The Range, brew your own IPA kit

[Portreath]

Has anyone tried the Range, make your own beer - IPA kit? From what I can see it's 2.2 kg of malt extract, with some yeast and some Apollo and Columbus hops. I'm going to give it a go, and see what happens. If it's half drinkable I might grab another pouch and see if it can be pimped up.

 

[DavieC]

I think I read on here they are mangrove Jack kits,packaged for the range(and half sized for B&M last year, although thinking about it that was an AIPA)

 

[Banbeer]

I've done the Lager kit and it was great, probably the best kit I've done, didn't pimp it either.

 

[Drunkula]

They're from the Make Your Own Drinks people. Tried the B&M half size version and did a split batch and I'll say definitely don't pimp it fully with spraymalt as it buries the hops. It came with dextrose and using that made it more to style. If you want to add malt go 50/50 or something.

I'm going to be doing the full batch IPA in a week or so.

 

[Richie_asg1]

I've just got this finishing at the moment. I think it was £25 with a 15L brew bucket. Mine had a bag of dextrose in it too. Didn't say what the yeast was, or the hop pellets.
Came in a large box. Fine if you wanted a smaller bucket but I will go with the pouches from now on.

Just doing it as a standard kit to see what it is like. Will post results when it's conditioned a bit .Bottling in a few days.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Couple of threads from make your own.

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/homebrewer-market-research.79240/

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/make-your-own-drinks-survey.79215/

 

[Portreath]

Well, I had to nip back to the Range yesterday to pick up 1kg of brew sugar which the pack required and now it's bubbling away nicely. The instructions might be a bit misleading for the novice brewer, i.e. no mention of hydrometer reading ( I took one which came out at 1.042).

 

[parpot]

I did one last year started at 1.044 and dropped to 1.003 a great quite strong beer

 

[Drunkula]

I did one last year started at 1.044 and dropped to 1.003 a great quite strong beer

Yeah, the half size kits with dextrose came out at 7% if you made them to 10 litres. They're actually to make 11.5 litres but it just says "Makes up to 20 bottles" which works out if they're pint bottles.

 

[Dave 666]

I got this (and the bitter 1) this week (full size) with the intention of letting it ferment away while I'm away for a week from Saturday. Only I note the packet says to add the hops on day 7 of what is suggested a 10 day fermentation period. This part of the instructions kinds of screws up my let it ferment whilst I'm away plans. As I wanted to do it tomorrow and it would be day 10 when I got back and fermentation would likely be finished by then. So is it best to wait till I get back or can I still hop on return day (day 10) for 3-4 days even if fermentation has completed by then?.

 

[labrewski]

From what I read u should be fine not a lot of brews finish in ten days just what I've read open to criticism

 

[Drunkula]

can I still hop on return day (day 10) for 3-4 days even if fermentation has completed by then?.

Yep, agree with Neil. If I were doing that and cold crashing I'd start it on the third day after the dry hop went in.

 

[Dave 666]

Thanks guys, adding hops later I guess would mean retaining more of the hoppy flavour & aroma. Then again, I like hoppy ales so might even add a little bit of what I have in the chest freezer at the same time.

 

[labrewski]

Just looking back I done a hopptimus prime couple of months back instructions said after 8 to 10 days add hops and bottle a week later totally ignored it 15 days I added hops bottled on 18th turned out one of the best and tastiest kits I've done

 

[labrewski]

Meant to say cant really trust kit instructions I've ruined a couple of kits going by the book

 

[Mike_C]

I got 2 Range IPAs as they were on offer for £12.
So I have brewed the first one 2 litres short.
Instructions don't give any indication of SG or FG which is a worry for new brewers if it were to get stuck .

My SG 1.040.

Left in primary for 7 days. Was a little worried it was a slow starter. But had a massive krausen and was then ticking over nicely after a couple of days.

Added kit hops after 6 days
Day 7 FG 1.008 Abv4.2%

Left further 3 days added Chinook hop pellets, from another brewing kit. I wanted extra hops as wasn't massively hoppy with the kit hops.

Left good for a further 2 days and batch primed with caster sugar in a keg then bottled.
Initial taste is that the hops have really come through. Nicely hopped and a good IPA if not a little bitter.
FG1.004. Has got better in the bottle, after 3 mths.

Got the 2nd one on the go, brewed even shorter, the OG is 1.050 and has been in for 2 weeks and FG is 1.010.
not sure it will come down much more. Added extra hops yesterday so might give it a couple more days.

 

[Richie_asg1]

I never did report back did I ?
It was a good pint, good clarity. I could have upped the carbonation level a bit. Was a tad bitter but on the whole well worthwhile.
I would brew it again, maybe add more dry hop for aroma.

 

[labrewski]

How many grams of hop did u add I recently put a 100 g in a brew I'm hoping it's not too bitter

 

[BridgeBrew]

Got the APA kit on at the moment, they appear to have discontinued the IPA due to the weird packaging (ie hops, and yeast, only accessible by cutting the pouch) The new kits have the hops, and yeast separate in the box. I can honestly say the best brew i've ever done was one of the IPAs. I added 100g of Citra, 50g of Chinook, and the kit hops at 7 days, left for a further 7 days at 20.5c in the brew fridge, then left for 5 days in secondary, gelatine fined after cold crashing on day 2 of conditioning. Sampled after 10 days. Hey presto Punk IPA. lovely hop aroma, and just enough bitterness, and a sherbet like explosion on the tongue.. Hope the APA turns out as good, gonna follow the same steps, and see what happens...

 

[AnimatedGIF]

I never did report back did I ?
It was a good pint, good clarity. I could have upped the carbonation level a bit. Was a tad bitter but on the whole well worthwhile.
I would brew it again, maybe add more dry hop for aroma.

How much priming sugar did you use?
I just bought this kit from The Range, and looking to get it started once my FV is free. I figured maybe near the 120g for 23L?

Got the APA kit on at the moment, they appear to have discontinued the IPA due to the weird packaging (ie hops, and yeast, only accessible by cutting the pouch) The new kits have the hops, and yeast separate in the box. I can honestly say the best brew i've ever done was one of the IPAs.

I was wondering about where the yeast and hops are as the one I bought recently is a pouch, so I am guessing end of their pouch stock. So is there a further pouch inside containing extract? I didn't want to open up the outer pouch in case it contained the extract, though I figure it doesn't otherwise I'd have very sticky yeast and hop sachets...