Muntons Smugglers: kit vs AG

[Sandimas]

Been brewing AG for 9 years but illness last year forced me to step back from my usual schedule, so I thought I'd try one of the kits I rated the most back when I started: Muntons Smugglers.

It's a 2-can kit and the first thing I noticed is that Muntons is still miserly with their kit yeast, providing a single 6g packet, which isn't really enough for a 40 pint brew (it can be, but if you're unlucky you can end up with the dreaded 1020 stuck-brew, not worth taking the risk IMHO). So I brewed just the 1 tin this time to use the 6g yeast, I'll brew the rest of it later. Filled it slightly short to 11L to give an OG of 1050.

Just bottled it and had a quick sample: after 15 days in the FV FG is 1012, tastes a little sweet but really quite nice, and hold up well against my AG brews at this stage of the process. One of the benefits of AG is the infinite possibilities of ingredients, kits are resticted to what's available, but from a quality perspective this isn't bad at all so far. From my notes way back when, this brew benefits from a decent maturation time, so I'll try not to touch it for 6 weeks and see how it tastes then.

 

[damienair]

Let us know how it turns out. I just do kits, Full Extract kits and one and two can kits. I’m doing it for 3 years and so far I’m very happy with the results.

 

[The Baron]

I have done that kit a few years ago when I was short of AG brewing time to get stocks up and it was good. Nothing wrong with quality kits in my world if you are not able to AG

 

[soupdragon]

I have done that kit a few years ago when I was short of AG brewing time to get stocks up and it was good. Nothing wrong with quality kits in my world if you are not able to AG

Or, as in my case. If you've fallen out of love with the actual act of brewing

Cheers Tom

 

[Frisp]

Been brewing AG for 9 years but illness last year forced me to step back from my usual schedule, so I thought I'd try one of the kits I rated the most back when I started: Muntons Smugglers.

It's a 2-can kit and the first thing I noticed is that Muntons is still miserly with their kit yeast, providing a single 6g packet, which isn't really enough for a 40 pint brew (it can be, but if you're unlucky you can end up with the dreaded 1020 stuck-brew, not worth taking the risk IMHO). So I brewed just the 1 tin this time to use the 6g yeast, I'll brew the rest of it later. Filled it slightly short to 11L to give an OG of 1050.

Just bottled it and had a quick sample: after 15 days in the FV FG is 1012, tastes a little sweet but really quite nice, and hold up well against my AG brews at this stage of the process. One of the benefits of AG is the infinite possibilities of ingredients, kits are resticted to what's available, but from a quality perspective this isn't bad at all so far. From my notes way back when, this brew benefits from a decent maturation time, so I'll try not to touch it for 6 weeks and see how it tastes then.

just a side question re returning to kits. I have just kegged my first kit in almost 30 years. and its got that "homebrew whiff" i used to get from the old kits back in teh day. and its a whiff I never got from AG. did you notice any hint of it with your Muntons kit?

 

[The Baron]

No I did not notice anything untoward with the one I brewed. I do think time helps like not rushing fermentation and allowing the yeast time to clean up also do not drink too early with kits is my advice

 

[Frisp]

No I did not notice anything untoward with the one I brewed. I do think time helps like not rushing fermentation and allowing the yeast time to clean up also do not drink too early with kits is my advice

Mine finished out in 6 days and sat that way until today, ill give mine a month in teh keg and see what happens

 

[matt.]

Mine finished out in 6 days and sat that way until today, ill give mine a month in teh keg and see what happens

Interesting thread.
After bottling or kegging, do you leave in a warm area for a week or so, before transferring to a cold storage area?

 

[Frisp]

Interesting thread.
After bottling or kegging, do you leave in a warm area for a week or so, before transferring to a cold storage area?

