependant on conditions, you did right by joining the forum, worldy wise and helpful on this site, i have been brewing on and off for 10 years ish, brewing in earnest from june time last year and now brew AG which im drinking now as i type (courage best clone) with which i have had rave reviews about from everyone who has drank it, seems i have more friends now i brew, funny that!

 

[guyb]

Excellent, thanks for this tip - thats another £20 to find for the wherry :thumb:

The wife bought a bottle from the shop tonight, she wanted to keep the homebrew cos its too good to drink every day! What did she do, poured the shop stuff back in the bottle, and drank the homebrewed pinot! Result!

Just glad she doesn't like beer!

 

[graysalchemy]

Welcome to the forum Guy. May I suggest that once you get into it a bit more you may wish to buy Graham Wheeler's British Real. In it is a recipe for Flowers original to be done either as an all grain or as an extract brew. I came back to brewing and started extract brewing. Not much extra involved except building a boiler (or buying one) and buying the individual ingredients, then following the recipe and boiling for 90mins. If you go down this route you will be surprised at how good your beer tastes.

Good Luck

AG

 

[guyb]

that's champion, thanks very much for that. I will follow that advice.

I just looked up extract brewing (as I like to understand the terms fully) - and it sounds simpler than AG brewing.

I just ordered some Woodforde's Wherry, so in a couple of brew's time I might look to get a boiler (are these expensive? - or can it be a dirty great stainless steel pan, the local asian supermarket has one you can fit a small family in).

cheers G

 

[bomberns127]

what you use for a boiler should be at least 25-30 litres in size, when you get it up to a rapid boil you will lose the precious liquid over the top if it isnt big enough, i have just picked up a 50 litre foster barrel which will be my new boiler very soon, where do you live guyb?

 

[luckyeddie]

what you use for a boiler should be at least 25-30 litres in size, when you get it up to a rapid boil you will lose the precious liquid over the top if it isnt big enough, i have just picked up a 50 litre foster barrel which will be my new boiler very soon, where do you live guyb?

This.

I acquired my current AG stuff at Christmas (presents) and my boiler is the Brupak jobby, which is not really big enough for even a 5 gallon (23 litre) batch. Over the next few weeks and months I'm going to work my way up to all-shiny, and will be acquiring a 50 litre pot to serve as my boiler. Not sure yet whether to go propane or stay with electric. The Brupak one will be retained (with a few insulation modifications) as a HLT, but it will also double as a second boiler for the resultant 'small beer' second runnings when I'm doing high gravity batches (waste not, want not).

 

[guyb]

what you use for a boiler should be at least 25-30 litres in size, when you get it up to a rapid boil you will lose the precious liquid over the top if it isnt big enough, i have just picked up a 50 litre foster barrel which will be my new boiler very soon, where do you live guyb?

Ah right, it needs to be a big un then! But I guess it doesn't have to have a tap on the bottom (although this would be easier I guess for decanting into the FV? I just had a browse online for boilers and I see where you are coming from.

As for live, Rotherham, South Yorks (although I am originally from God's country - Lancashire :grin: )

 

[guyb]

This.

was this a "clicky"? I was hoping it was, :pray: and to see some nice bright shiny thing of desire! :grin:

 

[luckyeddie]

This.

was this a "clicky"? I was hoping it was, :pray: and to see some nice bright shiny thing of desire! :grin:

No - just internet arsehole-speak for 'I agree with what the previous poster said'. Sorry to confuse.

 

[luckyeddie]

what you use for a boiler should be at least 25-30 litres in size, when you get it up to a rapid boil you will lose the precious liquid over the top if it isnt big enough, i have just picked up a 50 litre foster barrel which will be my new boiler very soon, where do you live guyb?

Ah right, it needs to be a big un then! But I guess it doesn't have to have a tap on the bottom (although this would be easier I guess for decanting into the FV? I just had a browse online for boilers and I see where you are coming from.

As for live, Rotherham, South Yorks (although I am originally from God's country - Lancashire :grin: )

You definitely want a tap at the bottom. You will also want to fit an outlet manifold on the inside connected to the tap. This is basically a network of copper piping with small (2 mm) holes drilled in the underneath of it. The purpose of this is to act as a strainer. After you have boiled and chilled your wort, the hops and precipitated proteins will settle out at the bottom of your boiler. The outlet manifold will then act as a strainer when you open the tap, and most of the clag will be left behind.

keith1664, who regularly posts on here, made this...

Do a search for 'hop strainer' or 'hop stopper'

 

[bomberns127]

i only asked about area, because if it was bristol i have a spare kettle element to put into the boiler, mind you they are cheap to pick up from anywhere, you can also pick up a tap as well, check out some online brew shops, and as for the filter which you push into the other side of the tap to catch the crap, you can make it yourself from bits of copper you probably have in the garage/shed :)
you are a third of the way to AG territory, beware! lol

 

[guyb]

Am I really coveting another mans piece of drilled copper - you bet I am!

Thanks luckyeddie, and bomberns127!

I can feel wife friendly receipts being a necessity! Just like my local bike shop

 

[bomberns127]

now i am intrigued, you ride bikes as well? i got 2, a kawasaki vn1600 classic and a 1977 z1000 a1, i need to give up work, aint got enough time to go with the hobbies i got!

 

[guyb]

now i am intrigued, you ride bikes as well? i got 2, a kawasaki vn1600 classic and a 1977 z1000 a1, i need to give up work, aint got enough time to go with the hobbies i got!

Alas, mine are the push variety - a nice two week old Cube LTD Race (mountain) and a Merlin Malt2 (mountain) converted to single speed - it accounts for my large thighs! Haha.