What kit beer are you drinking tonight?
- Thread starter Chippy_Tea
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Dutto
Landlord.
The over-carbonated IPA is still delivering a pint, but it’s now creating less foam!
I’m just glad that I didn’t try to finish the keg when I first noticed!
I think I’ll transfer over to this Thread in future because I’ve stopped the AG brewing and now only ever brew Kits.
:hat:
I’m just glad that I didn’t try to finish the keg when I first noticed!
I think I’ll transfer over to this Thread in future because I’ve stopped the AG brewing and now only ever brew Kits.
:hat:
Are our kit beers the same (UK/US)? A kit here means, for example, 2.7 kg of DME, LME or a combo of them, multiple small bags of steeping grains and hop pellets--a lot or little depending on the beer.
Dutto
Landlord.
About the only thing you can’t get in a Kit is the “Can of Worms” that you have opened.
The cheaper end of kits provide hopped LME, yeast and instructions; within which is the requirement to add sugar, DME, LME etc to bring the ABV up to what was claimed.
The upper-range of kits provide sufficient hopped LME (or LME and DME), yeast and instructions to make the ABV described. They often contain hops or hop oil to add to the brew at variable points of fermentation.
Then we have the All Grain Kits which provide everything that is needed to produce a balanced wort; with yeast for fermentation and hops for bittering, aroma and even Dry Hopping in some cases.
However:
- In the UK the phrase “Kit Brewing” is normally reserved for the first two descriptions.
- Occasionally, Kit brewers will jazz up a particular Kit by adding an adjunct such as the mash from steeped grain, grapefruit juice, chillies etc etc etc. I have never seen this in a kit but I have used grapefruit juice, chillies, vodka etc.
:hat:
Totally does, thanks.
There's a bit of a difference then. Our extract kits are like the pro all-grain kits you mention but the substitution of extract for grain. I suppose I could get hopped extract type kits but I haven't seen them too much. Whether it's true or not, I do like to add the hops separate from the extract. Besides, which, I really lean toward dry malt extract.
I answer kit questions here and have to look at the recipes and ingredients online to give accurate advice and that's what made me question the products and their differences/similarities.
Cheers.
Dutto
Landlord.
Back in the 1960’s you couldn’t get LME that was hopped and as a result I had to boil up the hops and LME in my wife’s pressure cooker: it being the largest saucepan we had!
The kits back then were terrible, so the secret was to get a recipe off someone who had the time and the money to experiment. (I thank Shift Superintendent Mike Toop to this day!)
Once I got a decent recipe, I then had to go to a Pharmacy 20 miles away (Boots the Chemist in Grimsby) in order to buy the LME and the Hops ‘cos, as far as I am aware, there were no HomeBrew Shops within 100 miles, if any!
Kits started to improve in the 1980’s and 90’s and today it’s possible to brew almost anything.
:hat:
The kits back then were terrible, so the secret was to get a recipe off someone who had the time and the money to experiment. (I thank Shift Superintendent Mike Toop to this day!)
Once I got a decent recipe, I then had to go to a Pharmacy 20 miles away (Boots the Chemist in Grimsby) in order to buy the LME and the Hops ‘cos, as far as I am aware, there were no HomeBrew Shops within 100 miles, if any!
Kits started to improve in the 1980’s and 90’s and today it’s possible to brew almost anything.
:hat:
Worf
Well-Known Member
A bottle of my last 1/4 case of "Victory or Death" dunkle-bach. I'm missing this batch, since I haven't needed my next one (a Red Rock ESB). Sadly I'll be drinking my favorite commercial stuff, "Kilt Lifter", from Four Peaks in Tempe,AZ until fermenting, etc are done.
Dutto
Landlord.
The Keg that just keeps on giving!
I got yet another pint from the over-pressurised Keg yesterday! I really do want it to end soon ‘cos this is getting ridiculous! Maybe today?
:hat:
I got yet another pint from the over-pressurised Keg yesterday! I really do want it to end soon ‘cos this is getting ridiculous! Maybe today?
:hat:
Dutto
Landlord.
WOW! I finally emptied the over-pressurised keg of Coopers IPA and moved on to an OOD Coopers English Bitter. It’s still very young, so I’m not impressed at the moment, but as it’s clearing nicely, I live in hope!
I kegged a Ruby Red Ale on the 17th so decided to take a look at it.
The verdict was “not very red, cloudy and still maturing” but it has promise!
Came into the house and was presented with a glass of red wine; with a dash of blackcurrant juice added.
I should sleep well tonight!
:hat:
I kegged a Ruby Red Ale on the 17th so decided to take a look at it.
The verdict was “not very red, cloudy and still maturing” but it has promise!
Came into the house and was presented with a glass of red wine; with a dash of blackcurrant juice added.
I should sleep well tonight!
:hat:
Dutto
Landlord.
The Ruby Red Ale has only had ten days of conditioning and it’s already clearing and tasting quite nice!
Today was the first pint so I can’t see it lasting very long!
:hat:
Today was the first pint so I can’t see it lasting very long!
:hat:
damienair
Landlord.
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Dutto
Landlord.
I’m drinking the OOD Coopers Best English Bitter today. It tastes fine now it’s had time to condition, but the look (if not the taste) is almost like a Red Ruby Ale!
Friday Ruby Red Ale (below)!
Todays English Bitter (below)!0
Time for a dram methinks!
:hat:
Friday Ruby Red Ale (below)!
Todays English Bitter (below)!0
Time for a dram methinks!
:hat:
Dutto
Landlord.
Er … it’s not really a “beer”!
I bottled my “MYO Rosé Wine” today, ran out of containers at 31 litres and had to improvise!
I consumed the two tankards of Rosé Wine (each with a tiny splash of blackcurrant hi-juice) with my lunch and after a long nap I have woken up without a banging headache! YAY!
It tasted fine and should mature over the next month or so!
:hat:
I bottled my “MYO Rosé Wine” today, ran out of containers at 31 litres and had to improvise!
I consumed the two tankards of Rosé Wine (each with a tiny splash of blackcurrant hi-juice) with my lunch and after a long nap I have woken up without a banging headache! YAY!
It tasted fine and should mature over the next month or so!
:hat:
Dutto
Landlord.
Back to the OOD English Bitter … which tastes better by the day!
Last night, I also started to worry about “skunking” with the clear tubing that runs to the “Party Tap” system on the two 10 litre kegs of Ruby Red, because the brew may be there for over a month!
Obviously, I can’t change the tubing under pressure but then I had a brainwave to jacket the tubes with some old “cable tidy” that I bought about 20 years ago.
Yet again “It might come in handy some day!” was realised! The “cable tidy” wrapped tubing are on the right of the photo.
:hat:
Last night, I also started to worry about “skunking” with the clear tubing that runs to the “Party Tap” system on the two 10 litre kegs of Ruby Red, because the brew may be there for over a month!
Obviously, I can’t change the tubing under pressure but then I had a brainwave to jacket the tubes with some old “cable tidy” that I bought about 20 years ago.
Yet again “It might come in handy some day!” was realised! The “cable tidy” wrapped tubing are on the right of the photo.
:hat:
wildbrew
Landlord.
Dutto
Landlord.
The photograph says it all!
Enjoy.
:hat:
- In the foreground today’s Ruby Red brew. (I only have a week to empty the keg ‘cos I’ll need it for the MKO American IPA with Mango Juice; ready on 22nd June.)
- In the background is a 5 litre bottle with 4.5 litres of Bourru fermenting away, getting ready for the heat promised for the next few days! (I will transfer it to 2 litre bottles ‘cos the 5 litre one won’t fit in the fridge!)
- To the right hand side are two candles that I left in the shed last summer! This was why I’ve put in insulation this year. I don’t think even Viagra could restore them!
Enjoy.
:hat:
Thought I'd check the Evil Dog Double American IPA out, just to make sure it's ok you understand. Turned out fine despite my fears. Tastes great, very strong and will improve with age I should imagine. Got some Belgian Strawberry Ale proving that's almost ready, some Founder's Double American IPA ready to bottle on the 26th and setting some Razorback away tomorrow, think I've got a problem.
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damienair
Landlord.
- Joined
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The Razorback IPA is a fantastic brew. It was very good and in my top 3.
Dutto
Landlord.
Went for lunch today so already had a couple of pints of John Smith’s Bitter; and it was really HOT when I came home!
On this basis I went and poured myself the first pint from the 2nd Keg of OOD English Bitter that I started on 15th April.
The first few pints from the 1st Keg tasted metallic and although drinkable did nothing to make me believe that the OOD LME I’d used was okay!
Today’s pint was perfect and didn’t even touch the sides, which is why there’s no photograph, sorry!
I now regret not giving the 1st Keg sufficient time to condition properly; and particularly regret dumping two other OOD one-can kits!
I should have known better!
:hat:
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