Youngs American Pale Ale (APA)

[Graz]

This is my next brew to start drinking though it will be a little while yet, currently in the pressure barrel and on it's second week of conditioning at 20 degrees in the brew fridge. Will be interesting to see how it pours. The taster I had at racking time was pretty good though.

Interesting that an eggy smell during fermenting was mentioned. This is the first time I've used the brew fridge and it really magnifies the smells of brewing. I was a little worried when I got a whiff of this on day 2-3 and hoped I hadn't got a contaminated brew. Several days later though and it smelt quite strongly of bananas. Funny stuff yeast :)

 

[chuffer]

yes, now that you mention it - there was a faint whiff of something not too dissimilar to bananas....no eggs though

 

[Marcarm]

Got one of these carbonating in the wardrobe which will be ready to move to the garage this weekend. Managed to resist trying one so far which is really good for me!

I used to know a 'Chuffer', called him that as he refused to swear, but used 'chuffing' instead of the F word

Not a Leeds fan are you by any chance?

 

[chuffer]

I used to know a 'Chuffer', called him that as he refused to swear, but used 'chuffing' instead of the F word

Not a Leeds fan are you by any chance?

No mate, I'm from the mighty Widnes!

 

[Marcarm]

No mate, I'm from the mighty Widnes!

I knew it would be too much of a coincidence for someone I used to know over 20 years ago brewing the same beer as me at the same time :lol:

 

[Ninja_Brew]

I've had mine conditioning at room temperature for 12 days now and tried one last night. Already clear and carbonated ok, but could do with a little longer before chilling. It's a decent beer. The last two kits I made were the Youngs American IPA and that was great. This being a pale ale understandably has less hops and a lower ABV, so has a more easy drinking style that the IPA but is still good all the same.

I've completed 4 Youngs kits now since I started home brewing last summer, and I've got the American Mocha Porter to bottle at the weekend. As a fan of American craft beer and breweries such as Brewdog, Beavertown and Vocation, the results are pretty decent. I'm now slowly building up my confidence now to move to all grain!

 

[Graz]

I've got the American Mocha Porter to bottle at the weekend.

The AMP is lush, I made it for Christmas this year and everyone who's had it commented as to how good it was. I'm going to put a few bottles aside to sample later on in the year and for next Xmas.

 

[Ninja_Brew]

Great! I'll take this to the AMP page, but it's finished up at 4.99. It looks as though there's a lot of yeast on the walls of the FV from when it initially foamed up when airated it and pitched the yeast. I'm wondering if that's why, and if it's worth scraping it into the beer?

 

[terrym]

there's a lot of yeast on the walls of the FV from when it initially foamed up when airated it and pitched the yeast. I'm wondering if that's why, and if it's worth scraping it into the beer?

Why would you want to re-introduce partially dried up crud back into your brew?
Leave it where it is :thumb:

 

[deanobrfc]

Agreed that this is a decent beer - had mine cold conditioning for a few weeks now and tastes good - slightly bitter at the end but easy drinking as was mentioned above. A fairly dark colour which I wasn't necessarily expecting but a decent drink!

Really impressed with the Youngs kits so far - have done American Pale Ale, American Amber Ale and New World Saison, which is a stunning beer!

 

[Ninja_Brew]

Thought so. Thanks.

 

[Global33]

It's my first kit and has now been in the FV for 9 days. I'm now at the point I'm finding it quite hard not to keep checking it to see if I can add the hops. Am I right in thinking this is when it's finished fermenting?

 

[GhostShip]

I've just started this kit this morning. Went to my local home brew shop last week in search of the Mangrove Jack's Pink Grapefuit IPA, but they don't stock that range and I wanted to start a brew over Easter. 23 litres now sitting in the FV. Smells great and if it's as good as the Youngs American IPA that I'm still drinking, then I'll be delighted.

Will post a full review in a few weeks time!

 

[mark bruce]

How long before you guys were drinking the Young's APA? Mine is still tasting a bit harsh after a month in the bottle.

 

[GhostShip]

I've screwed up a bit. APA has been in the FV for 17 days and I would have added the hops this week and bottled this weekend, but I fly to Barcelona on Friday night and there's no way I'm going to have time to do anything before I go away.

I'll have to add the hops when I get back and bottle the following weekend. That means it will have been in the FV for four weeks. Hopefully that's not a problem but I do hear people talking about the possibility of oxidation when a beer's been in the FV for a long period.

