Woodfordes Wherry - first brew for 20 years

[Ned Lud]

Wow, how things have changed in 20 years. I followed the Wherry kit instructions, but threw a big handful (75g) of Goldings hops in the when fermentation was complete and left it for a few days before I bottled it. The beer has finished its secondary fermentation and has started to clear. It's still a bit cloudy, but I just had to try it. I am very, very pleased with the result. Astonishing aroma, perhaps a bit too hoppy for some tastes; especially considering the low alcohol content (I worked the ABV out at 3.5%). The extra hops have given the beer a mild anaesthetic quality - my mouth was slightly numb after the first pint and the wonderful flavour lingered for ages. The wherry knocks the spots off anything I have brewed in the past - thank heavens. I don't know what to try next. Are all modern kits as good as this?

Ned

 

[A T]

I haven't done a kit in quite a while but i believe all the 3kg kits are really good and of the cheap ones coopers kits are pretty good. Congrats on your first successful brew :thumb: I hope you have many more

 

[Wez]

It's always great to hear about someone getting back into brewing - nice one :thumb:

I agree with AT generally stick to the 3kg kits for better a better quality product - The Woodfordes range are good so are the Muntuns Premum ranges (Muntons actually produce for Woodfordes)

I found that dry hopping was a superb way to give a kit a great edge

Now make some more beer!!!

 

[Dunfie]

I've got a batch of Wherry in a cornie at the moment. I agree about the slightly aggressive bitterness but I am finding that this is mellowing out with age. Just give it time, if you can, and you will be rewarded. :thumb:

 

[aeddon]

I did a bit of research and the woodforde's seem to be some of the best kits out there. You might have started with the best, which could be a good thing or a bad thing? The Great Eastern Ale is also supposed to be great, got some bottled waiting.

 

[arturobandini]

of the cheap ones coopers kits are pretty good.

I'm starting to sound like a salesman for Coopers but I would definitely say that when you make one of their kits up with 1kg of Spray Dried Malt instead of Sucrose they are the at the very least equal to Muntons. I also find that Spray Dried Malt is less likely to produce a "twangy" "tinny" taste that you can get from using canned liquid extract.

 

[boggy]

I bottled my first wherry kit on sunday. I had a little bottle (kept 4 375ml bottles) earlier and I was very happy with the result.
I didn't dry hop just used the hop extract that came with the kit.
All in its maybe the best kit ive done :thumb:

NIce to see another lapsed brewer getting the bug again :-)

 

[Ned Lud]

Thanks for the tips, I'll pop down to the local home brew shop (hasn't changed a bit in 20 years) and see what they have in stock. I'm tempted to try a Tom Caxton bitter kit to see if it's as bad as it was in the 80s (ome brewin w'ard in my day... hundred and fifty of us living in t' shoebox in t' middle o' road etc etc )

 

[tubby_shaw]

Thanks for the tips, I'll pop down to the local home brew shop (hasn't changed a bit in 20 years) and see what they have in stock. I'm tempted to try a Tom Caxton bitter kit to see if it's as bad as it was in the 80s (ome brewin w'ard in my day... hundred and fifty of us living in t' shoebox in t' middle o' road etc etc )

A 'undred an' fifty to a shoebox ? Luxury ! :lol:

 

[ChrisG]

Brupak - Fixby Gold was a good one too.

 

[derbyowl]

I did a bit of research and the woodforde's seem to be some of the best kits out there. You might have started with the best, which could be a good thing or a bad thing? The Great Eastern Ale is also supposed to be great, got some bottled waiting.

Woodefordes are good kits but not particularly better than any of the other 3kg kits. Stick to the all malt kits choose a type of beer you enjoy, try to let the beer mature a couple of months and you will be fine