St Peters Ruby Red Ale review

[mogger]

Just started this and can't wait to get stuck into the Ruby Red going by all the reviews. I didn't really pay much attention to temperature as I made it so hope I haven't forgotten an important detail there, just basically done exactly the same as the Donner & Blitzed and that turned out great. Boiling water topped up with normal tap water, big stir, hops and yeast.
It did smell really nice before I stuck the lid on.
O.G. of 1048.
So it's wait and see now.
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[Pjam]

I didn't really pay much attention to temperature as I made it so hope I haven't forgotten an important detail there,

The temp right now is just about perfect indoors. You should aim to keep it as close to 18c as you can manage

 

[Hopping_Mad]

This kit was my second effort at home brewing, and my first at a 'premium' kit.

Followed the instructions on the kit apart from adding 125g of medium spray malt to try and get the OG/ABV up a bit. At an OG of 1038, that didn't seem to add much 'oomph' but maybe I didn't stir it well enough! Used 3 ltrs of boiled tap water and 20 ltrs of bottled water from the supermarket poured from a considerable height to aerate the wort. Hops sachet added in and stirred before sprinkling the yeast. Good fermentation and krausen within 24 hours but not 'mental' at 20-22*C.

Gravity stabilised at 1012 after 7 days, bottled after 10. Used Coopers carbonation drops (x1 per 500ml bottle) for convenience and as don't have a 2nd vessel for batch priming yet.

Had to have a 'progress check' after 2 weeks conditioning to see where we are - obviously! Well, what a check it was! Tried at room temperature, the carbonation was excellent already - nice head for an ale but not excessive and lacing to bottom of glass! Decent body. Not completely clear yet, even though been in garage for a week. Whilst obviously not yet in optimum condition, it was still so much better than the cheapy £12 kit I got with my newbie gear was after 6 weeks. Not sure the hops sachet has made too much difference but unless I tried it without, I do not have a control for comparison! That said I like very hoppy ales and might consider dry hopping this next time (any complementary hops suggestions welcome!). Reminded me a bit of Badger Fursty Ferret. This is going to get better and I can recommend it to all especially newbies. Very easy, quality kit.

I will never get a one can kit + sugar again (false economy) and will only get get 3kg kits in future - better 40 pints of decent beer at 70p/pint than 40 pints of very average beer at 50p/pint!


17-3-14 - Quick St Patricks Day update! Having a snifter to celebrate my family heritage and I've noticed that the 3 I kept in the cupboard three weeks since bottling are crystal clear, but the rest that went in the garage after 10 days have a bit of a protein haze. Advice - keep em in the warm a bit longer!

31-3-14 - Further update! Resist temptation and hold off this one as long as possible - well 6 weeks at the very least! It really is worth it as it just gets so much better. Body improves, hop profile becomes more apparent, initial slight sweetness disappears! I've got 25 500ml bottles left and wish it was 40!!!

 

[mogger]

Been about a week now. Not much activity going on and it seems to have stabilised at 1012.
I think I will check it again tonight and maybe move to a secondary.
Looks like all is going to plan though. Gonna be hard to keep my hands off this lot when it's done.

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[mogger]

Finally got it racked to secondary after it settled at 1010. I'm well happy with that (If all my readings are correct) should come out at about 5%.
Still looked liked there was a bit of action going on in there though, hope I haven't gone premature on this.
Had another 'taster' and it tastes a lot better already than it did on Sunday and was quite clear as well.
I was hoping to get about 10 x 500ml bottles filled and then the rest in the barrel. Should I batch prime again for doing this or is it not advisable all together.
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[krazypara3165]

Just ordered this today. Shall be going into polypins and I shall be bringing one with me to TST. looking forward to making this now!

 

[serum]

Mine only got down to just below 1014. It got there quite quickly but then just stayed at the same level so I've bottled it. I brewed it short to 20L mind so it should still have a nice kick to it. The starting and final gravities were exactly the same as my Wherry kit which I also brewed short in the same way. I primed with 100g cane sugar and bottled on Sunday. I'm hoping to leave it at least 4 weeks before tasting it but patience is not my strong point.

The trial jar was very nice.

 

[Lengie10]

Managed to get my effort into a second fv this weekend. Being my first time I forgot to check gravities etc. having to hope for the best. Reading comments on here it sounds like I have seen all the right things...yeast krausen etc...

The second fv doesn't appear to be doing a lot so will move it into bottles this weekend and condition accordingly the set it to 'mature' for 2 weeks before I test a sample.

 

[mouldy]

So, my second homebrew! My first was an IPA that was passable until I let too much pressure out the barrel and it airlocked halfway through, it started turning after that.

I like ruby ales so thought I'd give this a whirl.
2 tins in swirled out with 3 litres boiling tap water, stirred like a mo fo and topped up to 20l (short) with cold tap water, hop sachet in, stirred again and then the yeast stirred at 23deg. OG measured 1.090 on the 25th march. It went really fast in the cupboard sitting about 21deg. I think it might be done already, might give it another day just incase, it was about 1.020 yesterday and is 1.018 today.

I don't understand how my OG is that high. I've been taking pics on my phone of the hydrometer in the test tube thing so can prove it all to myself!

This stuff is going to be firewater unless I cock it up!

I'm not sure about how much sugar to put in but I'm going to split it between the pressure barrel and bottles. So I've some headscratching to do.

I've thrown the box out now, can anyone tell me how much sugar is recomended please?

I'm all excited!
Cheers:drink:

 

[serum]

So, my second homebrew! My first was an IPA that was passable until I let too much pressure out the barrel and it airlocked halfway through, it started turning after that.

I like ruby ales so thought I'd give this a whirl.
2 tins in swirled out with 3 litres boiling tap water, stirred like a mo fo and topped up to 20l (short) with cold tap water, hop sachet in, stirred again and then the yeast stirred at 23deg. OG measured 1.090 on the 25th march. It went really fast in the cupboard sitting about 21deg. I think it might be done already, might give it another day just incase, it was about 1.020 yesterday and is 1.018 today.

I don't understand how my OG is that high. I've been taking pics on my phone of the hydrometer in the test tube thing so can prove it all to myself!

This stuff is going to be firewater unless I cock it up!

I'm not sure about how much sugar to put in but I'm going to split it between the pressure barrel and bottles. So I've some headscratching to do.

I've thrown the box out now, can anyone tell me how much sugar is recomended please?

I'm all excited!
Cheers:drink:

The box recommends half a teaspoon per pint or a maximum of 100g for a pressure barrel.

 

[gazkilla]

Here's a picture of my Ruby Red,8 weeks after bottling. This one was from me keg.



Taste is getting close to the original now

 

[Seadog]

I have in the queue, looks gorgeous.

 

[Mr Lovebucket]

Just finished drinking this and I will definitely be making this one again. A very tasty pint and great colour and clarity. Mine came out at just over 4%.

 

[serum]

I moved these into my garage from the warm on Tuesday. The last bit of the brew didn't quite fill a bottle so I though I'd try that just to see if it had carbonated and was pleasantly surprised with the taste. It's going to be a really nice beer.

I tasted someone else's attempt at this kit and it wasn't that strong tasting so the decision to brew short seems to have been a good one.

It's reasonably similar to the Wherry kit which is no bad thing but definitely has its own flavour. I'm looking forward to having another bottle in a few weeks to see how it has moved on.

I'll be giving the cream stout kit a go shortly. I've been very impressed with the St Peters kits so far.

 

[roosterjones]

I'm planning on adding some challenger hops to this kit.
Any advice on dry hopping?

 

[mogger]

I really like this kit and will be getting a second one on the go soon. I brewed mine short and it came out at about 4.5%.
I'm down to the last 10 bottles now so I'd better get going on that second batch.
It's odd because I really kind of rushed this one. Sanitised everything properly as usual but really just threw it all together and also forgot to check temperature when pitching yeast. I either got really lucky or this is just a fail proof kit.

 

[Thindog]

Ok, this was my first attempt at homebrew and I have to say i was pleased with the results. I left it in first ferm for nearly two weeks as it kept going, then bottled and started drinking after a couple of weeks. It was a damn fine brew, as was proved by the number of friends suddenly visiting.
Second attempt I stuck rigidly to the instructions and although it was still good, it was not as good (lesson learned, wait for the gravity to drop before bottling).
These forums have been a great help, i must say.
Thindog


In the keg Woodfordes Sundew
In the bottle Woodfordes Wherry

 

[Slid]

I'm planning on adding some challenger hops to this kit.
Any advice on dry hopping?

You can get muslin bags from Forum approved suppliers and weigh them down with some rather nice looking glass marbles that come in a bag of 25 from Poundland. 2 marbles do the job with hop pellets, would suggest 3 for leaf hops.

Hop pellets can always just be chucked in on a "WTF" basis, given that most will be on the bottom of the primary FV after a week anyway.

 

[pms67]

Don't want to ruin your party guys but I don't know if I would buy this again.

Very,very malty for 3-5 weeks then turned almost overnight to a pleasant pint but if I'm paying £20 or more then the Youngs American Amber Ale or the Festival Golden Stag or Razorback. IPA are streets ahead even only using half the hops supplied.

I may be wrong but is well down on to do lists.

Cheers:drunk:

 

[serum]

Mine is now about 3 months old and I really like it. Brewing it 3 litres short was definitely a good idea as I'd tried it done as per instructions and it wasn't really strong enough. When made to 20L with the right carbonation it's very nice indeed.

It's like the wherry but more fruity and complex. Definitely one of my favourites. I've moved on to AG now but if I was short on time and wanted to do a kit I'd probably go straight for this one.