New range of kits from Muntons arriving in the spring

[damienair]

Muntons Hazy IPA

Started - 9th June - made up to 20L with Tesco Ashbeck mineral water. Fermented in brew fridge at 20.5°C.
First hops added - 10th June.
Second hops added - 19th June.
Bottled - 22nd June, with one sugar stick per bottle and put into brew fridge at 20.5°C.
Moved out to shed - 8th July.
First pint - 3rd September.

I would normally have tried this earlier, but I try only to drink at weekends and I've been away a lot recently.

My first reaction is that it's not quite as good as the test kit I did for Muntons (which was then branded as a NEIPA). I know they tweaked the recipe a bit, but it could just as easily be a slightly different fermentation. It's nice, but it doesn't have the punch or hop hit of the first one. Possibly a slight hint of twang as well. The first one blew me away so I had high hopes for this, but this is definitely not as good. Still perfectly drinkable and I'll enjoy it, but I'm a little flat given I was expecting much better. I think I was spoilt by the first brew, which was exceptional.

Thanks for your review. I’ll give it a try but I have a few kits on my list left to try first. I put on another Mangrove Jacks Juicy Session IPA earlier this week and next will be a Razorback IPA. So far for me I have been really impressed with the Mangrove Jacks Craft Series range. I’ve tried a few now. I think the Pink Grapefruit IPA just pips the Juicy Session IPA to the post. They are the benchmark which I am using against all kits in the future.

 

[dad_of_jon]

Has anyone had any issues with the dry hops blocking up the syphon when the bags over it as a filter? Mine kept getting blocked when I was transferring it to a second FV for adding the priming sugar and as such made it a painful task and now worried I’ve added a lot of O2 in the brew from messing with it to get the flow re-established with the syphon. Ended up with on 8 bottles and a 10 litre keg so the priming calcs have gone out the window. Real shame as it was looking like and smelt like a great brew as brewing…… let alone blowing nearly £30! Have started the West Coast IPA but might put the hops in a sack this time so I don’t get the same issue.

I put my hop pellets in bag and weigh them down with giant marbles from the marble king.

 

[Bombers hoppy ending]

I put my hop pellets in bag and weigh them down with giant marbles from the marble king.

Me too.

 

[micklupulo]

I put my hop pellets in bag and weigh them down with giant marbles from the marble king.

When you let go of the weighted bag is there any danger of air following in its wake or am I perhaps worrying over nothing? I ask because the brew I am doing next will have about 80 gms of dry hops added and whenever possible I prefer to bottle straight from.the FV via the little bottle which I hope to avoid clogging but there again don't want to get air sucked in.

 

[damienair]

When you let go of the weighted bag is there any danger of air following in its wake or am I perhaps worrying over nothing? I ask because the brew I am doing next will have about 80 gms of dry hops added and whenever possible I prefer to bottle straight from.the FV via the little bottle which I hope to avoid clogging but there again don't want to get air sucked in.

I just put some marbles and the hop sock into boiled water, then into Chemsan and after I add the dry hops. I put it into the brew for 3-4 days. It keeps the hops out of the little bottler. So will be fine for bottling from the FV. I like to transfer to a bottling bucket and batch prime. I now always use a hop sock.

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

When you let go of the weighted bag is there any danger of air following in its wake or am I perhaps worrying over nothing? I ask because the brew I am doing next will have about 80 gms of dry hops added and whenever possible I prefer to bottle straight from.the FV via the little bottle which I hope to avoid clogging but there again don't want to get air sucked in.

My method is to drop the hop sock into a sanitised mug of hot water, let it stew until cool, then gently pour the whole lot in. Kind of gives them a kick start to release the oils and dispels any trapped air.

 

[micklupulo]

My method is to drop the hop sock into a sanitised mug of hot water, let it stew until cool, then gently pour the whole lot in. Kind of gives them a kick start to release the oils and dispels any trapped air.

Thanks that is useful though perhaps I did not phrase my question clearly enough. What I was wondering was whether a weighted hop sock suddenly submerging would suck air in behind it. I think it draw in a little so the question is how harmful that would that be.

 

[dad_of_jon]

When you let go of the weighted bag is there any danger of air following in its wake or am I perhaps worrying over nothing? I ask because the brew I am doing next will have about 80 gms of dry hops added and whenever possible I prefer to bottle straight from.the FV via the little bottle which I hope to avoid clogging but there again don't want to get air sucked in.

if theres a co2 blanket i'm displacing some of that out of the bucket rather than sucking air in. different story when removing the bag or just leave it in when bottling or transferring to a bb?

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

Can you get a CO2 aerosol can to give it a blast as you drop it in?
Are we overthinking this?

 

[Graz]

My Hazy went into the keg last night after a cold crash and it certainly is hazy Tasted great. Really looking forward to getting this carbed up and drinking it. Going to try and drink this one as fresh as possible, the IPA I currently have in the keg fridge should run out very soon so this will be straight in to replace it. Hopefully drinking in about 3 weeks.

 

[Sausages]

Anyone tried the milk stout kit?

 

[Graz]

My Hazy went into the keg last night after a cold crash and it certainly is hazy Tasted great. Really looking forward to getting this carbed up and drinking it. Going to try and drink this one as fresh as possible, the IPA I currently have in the keg fridge should run out very soon so this will be straight in to replace it. Hopefully drinking in about 3 weeks.

This is on draught for me now and it's great. Up there with some of the best kits I've made.

Have the Amber Ale on order so that will be brewed soon.

 

[GhostShip]

First taste tonight of my Hazy IPA. This is the third time I’ve done it. First time was fantastic, second time was underwhelming and this one is definitely not at its best. As soon as I unscrewed the cap on the bottle, I had my doubts. Usually get a nice ‘hiss’, but this was more of a whimper. It hasn’t carbed particularly well, there’s no head and a slight hint of ‘twang’ on the nose. It’s perfectly drinkable, but a long way off its best. This is the second time I’ve been slightly disappointed with this kit, so I’m done with it - at least for a while. I’m going back to Mangrove Jacks - who never seem to let me down. The trials and tribulations of a home brewer.

 

[damienair]

First taste tonight of my Hazy IPA. This is the third time I’ve done it. First time was fantastic, second time was underwhelming and this one is definitely not at its best. As soon as I unscrewed the cap on the bottle, I had my doubts. Usually get a nice ‘hiss’, but this was more of a whimper. It hasn’t carbed particularly well, there’s no head and a slight hint of ‘twang’ on the nose. It’s perfectly drinkable, but a long way off its best. This is the second time I’ve been slightly disappointed with this kit, so I’m done with it - at least for a while. I’m going back to Mangrove Jacks - who never seem to let me down. The trials and tribulations of a home brewer.

I did the Hazy IPA. It was nice. But I’ve definitely had nicer. It didn’t inspire me to try any others in the range. I totally agree, Mangrove Jacks are very consistent and the beer tastes great. I’m going to get the Juicy Session IPA again for the summer. I’m currently drinking the Pink Grapefruit IPA, 3rd time to do it and it’s great.

 

[GhostShip]

I did the Hazy IPA. It was nice. But I’ve definitely had nicer. It didn’t inspire me to try any others in the range. I totally agree, Mangrove Jacks are very consistent and the beer tastes great. I’m going to get the Juicy Session IPA again for the summer. I’m currently drinking the Pink Grapefruit IPA, 3rd time to do it and it’s great.

It's funny you should say that - my Juicy Session IPA arrived at the weekend!

 

[damienair]

It's funny you should say that - my Juicy Session IPA arrived at the weekend!

Ha, I picked up a Full Extract American Pale Ale and a Mangrove Jacks Juicy Session IPA on Tuesday. I’ll be sticking on a Full Extract Blonde Ale tomorrow.