Fresh wort kits

ACTbrewer · Post by **ACTbrewer** » Saturday May 13, 2006 6:18 pm

My local homebrew guy says they are the duck's nuts..they would want to be for $50 a throw. Has anyone here tried them out?

InCider · Post by **InCider** » Saturday May 13, 2006 8:34 pm

I'd have to have a lap dance tossed in as well for for $50.

shane_vor · Post by **shane_vor** » Saturday May 13, 2006 9:23 pm

Jeeesus! Here they're charging 35 bucks for one and yes they are pretty good, but not worth a pineapple!

gregb · Post by **gregb** » Saturday May 13, 2006 9:44 pm

Actaully sampled one this evening. I did the American Pale Ale. Two weeks in the bottle. Was fine drinking, but I felt a little bit detached from it - in the same way if I'd just bought a slab from the shop. If you are just in it for the drinking they are ideal. If you enjoy the 'craft' side of things a little they are, for me anyway, too detatched from the process.

Cheers,
Greg

Dogger Dan · Post by **Dogger Dan** » Sunday May 14, 2006 9:42 am

I think they have issues with there acidity

Dogger

NickMoore · Post by **NickMoore** » Sunday May 14, 2006 11:08 am

$50 ... tell him he's dreamin'

chris. · Post by **chris.** » Sunday May 14, 2006 11:38 am

Dogger Dan wrote:I think they have issues with there acidity

Dogger

i was unaware they ship these kits to Canada? would be expensive to ship 15 litres of fresh wort all the way from Oz.

I bottled an IPA recently. & I'm not sure if I agree with you Greg. Its just like any other kit in my opinion. From my tastings of the young IPA I've made I'll be tweaking the kit a little next time. I'll be adding some extra malt, a small amount of crystal & some Goldings or Fuggles to suit my taste. Much better taste than a Coopers kit I do believe

& worth the couple extra dollars too

$50 is not on though. I pay either $32.50 including a Safale or $42.50 with a Whitelabs yeast.

Dogger Dan · Post by **Dogger Dan** » Monday May 15, 2006 5:10 am

They don't ship them to us. We make them here

You need to add a little package of powder to the kit before you ferment it. I suspect that the pH is high on the wort which leads to bacterial infections and unstable product so they drop the pHby acidifying it so it is stable and gives it a shelf life. The thing is, yeast doesn't like the big acid pH's either so the package is likely a base to raise the pH

This concerns me a bit

Dogger

chris. · Post by **chris.** » Monday May 15, 2006 7:54 am

Ours are different. There's nothing to add. no pH adjustment.
The wort is packaged hot from the kettle, after a 20min whirpool, & sealed whilst still hot.

Hully · Post by **Hully** » Sunday May 21, 2006 11:19 pm

I am also looking at a fresh wort kit for my next brew. My local HBS has a new Bohemian lager which sounds interesting when it gets a bit colder in the shed.
Any comments on the brands and styles would be appreciated

In reference to another thread, would this be extract brewing and using some extra grains etc as Chri suggests be partial brewing

Rubber.Piggy · Post by **Rubber.Piggy** » Monday May 22, 2006 10:03 am

$35 here but I haven't tried them, seems a bit boring to me. For me the best part about HB is being involved in the process.

However they seem to be hugely popular with the other guys I see in the HBS. They praise them like there is no tomorrow, so their must be something good in them.

I think their simplicity might be a good way to suck people into HBing.

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Monday May 22, 2006 4:30 pm

Fresh Wort would be good for me if I had a sudden need to make a quick and easy batch for a friend or relative, but otherwise I have more fun doing the recipe thing.

chris. · Post by **chris.** » Monday May 22, 2006 6:10 pm

Hully wrote:I am also looking at a fresh wort kit for my next brew. My local HBS has a new Bohemian lager which sounds interesting when it gets a bit colder in the shed.
Any comments on the brands and styles would be appreciated

In reference to another thread, would this be extract brewing and using some extra grains etc as Chri suggests be partial brewing

I havent heard of or tried the Boh Pils

who makes it?

I buy the ESB range. http://esbeer.com.au/category25_1.htm
The APA & IPA are favorites. Check out www.hbkitreviews.com for more feedback on them.

I wouldn't call it a partial as your not mashing. Technically its a kit + specialty grain. FWIW i wouldn't go adding extra's until you've tried the kit by itself.

ACTbrewer · Post by **ACTbrewer** » Monday May 22, 2006 6:24 pm

Hmmm I checked the prices again today, the Brew man sells the ESP kits for $42.50. I hope it comes with a kick arse yeast as an extra

Hully · Post by **Hully** » Monday May 22, 2006 9:19 pm

Chris
I was told it is made by Potters Brewery in the hunter valley for a small brew
pub on the south coast. The HBS is in Newcastle but I will get some more info when next in there. The blokes in the HBS had made up the first offering of a different style and were impressed so have put the next offering in stock.
Cost is $35, includes Saf yeast and you get a $5 credit if you return the container CLEAN! as he put it.

Worth a try

chris. · Post by **chris.** » Tuesday May 23, 2006 12:55 pm

Thanks Hully.
I'd try one if I could get my hands on one. Tried the Hunter Valley Koelsch last year (bottle) & was impressed. (have heard mixed reports about it on tap though)

Smabb · Post by **Smabb** » Wednesday May 24, 2006 12:28 pm

NTRabbit wrote:Fresh Wort would be good for me if I had a sudden need to make a quick and easy batch for a friend or relative, but otherwise I have more fun doing the recipe thing.

One of the HBS's in my vicinity was trying to flog this to me a while back. I also took the view that this was pretty much the same as going to the bottlo.

Minimal involvement and (worse) you're not learning anything.

tcc · Post by **tcc** » Wednesday May 24, 2006 9:34 pm

as an extract brewer, trying one or two fresh wort kits can give you an idea how good your beer would taste if you mashed - personally it was this that motivated me to try my first partial

but yeah otherwise i agree its more fun to have creative control

Hully · Post by **Hully** » Sunday May 28, 2006 8:59 pm

Chris

The wort kit comes from NNL brewing supplies. I picked one up yesterday and it is currently brewing in the shed at 16c. I had a choice of yeasts so opted for the S23.

Web: nnlbeersupplies.com.au

As mentioned above, the process is easier than K&K with little creative input, although I did choose the yeast

Not disimmilar to the 3kg tins from ESB, just add water and yeast.
The HBS has suggested they make a more mild version that you could then add different hops etc to suit your own taste.

Will post results when ready. May have to taste test earlier than usual.

chris. · Post by **chris.** » Monday May 29, 2006 1:40 pm

Hully wrote:Chris

The wort kit comes from NNL brewing supplies. I picked one up yesterday and it is currently brewing in the shed at 16c. I had a choice of yeasts so opted for the S23.

Web: nnlbeersupplies.com.au

As mentioned above, the process is easier than K&K with little creative input, although I did choose the yeast Not disimmilar to the 3kg tins from ESB, just add water and yeast.
The HBS has suggested they make a more mild version that you could then add different hops etc to suit your own taste.

Will post results when ready. May have to taste test earlier than usual.

Thanks Hully. I had heard that nnl were doing the ale but didn't know about the lager. I will try to get my hands on one.

As I've said I don't see any difference between these kits & a coopers tin in terms of creativity. You select the yeast & can add extra fermentables (even honey if you wish), specialty grains, & finishing hops.

It makes me laugh that the notion of cutting out the kg of extra fermentables addition "limits creativity"