 

[-Bezza-]

How long before you guys were drinking the Young's APA? Mine is still tasting a bit harsh after a month in the bottle.

I'm at about the same stage and am having similar thoughts - quite bitter and not much hop aroma coming through. It's starting to mellow compared to where it was a couple of weeks ago, so would expect it to be better in another 3-4 weeks.

 

[Pavros]

I'll have to add the hops when I get back and bottle the following weekend. That means it will have been in the FV for four weeks. Hopefully that's not a problem but I do hear people talking about the possibility of oxidation when a beer's been in the FV for a long period.

It should be ok. I found that the Young's kits can take 3-4 weeks to fully ferment out if you don't have temperature control.

 

[BeardedMag]

I had a bottle a week after haha! It conditioned a load better and was probably at its peak for my pallet around 2 months into conditioning. Can't comment on any longer as I drank about 20 bottles during a mad weekend and it was all gone haha :p

 

[merrydown]

I've left a Youngs IPA in primary for 4 weeks and it tasted identical, after maturing, to the kit I bottled at just over 2 weeks.

Youngs IPA is pretty good in my opinion. 2 weeks after bottling I thought it was very good. It was better, quicker than the Evil Dog Double IPA I made before it too. That kit was 5 weeks in bottle before I could actually enjoy it.

I'd say the Youngs IPA peaked around 7 weeks after bottling. I finished the last bottle at around 14 weeks. I felt that the flavour had declined by then to a pleasant neutral flavour, but the hoppy aroma had almost gone.

I have a Youngs IPA 10 days into fermentation right now. I'm trying to decide if adding some relevant Capella flavour drops at a low level would boost the flavour or ruin it. I tried adding Grapefruit peel without pith before, but left it in for a few days too long and got all bitterness and no flavour from it. It took me 3 months to fight my way through

Weirdly, two of my 'local' homebrew stores are very disparaging about Youngs IPA brews. They haven't ever made them and don't care about the reviews. They were both quite venemous about Youngs, telling me that Youngs ingredients were junk and not worth the money. I told them I was surprised, as - in the UK - Youngs IPA is just about the highest rated IPA kit on the internet. I also think it is delicious having made it 3 times with 2 more on the way!!!

One of the home brew stores had a vested interest as they sell their own brand kits, so I don't know if it was pure salesmanship... I bought one of their kits to try anyway, iut is supposed to be a Punk IPA clone. If it is not good, I will be sure to tell them how much better the Youngs one is!

 

[-Bezza-]

I've left a Youngs IPA in primary for 4 weeks and it tasted identical, after maturing, to the kit I bottled at just over 2 weeks.

Youngs IPA is pretty good in my opinion. 2 weeks after bottling I thought it was very good. It was better, quicker than the Evil Dog Double IPA I made before it too. That kit was 5 weeks in bottle before I could actually enjoy it.

I'd say the Youngs IPA peaked around 7 weeks after bottling. I finished the last bottle at around 14 weeks. I felt that the flavour had declined by then to a pleasant neutral flavour, but the hoppy aroma had almost gone.

I have a Youngs IPA 10 days into fermentation right now. I'm trying to decide if adding some relevant Capella flavour drops at a low level would boost the flavour or ruin it. I tried adding Grapefruit peel without pith before, but left it in for a few days too long and got all bitterness and no flavour from it. It took me 3 months to fight my way through

Weirdly, two of my 'local' homebrew stores are very disparaging about Youngs IPA brews. They haven't ever made them and don't care about the reviews. They were both quite venemous about Youngs, telling me that Youngs ingredients were junk and not worth the money. I told them I was surprised, as - in the UK - Youngs IPA is just about the highest rated IPA kit on the internet. I also think it is delicious having made it 3 times with 2 more on the way!!!

One of the home brew stores had a vested interest as they sell their own brand kits, so I don't know if it was pure salesmanship... I bought one of their kits to try anyway, iut is supposed to be a Punk IPA clone. If it is not good, I will be sure to tell them how much better the Youngs one is!

The Young's Premium kits are the best kits I've tried. You seem to get yeast that performs well and the dry hops to give it some fresher flavours. I've not tried the IPA that you've mentioned, only the APA, ORA and Saison but they are all pretty solid. If anyone is asking about making beer for the first time, I point them in this direction.

I have tended to avoid the own brand kits for the simple and naive reason that the packaging doesn't look at good! :tinhat: