Milestone Black Pearl Review

[Monte Cristo]

Brew No. 4 for me, I bought this two can kit as I had read a few good reviews on it and the packaging caught my eye as well. This is the first Stout kit I have done so afraid I don't have anything to compare it against other than the odd Guinness and Murphys from cans.

I brewed it short to 21Lt as a reviewer had said he would brew with less water next time and didn't want watery stout, so other than that i followed the instructions, the sg was 1040. I didn't get off to a very good start with this kit as it had me panicking i had done something wrong as the printed sheet stated it would kick off within 24hrs, it took 2 days before it started and then went like the clappers and was all but done in 4 days but left it 10 days in total.

The fg went down to 1010 after been stuck at 1012 (sheet said it should be 1009 so i gave it a stir). I batch primed it with demerara sugar and bottled it.

I have to say that straight out of the fv it tasted really good with a slight bitter edge followed by a long liquorice aftertaste. In fact i bottled a few without any priming sugar as it remindered me of guinness original, hopefully this is going to get even better when matured if i can wait that long!

 

[Monte Cristo]

A couple of weeks on Chaps and here is an update.

As you can see from the pic it has a good head on pouring which doesn't last to the bottom of the glass, unless you down it in one of course.
The bitterness has mellowed a touch and the liquorice aftertaste has dropped back but is still there and has developed a slight coffee hint.
I am pleased with how it has turned out and is very drinkable I will have to keep some bottles back to compare with other stout kits.

 

[Monte Cristo]

Another couple of weeks on chaps and this has improved again, the head seems to have become creamier and slightly darker- not quite draught pulled but not as foamy as first sample and the head retention has definitely improved, don't quite know why.

This had turned into a jolly nice pint, everyone i have given one to has loved so far. :hat:

 

[Boatbrewer]

I have made quite a few of these and I would say it is best kit beer I have ever made. Needs several months to reach its peak though.

 

[Colin]

I hated this when I tried my first bottle! 2 weeks later I thought it was ok. 2 months later it is one of the best kits I have made, a totally different pint to the first one. Make it, bottle or keg it and them forget it. You will be well rewarded.

 

[dbg400]

Tried my first QC bottle of this last night. I've done the kit a few times before, but in the barrel. This time round I added 500g of molasses sugar and 40ml of vanilla extract to the FV. Bottled after three weeks - it was a slow ferment even though the temp was held at 20C the whole time. Then it had 10 days in the house for secondary, and has been conditioning in the garage for the last week. The carbonation isn't very high - just right in the glass but no head. In the barrel it was always too lively and it took time to get a decent amount of beer in the glass, rather than just foam!

As others have said this improves with keeping and needs a few months to get to its best. Even so it was very enjoyable, so I'm hopeful it'll be really good by Christmas.

 

[Hopping_Mad]

Ditto what everyone else has said about leaving it!

Just had a pint that I bottled in November for Christmas. Bloody great. Nice and malty, not too bitter and not too hoppy. Was a bit sweet to start with but obviously that's cleared up with time.

Just the kit used and brewed to 20 ltrs to ensure its 'stout' enough!

Just remembered I put 5 ltrs in a mini-keg - bonus!!!!! :razz: