What kit would you reccomend I brew for summer consumption

[Bud]

With the on going sale at Wilkos I'd pick up a couple of golden ales (I have). It's pretty decent tasting as is but I've bottled a batch this weekend which I dry hopped with citra and Cascade pellets. The last 150ml out of the FV was brewer's perk and tasted delicious.

Too many beers and such little time. . With the sale on I think I will pick a golden ale and try as is. Let us know how you get on with the hop additions when it's been in the bottle a while and if you would make any changes. But if it's great now it sounds like it should be fantastic by the time it's been bottled while.

 

[Bud]

I brewed the Bulldog and festival pretty much as the instructions the only change i made with the Bulldog was to add the hop pellets after the brew had fermented out. The hops were in the brew for the time stated on the instructions, I did this as the manufacturers always seem to be a little optimistic about how long the fermentation will be e.g 10 days but in reality it takes 14 days and if they advise to add the hops after 4 days then in my opinion the hops are in for too long and add extra bitterness. adding them at the end means they are in the brew for the prescribed length, hope that makes sense! :hat:

It makes perfect sense. I would never have thought of doing it myself but will in the future. I notice you have done Wilco's real ale. Have you tried the golden ale as suggested by Vallyred. And if so how do they compare.

 

[Monte Cristo]

The golden Ale is a really good kit i have done it twice, once brewed short to 21lt and second to 23 lt with the addition of 500g of brew enhancer. The latter turned out the best, i have another one to do which i may dry hop with citra.
The Real ale was a little disappointing to start with I brewed it to 23lt and it tasted a bit thin at first but after 6 weeks in the bottle it became a lovely pint, it would probably be even better with some additions.
In comparison i would say they are both worth a go but my favourite would be the Golden Ale especially if you get it in one of wilco sales as they were £16 last year and now i believe they have crept up to £22 which puts them in with the branded premium kits :hat:

 

[Bud]

This went off like a rocket within a few hours. It's at 20c and sat next to a wherry that looked lonely on the shelf so needed to be purchased at 25% off. May try and get a golden ale whilst/if sale still on. Like monty says at the normal price you may as well get a bulldog or festival.

 

[Bud]

Cheers monty. What brew enhancer was it. I have used light spray malt before but thats about it. Is there only one type of brew enhancer.

 

[Bud]

This went off like a rocket within a few hours. It's at 20c and sat next to a wherry that looked lonely on the shelf so needed to be purchased at 25% off. May try and get a golden ale whilst/if sale still on. Like monty says at the normal price you may as well get a bulldog or festival.

The wilko Mexican I meant.

 

[Russ146]

I love Sundew as a summer beer, its also great with a curry.

It does need at least 8 weeks conditioning to come really good and i recommend you wait that long to really appreciste the taste

 

[Bud]

I love Sundew as a summer beer, its also great with a curry.

It does need at least 8 weeks conditioning to come really good and i recommend you wait that long to really appreciste the taste

Cheers russ. Notice a few saying the same, although the curry comment is new and well worth considering.
Thanks for you vote, much appreciated.

 

[Monte Cristo]

Cheers monty. What brew enhancer was it. I have used light spray malt before but thats about it. Is there only one type of brew enhancer.

It was a Muntons beer enhancer bought in a wilco sale, I also have the Mexican cervesa kit waiting to be made (wilco sale £5 last year) I will probably do some mods to it not sure what at the moment though. I have a Wherry on the go in the brew fridge that i am going to split 50/50, 50% standard, 50% dry hopped with 30g of Citra pellets:hat:

 

[Bud]

It was a Muntons beer enhancer bought in a wilco sale, I also have the Mexican cervesa kit waiting to be made (wilco sale £5 last year) I will probably do some mods to it not sure what at the moment though. I have a Wherry on the go in the brew fridge that i am going to split 50/50, 50% standard, 50% dry hopped with 30g of Citra pellets:hat:

Nice. What temperature do you brew your Wherry at and how long does it take in a controlled environment. Mine gets the spare bedroom treatment so about the 20c mark but if course is slightly variable bt not too much right now. Normally takes about two weeks.

 

[Monte Cristo]

Nice. What temperature do you brew your Wherry at and how long does it take in a controlled environment. Mine gets the spare bedroom treatment so about the 20c mark but if course is slightly variable bt not too much right now. Normally takes about two weeks.

The brew fridge set at 19 c and it took around 7 days to get to its final gravity, i have just split the brew and syphoned to secondary FVs to dry hop. If you have the space a brew fridge is great as it takes the temperature fluctuation out of the process plus cuts down on the earache from having a FV in the bedroom.:hat:

 

[Bud]

Well I bottled the wilko Mexican last night. It got down to 1006 and had been there for about 3 or 4 days. Bulk Primed with 160g sugar which was the equiv. of one teaspoon per 500ml bottle as recommended.
Smelt very like a lager. Very cloudy, probably one of the most cloudy brews i have had at this stage, although to be fair I normally let them ferment for longer.
Been 24 hours and already started to clear at very tops if bottles. Anyway a week or so in warm then the cold for a while and I will report back.
I have a golden ale with medium spray malt linded up next but not got time to get it on right now.
Good luck.

 

[JamesMcS]

Bulldog gets a +1 from me - I've done the cortez and the evil dog, both are full of flavour - by contrast the only 1 can kit I've tried so far, a wilko cider, tastes horribly watery. More extract means more flavour I guess

 

[Bud]

Thanks James. I did a wilko delicate pilsner. 1 can kit and added 500g light spray malt and without checking I think 750g brewing sugar. It turned out much better than I hoped. It had enough body and to be honest not loads of "taste", but without lagering it came pretty close to lager. I would do it again but won't rush to it. I am now trying their Mexican but in general I'm liking the two can versions best as well. I can't get away from the fact a simple wherry is always a good pint. Just bottled some turbo cider tonight which im carbonating for summer consumption.

 

[JamesMcS]

When I was at the research stage, wherry seemed to be the favourite - I went for bulldogs kits solely on the basis of the amount extract they came with, I think the evil dog was 4kg, it produced a delicious but lethally strong brew

 

[Monte Cristo]

I have recently done the Bulldog Four finger Jack, it said 4.6% on the box, I brewed as instructions and it came out 6.4%:hat:

 

[JamesMcS]

If my calculations were correct, the evil dog ended up between 8-9%. Tastes great but put me on my arse the first night I cracked the keg (^_-)

 

[helluvatractor]

i did the coopers mexican cerveza and used 1kg dextrose, it turned out very nice, a nice refreshing drink, especially with a wedge of lime squeezed in, but not very strong at all, (i didnt take readings, ) but i estimate about 2.5 - 3%, which is fine, but i would prefer 4-4.5%, would like to brew it again, but would i better to add 1.5 kg dextrose or brew it short to 20 litres say?

 

[Slid]

i did the coopers mexican cerveza and used 1kg dextrose, it turned out very nice, a nice refreshing drink, especially with a wedge of lime squeezed in, but not very strong at all, (i didnt take readings, ) but i estimate about 2.5 - 3%, which is fine, but i would prefer 4-4.5%, would like to brew it again, but would i better to add 1.5 kg dextrose or brew it short to 20 litres say?

I doubt it very much. You are well in target range with what you did and unless you bottled / casked it and drank it before it had finished fermenting, there is no chance whatsoever it came out at 2.5-3%, unless you actually forgot to add the dextrose.

 

[Bud]

Got the golden ale on today as recommended by monty cheers. Did what it said on the tin but also added 500g of medium spray malt also from wilko. Will let you know how it goes. Start at about 1042sg so will end up about 4%. Would be rude not to with 25% off. Good luck.