Mangrove Jacks American IPA or Muntons Craft hand crafted American IPA?

[Benfleet Brewery]

I'm planning my next kit brew and can't choose between the MJ craft Series American IPA or the Muntons hand crafted American IPA. I already have 1.2kg MJ LME so the difference in cost between the two is just a couple of quid. I think I might be able to better choose if I could find what hops and how many are included with the Muntons. This is made clear with the MJ kit. If anyone has tried both kits and have a preference or if you can guide either way I'd be grateful to hear.

 

[Pavros]

I haven't tried either of those but I have tried a couple of other MJ kits from the same range and they were good. Strangely, I can't see which hops are in the Muntons kit on any website that I've checked.

You could also consider the Youngs American range. The IPA has chinook, simcoe and centennial hops and the APA has columbus and centennial.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

I haven't tried either of those but I have tried a couple of other MJ kits from the same range and they were good. Strangely, I can't see which hops are in the Muntons kit on any website that I've checked.

You could also consider the Youngs American range. The IPA has chinook, simcoe and centennial hops and the APA has columbus and centennial.

Thanks @Pavros

Yes, I did the MJ Craft series Bourbon Barrel Ale and it's absolutely superb. Not too far off the Adnams Both Barrels. https://www.adnams.co.uk/articles/calling-all-broadside-fans-both-barrels-is-here.htm

I was considering the Young's one. It sounded great but I dismissed it purely because I wanted to keep on the lower side of 6% ABV for this one :)

 

[Keats]

Thanks @Pavros

I was considering the Young's one. It sounded great but I dismissed it purely because I wanted to keep on the lower side of 6% ABV for this one :)

You could always brew it long using more water. Lower ABV and more beer!

 

[Pavros]

If I remember correctly the Youngs kits come with sugar to increase the abv, so you could just leave that out.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

If I remember correctly the Youngs kits come with sugar to increase the abv, so you could just leave that out.

Ah, I want to avoid using any sugar really.

 

[Pavros]

The IPA comes with 3kg of liquid malt and 1kg of sugar. The APA has 3kg of lme and 650g of sugar.

Just using the lme will produce a tasty beer, they're not like 1 can kits!

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

The IPA comes with 3kg of liquid malt and 1kg of sugar. The APA has 3kg of lme and 650g of sugar.

Just using the lme will produce a tasty beer, they're not like 1 can kits!

Gotcha
So by leaving the 1kg sugar out and brewing to the full 23l with just the LME, what is that likely to drop the quoted 6.5% abv to?

 

[Pavros]

I 'think' 1kg of sugar will give about 2% of abv but I'm not sure.
If you play around with the Brewers Friend calculators you may get some idea. Looks like 3kg of generic lme will produce just under 4% abv.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

So, I’ve just ordered the Young’s premium American IPA kit. I plan to leave out the 1kg sugar so it’s on the lower side of 6% abv. Do you think I will still need the full 20g of the included yeast?

 

[Pavros]

I would use the full pack of yeast

 

[StFlipper]

Is your aim to get a lower ABV than the standard kit, or just to avoid using brewing sugar? If it's the latter then why not replace the 1kg of sugar in the Young's kit with the 1.2kg of Mangrove Jack's LME that you have?

FYI I have made the Mangrove Jack's Simcoe IPA twice, the first time using their 1.2kg LME and the second time using brewing sugar. With LME the ABV came out at around 5.2% (1.050->1.010) and with brewing sugar it came out at 5.5% (1.050->1.008), so with the Young's AIPA kit I'd expect it to end up just over 6% rather than the quoted 6.5%.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Is your aim to get a lower ABV than the standard kit, or just to avoid using brewing sugar? If it's the latter then why not replace the 1kg of sugar in the Young's kit with the 1.2kg of Mangrove Jack's LME that you have?

FYI I have made the Mangrove Jack's Simcoe IPA twice, the first time using their 1.2kg LME and the second time using brewing sugar. With LME the ABV came out at around 5.2% (1.050->1.010) and with brewing sugar it came out at 5.5% (1.050->1.008), so with the Young's AIPA kit I'd expect it to end up just over 6% rather than the quoted 6.5%.

I was hoping to get something about 4.5% to 5% really. Not that I don't like high ABV IPA's, I'd just like something I'd be able to sink a few pints when having a BBQ with family and friends in the summer (should we have one!).

 

[StFlipper]

I agree, under 5% makes for a much better BBQ/session beer. Some of the 6+% IPAs seem more like a sipping beer, or even a barley wine, but the temptation is to down them as pints, and regret it later.
For a lighter hoppy ale, have you tried the Festival "Golden Stag" ? It's got that American light ale hoppiness (Cascade and Columbus), it's a malt-only kit, and comes out at around 4.3%. Some people here don't much care for it, but that may just be personal preference. It's one of my favourites, and I'm on my 4th batch of it.