The Homebrew Company Irish Stout All Grain Kit Review

[BrewDan]

I have just placed an order of this kit, as my very first step into all grain brewing. I was hoping that someone else on the forum may have done this 'kit' before and could leave some comments on it.

My delivery is due next week, and while I would love to get the brew going, I very much doubt I will get the time to, until Christmas when I will be at home for a couple of weeks.

If anyone could post review before then, that would be fantastic, if not, I will get something posted...and updated at various stages :thumb:

 

[StevieDS]

I have'nt tried this particular one but I did try the HBC English ale kit for my first AG and it was very good, and from what I've heard some of their other mash kits are great too so can't see why the stout would be any different. Good luck on your first AG :

 

[fbsf]

I did their brown porter, and it was easily the best beer I've done to date. Dangerously drinkable - I took a full corny round to a friends for a weekend, and 4 of us pretty much drained it...

 

[PD]

I've made their ESB kit which I named Piddles Dribble.......very drinkable indeed.

 

[BrewDan]

This all sounds very positive, im looking forward to my time off in a few weeks, I can get this going!! I know you all did different kits, out of interest, how long did you all condition for?

 

[PD]

Piddle Dribble was brewed on 13/9/2012....( I'm not keen on young beer )
For my taste it was drinkable after 8 weeks, Its now very good.

Sorry.... I do like my beers to have a little bit of age on them. probably more than most folks

 

[BrewDan]

I tend to age mine at least 6 months (I am fairly patient, plus it gives me an excuse to brew other things to keep my mind off it)

Well, if you are like me, and condition, and you say it was good after 2 months, that must be a good sign! :thumb: :

 

[fbsf]

Well, normally I'm a 2-3 month man, but this one is pretty much gone within a month. Saying that, it was in a corny so was force carbed and brown porters don't seem to need a lot of conditioning.

I have got some in bottles though, and they will stay until at least Christmas (which will be about 8-10 weeks).

 

[BrewDan]

Finally got around to doing this on 24/12/12, it was also my first all grain, which I did BIAB style

Used warm tap water treated with a Camden tablet, and ph stabiliser, and used the supplied yeast.

For the most part all went well , hit my target mash temp spot on , rather than a 60 min mash, I did a 90 min with a 10 min mash out, I also sparged the bag with a few litres of water (which was at the wrong temp looking back, too low)

I lost control of my temps slightly during the mash, they dropped a couple of degrees, so I heated the water up for a bit, got it up to temp, turned it off but it crept up bout 5c higher than I wanted after that, I know for next time I need to stir the bottom up more!

Long story short, OG came out at 1.051, target was 1.045 , cooled overnight using a mixture of porch and water bath, pitched supplied safale yeast the following day too high at 25c as I was worried about infection, took a while to get going, but it's now bubbling nicely.

Did drink the sample, tasted fantastic. Made quite a few silly errors, but I know for next time, should end up with 23l of lovely stout I hope.

Will update as I go along.

 

[PD]

get another going...don't just sit there !

 

[BrewDan]

get another going...don't just sit there !

This makes perfect sense, chocolate oatmeal stout is the next one

 

[BrewDan]

Just checked the gravity as there had been no airlock activity for a few days, and its stuck at 1.020, the same thing happened with the last two kits that I made :wha: , gave it a gentle stir in the hope it will get it going again.

When I removed the lid, there were large clumps of what must be yeast on the top of the brew, and a thick layer at the bottom of the fermenter which was visable through the side. I was worried that the bits on top might be mould as I have not had anything quite like it on any of the kits I have brewed prior to this.

I did taste the sample from the trial jar, it does not appear to have any bad flavours to it, still a slight sweetness, but overall its got a sort of smokey taste to it, I have tried something like it before but I can remember what it was... possible oyster stout or wye valley stout? either way, its not quite what I was expecting, but I am in no way dissapointed with it!!!

I just hope my first attempt at all grain ferments out so I can get it bottled, may take another reading over the weekend to see if there is any movement,

Cheers :

 

[BrewDan]

As an update, tried this a few weeks ago, poured from the corny using my new Dalex tap.

Result, creamy head, fantastic taste and it just keeps getting better, one I would do again

 

[artyb]

Finally got around to doing this on 24/12/12, it was also my first all grain, which I did BIAB style

Used warm tap water treated with a Camden tablet, and ph stabiliser, and used the supplied yeast.

For the most part all went well , hit my target mash temp spot on , rather than a 60 min mash, I did a 90 min with a 10 min mash out, I also sparged the bag with a few litres of water (which was at the wrong temp looking back, too low)

I lost control of my temps slightly during the mash, they dropped a couple of degrees, so I heated the water up for a bit, got it up to temp, turned it off but it crept up bout 5c higher than I wanted after that, I know for next time I need to stir the bottom up more!

Long story short, OG came out at 1.051, target was 1.045 , cooled overnight using a mixture of porch and water bath, pitched supplied safale yeast the following day too high at 25c as I was worried about infection, took a while to get going, but it's now bubbling nicely.

Did drink the sample, tasted fantastic. Made quite a few silly errors, but I know for next time, should end up with 23l of lovely stout I hope.

Will update as I go along.

good work .. im looking forward to doing a biab stout soon,

 

[BrewDan]

Well I moved my kegs for the first time in about 6 months, thought I would see if anything needs pouring down the sinnk, two of my three kegs will need emptying (kit brews) , but this stout rally does taste good, and the best thing is I have about half a corny fuill

I would do this again, having made a few mistakes and noting them, no doubt the next attempt will turn out even better...not that this one is anything to complain about!

When I get around to it, I will try and post a picture :drink: