What are the fundamental differences between 1 and 2 can kit

[Andysbrew]

I have just started my first kit, a 2 can Wherry. Might do a one can kit next, apart from being cheaper are there any real differences?

thanks

 

[johnnyboy1965]

With 1 can kits you have to add extra fermentable sugars. Two can kits have everything in them. You have to weigh up the price difference ie 1 tin kit £12.00 extra fermentables any think about £10.00= £22.00. ! can kit = Whatever you pay.

 

[Moley]

Might do a one can kit next, apart from being cheaper are there any real differences?

Yes, you're only getting half as much of the good stuff and then you've got to add sugar, which leaves you with a thin beer, or you've got to add more malt extract and start tweaking the kit if you want to give it more body.

 

[RobWalker]

they're not outright bad, just economical. some are awful like the john bull kits - some are pretty good, like the coopers stout.

 

[iceo]

not every one can is the same, some are good brewferm and brupaks but they are 9-18L kits

 

[morethanworts]

You've started with the best one I ever did, in my opinion. Both batches took several weeks to clear though, but that's how long you should be leaving them anyway.

 

[TRXnMe]

If you're doing a one can kit you need to use brew enhancer, not sugar, or the beer 'feels' wrong in your mouth.

I make the cooper's stout kit now and then, but use dry malt extract to make up the fermentable sugars and boil up some extra hops in the water I'm going to use to dilute the can down with. It comes out blindingly good, well worth the extra effort :)

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Don't forget, everytime you ad fermentable ugar to a kit it thins the bitternes down

 

[YoungJames]

they're not outright bad, just economical. some are awful like the john bull kits - some are pretty good, like the coopers stout.

I made up a Geordie Winter Warmer that i thought wasn't great. Tastes like beer flavoured Soda Water, that's with brewing it short as well. Agree that the Coopers Stout is good stuff. That was my first beer, mixed in some Licorice Tea and the taste is amazing. Only got two bottles left that i'm saving for a special occasion.

 

[Sone]

I made up a Geordie Winter Warmer that i thought wasn't great. Tastes like beer flavoured Soda Water, that's with brewing it short as well. Agree that the Coopers Stout is good stuff. That was my first beer, mixed in some Licorice Tea and the taste is amazing. Only got two bottles left that i'm saving for a special occasion.

Exactly the same from me with the geordie winter warmer, just tastes like a fizzy drink :lol:

 

[beerhunter]

about £10

 

[Aleman]

Don't forget, everytime you ad fermentable ugar to a kit it thins the bitternes down

Er . . no . . . the bitterness is a constant . . . unless you dilute the kit with more water

Sugar is a nitrogen and flavour (malt) dilutant, and thins the body as well.

Basically to answer the OP's question, the more malt you have in your beer the better quality the beer will bee . . .The more it tastes like beer.

Kits made to a price, thin the malt extract they contain with other sugars (cunningly named rather than just saying 'sugar') . . than you add another kilo of sugar in effect diluting the beeriness of the kit still further. Result is thin cidery tasting almost beer

 

[Maffa]

With standard 1 can kits you get LME and that’s it. 2 can kits are quite developed now, take the Festival kits for example, they are all 2 can kits, some come with extra sugar to brew but all come with sugar to prime and hop pellets to add extra flavour and bitterness. Yes you pay £25 for it, but there is no way you can get anywhere near this with a one can kit on its own.

I’m just about to experiment with a bog standard 1 can kit, + 1kg of beer enhancer and 50g of cintra pellets to see how it pans out. Total cost of this bought separately is about £17 compared to the Festival Stag kit of £25 (but which comes with an extra can of LME). Will have to wait and see how things pan out.

In all honesty, 2 can kits all the way for me. Quality over quantity, but like I said above, we'll see how my experiment goes.

 

[Andysbrew]

Thanks!

Would rather quality over quantity any day of the week.

Might try a Wilko 1 can kit, Delicate Pilsner maybe for summer bbqs, wouldn't mind trying the lager...... give it a whirl as not all my family appreciate real ale!

:drunk: