One can kit, half brew length

[kane]

Hi everyone,
It's been a long while since I was last on a homebrew forum, I last did a few all grain brews about 10 years ago, but don't really have the time for it at the minute. I wanted to get back into brewing so over the last few weeks ive been brewing a Woodfordes Wherry and brewing each can to around 12L. Means I can keep a small set up with not too many bottles hanging around and it works for me.
The results have been, well, nice drinkable beer. Nothing special, just a nice refreshing drink.

I'm now looking for the next kit and it seems pretty easy to split the 2 can kits in half. But are there any of the single can kits that are tasty brewed using a full can to half a brew volume? I like the odd really hoppy IPA, and I'm thinking of trying one of the wilko IPA kits but brewed just using the single tin to 12L without adding sugar, but don't know if the bitterness will be too overpowering? Although past experience of kits, I think this is unlikely to be the case?
I've heard the coopers stout is also supposed to be a nice pint, has anyone brewed this to a half volume?

Cheers,
Kane

 

[DavidDetroit]

An easy fix is to find out what the ingredients are in the kit you want and buy them separately. You can meet your needs that way and buy your extract, yeast and hops based to your liking. And you won't have half of everything just sitting around. I like using DME (use at 80% of LME requirement).
Doing beer based on ratio works fine (cut the ingredients by half), no special consideration needed.

 

[The Baron]

The 2 can kits are easy to split as they have the same in each can and by doing @12Ltrs each you are more or less doing them as per instructions (23ltr for 2 cans). When it comes to single cans the problem you have is that they are made for 23ltrs in the one can so brewing them short by that much would increase the bittering hops in the brew which maybe well too much for some people but by all means try one and see thats the only way you will find out for sure if they are not too bitter for your taste
***Alderneybrew says that some 2 can kits can have different malt/extract in them***

 

[Bold_Ron]

The Tiny Rebel Cwtch is a two can kit but is easily brewed in two batches as you get two of everything; LME, hops and yeast.

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

Pretty sure the Muntons West Coast IPA says the cans have different contents, so be wary of that one!

 

[Rento]

Coopers do a 8.5l craft brew kit that ive found to be pretty good. Basically a premium one can kit for under a tenner.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Pretty sure the Muntons West Coast IPA says the cans have different contents, so be wary of that one!

I very much doubt that the cans contain different extract, why would they do that? Look at what's inkjet printed on the cans if it's different then the contents will be different if not they're the same.

 

[Rento]

The new muntons flagship hazy ipa definitely has different contents in each tin, so maybe others have too. It says so on the instructions and they look/smell quite different when you open them.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Are they marked differently on each can? If not they're two identical bright cans to the packer.

 

[Rento]

The have different codes one them.

 

[kane]

Thank you for all the replies guys. Some great ideas to keep in mind for future.
For now I've decided to stick with woodfordes wherry, but alter it with dry hop/steeping additions.
I've split this one, 11L each, one dry hopped with cascade, one with EKG.