malt extract kits

[bonnierider]

I recently bought some equipment on e-bay in an auction . With the goodies I got was a Festival premium ale kit . A razorback IPA . It's been years since I did a kit brew . I always brew all grain . Anyway , not wanting to waste it I brewed up . I substituted the sugar in the recipe with malt . What a surprise !!!! ,a very drinkable beer was the result . The reason I went "all grain " years ago was the fact that kits always resulted in a yeasty ,fizzy ,hop-pop . So , this is the question , Was I lucky or have these kits improved over the years ????? I think i'll try another kit and would be interested to know what results you have had . Any recommendations ???Cheers ,must go , thirst calling .

 

[terrym]

Kits have improved from years back.You have probably dropped on one of the better kits, which so called premium kits usually are over one can kits.
I have done two kits from the premium Youngs American range the AIPA and the APA and have been impressed.
However there are good one can kits to be had. In my experience Coopers kits are reliable and can be 'pimped up' with grain or extra hops as you wish. Their Original Stout is particularly good. Same goes for John Bull kits. Both can sometimes be had from Tesco Direct in their frequent sales at reduced prices.
Finally Woodefords Wherry is not a bad pint but substitute a proper yeast like a GV12 to ensure you get a good primary fermentation and not one that sticks.

 

[Steved53]

I recently bought some equipment on e-bay in an auction . With the goodies I got was a Festival premium ale kit . A razorback IPA . It's been years since I did a kit brew . I always brew all grain . Anyway , not wanting to waste it I brewed up . I substituted the sugar in the recipe with malt . What a surprise !!!! ,a very drinkable beer was the result . The reason I went "all grain " years ago was the fact that kits always resulted in a yeasty ,fizzy ,hop-pop . So , this is the question , Was I lucky or have these kits improved over the years ????? I think i'll try another kit and would be interested to know what results you have had . Any recommendations ???Cheers ,must go , thirst calling .

I think they have improved considerably in the last 20 odd years. My homebrew used to be quite drinkable, but I don't think you would have confused it with a commercial product. Some of the 3kg kits I have done have bettered many commercial offerings.

The ingredients available for all grain for the home brewer, and the available equipment, has improved considerably also.

 

[dad_of_jon]

I recently bought some equipment on e-bay in an auction . With the goodies I got was a Festival premium ale kit . A razorback IPA . It's been years since I did a kit brew . I always brew all grain . Anyway , not wanting to waste it I brewed up . I substituted the sugar in the recipe with malt . What a surprise !!!! ,a very drinkable beer was the result . The reason I went "all grain " years ago was the fact that kits always resulted in a yeasty ,fizzy ,hop-pop . So , this is the question , Was I lucky or have these kits improved over the years ????? I think i'll try another kit and would be interested to know what results you have had . Any recommendations ???Cheers ,must go , thirst calling .

Malt extract kits can make a decent end result I've done a few and ended up with a far better beer than is served in pubs. But AG always seems to have a lower cost per pint and of course can also wipe the floor with standard pub beers.

 

[Sandimas]

Kits are good if you're aiming for either end of the spectrum: malty non-hoppy beers or very hoppy US-style beers. Where they fall down is in the middle ground, I've yet to find a decent English Pale Ale in a kit.

The problem is getting the hop flavour in. Most kits claim to have hopped malt extract but I think the production process results in most of the flavour being lost. The US-style kits have added dry hops, but they tend to be quite bold. But you can tweak kits (as I do) by doing your own boil/steep/dry hop with European hops and grains e.g. I've done numerous tweaks to Wherry to turn it into different beers.

There's also the halfway house of Extract, between kits and All Grain: you do everything you'd do in AG except the mash, several companies sell recipe packs or you can make up your own. Only downside in that malt extract is expensive, but the beers are great.
http://www.brewuk.co.uk/beerkits/craftybrews/brewextract.html