I fermented @20C from 1.037down to 1.007 then raised it to 22c for 3 days and it dropped to 1.005 where it stayed. then I slowly reduced the temp down to 18C. when it had stopped I hooked it up to Co2 and force carbonate the "Chubby Fermenter. Two days ago I cold crashed it down to 2C and kegged today on a closed transfer at 2C to help keep teh Co2 in the beer .

If I hadnt force carbonated and was carbonating in keg yes Id leave it a while at fermentation temps for the carbonation to finish out.. then leave it in a coller place for a while to mature

(Gravity readings are from an ispindle and are to be taken as a guide not 100%fact as I havnt compared the readings against a hydrometer yet)

 

[Sandimas]

Had the first sample yesterday after 3 weeks bottled: 2 weeks in the warm and 1 week cold conditioining.

Pretty underwhelmed to be honest but it's early days. Will try a bottle once a week to see if it improves: it's not bad, just a bit average and a bit sweet.

 

[Sandimas]

Well, here it is after 10 weeks in the bottle: nicely clear and a good head. Taste-wise, it's OK, the sweetness has gone and it's a nice malty brew....just not on a par with my AG brews.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, but when I started brewing this was the best canned kit I brewed and I praised it highly in my notes. I guess my expectations have changed as I've moved to AG. But it's still a good kit.

 

[The Baron]

I did the same a couple of Christmases back as was short of time so brewed a good kit-Smugglers it was good but not as good as my normal AG's but still enjoyed it

 

[Clint]

Or, as in my case. If you've fallen out of love with the actual act of brewing

Cheers Tom

I've not brewed since before Christmas. I'm not happy at the moment and can't be bothered with much.

 

[soupdragon]

I've not brewed since before Christmas. I'm not happy at the moment and can't be bothered with much.

I'd been getting less and less enjoyment out of my brew days for a good few years. Don't get me wrong, the beers I've been making had been significantly better than any of the kit brews I've done. The only kit brew that I can really say that I've enjoyed every last drop is Muntons Gold Old English Bitter.
All that said I still dread kegging day (or bagging day for my wine). I just find it difficult to get motivated to do it but once I'm actually kegging I'm fine about it. I have no intention of getting rid of my all in one just in case I do get the urge again. They're too bl00dy expensive to replace.

Cheers Tom

 

[ARNWD]

I've not brewed since before Christmas. I'm not happy at the moment and can't be bothered with much.

I sincerely hope you are feeling well sooner rather than later.

If a stranger can help, private message me. I would be aghast if a cry for help was missed. I am willing to do anything to improve this melancholy you must be feeling. Many others have felt the same inluding myself - you are not alone.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

All that said I still dread kegging day (or bagging day for my wine).

I have the same feeling on wine bottling day but once the bottles are sanitized it goes fairly quickly.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I've not brewed since before Christmas. I'm not happy at the moment and can't be bothered with much.

Sorry to hear that Clint are you off brewing, drinking or both?

 

[soupdragon]

I have the same feeling on wine bottling day but once the bottles are sanitized it goes fairly quickly.

Don't mention the B (ottles) word

Cheers Tom

 

[User 38108]

Just a quick note on the smugglers kits, they have stopped making them, and are hard to get hold of. Which kind of messed up my plan. I am in the process of doing 3 of these kits.
The first is using the yeast provided (using the yest from the other kit to boost it)
The second kit I am going to get a different yeast like windsor.
The third kit was going to be a hybrid yeast by mixing the original yeast with windsor.
Just to see how much flavour comes from the yeast.
It now seams a bit of a waste of time now as these kits are being pulled out of circulation.
What I really want is a decent kit that I can exbeeriment with and find my perfect pint

 

[soupdragon]

Word is that Muntons "may" do limited runs of the Smugglers.
I've got 4 to do and plan on doing something the same as you. Standard yeast X2, CML BEòIR and Four. Not sure about the 4th kit yet.
I'm quite taken by their gold range Old English Bitter. I found it to be smooth and surprisingly tasty. Between Ruddles and Abbott I thought

Cheers Tom