Cascade kits/MSB kits

[Marty]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone has feedback on either the Cascade kits or the Malt Shovel Brewery kits. I've brewed a Cascade Porter kit (almost ready for bottling) and my next brew will be the Cascade Pale Ale kit. The Porter smells sensational can't wait to taste it.

Wandering around online I discovered MSB do all malt kits as well. Anyone had any experiences? The MSB kits are quite pricey considering they only make 11 litres.

Marty

[thehipone]

I think the consensus is that the Cascade kits are some of the best kits around. I've made the draught with only 500g dextrose added and it came out really well. It's best at a little warmer than fridge temperatures, to let the fruit, spice and wheat notes come out a bit.

I have 2x SUmmer wheat MSB kits that are going into the fermenter next. I think the MSB kits are actually more cost effective than they may seem, even though they are more expensive. They come with good yeast (10g packs of german hefewiezen yeast in the summer wheat) which you would have to otherwise get in liquid form. A pack of extract runs you another 8-10 bucks anyways if you're going all malt, and youd likely get some hops to balance the beer.

I'm interested to see how they turn out. I'll keep you posted.

[grabman]

Marty,

I've just cracked my first bottle of the Cascade Porter, bloody excellent, although I did use Brewcraft Brewblend #25(Stout Booster) and Safale Yeast as suggested by my local HBS to boost it up a bit. MIne has only been in bottle two weeks, I'm hoping to now leave for longer to improve what is IMHO a great drop already.

I'm drinking the Cascade Pale at the moment, well got a few bottles left, that too is a great drop, as is their Spicy Draught.

The MSB packs are ok, remember with them you don't need to add anything, no dextrose or anything just the pack contents. I'm going to try one soon using two packs and making up to 22L, just not sure which one to use yet.

[nexrex]

You are right in saying the Cascade kits are some of the best out there.

I have just recently brewed and bottled the Cascade porter as recomended to me by "Cellar Plus" in Melbourne.

Ingredients were.

-1 can Cascade Porter
-1 kg Caramalt
-100g Lactose

nothing else to it. I am drinking a botlled as I type. "Brilliant"

[db]

i bottled a MSB deep roast ale 2 weeks ago. tried a stubbie last night & it was quite good.. i added 50g of choc & 50g of crystal malts, & i don't think it needed it. tis quite heavy..

keen to check out this cascade porter.. sounds like a winner.

[Marty]

Paul/grabman

What was your OG and FG on the porter? Mine was brewed on 16/9. My OG was 1036 @29C (about 1039) and I've been on 1010 for three days now. Beer is behaving as if it's fully fermented. I wondering whether I misread the OG as the alc vol is only 4.3% without carbonation. To the kit I added 500g dried AME and 500g maltodextrin as well as 14g Northern Brewer hops. I fermented it with a liquid london ale yeast.

Marty

[grabman]

Marty,


My porter started at 1044 at around 23 and finsihed at 1010, it took 10 days to settle at that. I used Brewblend #25 a stout booster so higher in Corn syrup hence the FG being higher. I did check with my local HBS before bottling to make sure all was well. Sounds like your brew is ok to me but maybe wait a day more to double check just to be safe.

Simon

[Marty]

Thanks Simon,

It isn't going to be bottled until Monday anyway. I'm looking forward to trying it. When taking gravity readings it looks and smells brilliant. I hope the next brew (Cascade Pale Ale with modifications to make an IPA) looks, smells and tastes as good.

Marty

[Nathan]

Guys, I'm getting through the whole Cascade range. My first was the Cascade Draught (with #15 brewblend) which is great (almost gone). I've had a Cascade Pale Ale(with #15 brewblend) in the bottle for the last week and a half, smells great, can't wait to taste it. I put a Cascade Porter on last night (with brewblend #20). The OG was 1050. The guy at the homebrew shop recommended filling only to 20l instead of the usual 23l for a bigger beer and to put about 10% less in each bottle for an improved head. Next I'll try a Cascade Lager.

[ashy]

Hi All
my local HBS has just got in a range of Cascade and Malt Shovel Brewery Kits. I haven't tried any of these yet and after reading the above post will get one next payday. I put down a Coopers Stout with a Coopers Dark Ale can yesterday (which was payday) as also suggested in another post on this site so have to wait 2 weeks.

Anyway, any suggestions on which one to try first would be appreciated. I am looking for a good beer, probably an ale since I still have a lager to bottle and have a good suppply of stout sitting at the moment.

I am also interested in the Malt Shovel brand. Someone mentioned that it is only a 11 brew and nothing else is added apart from the can and the yeast. Does it takes the same time to ferment and what makes this brand different to the others. If it does take the same amount of time and only makes 11 litres is it worth tying up the brew kit for half the amount of end product


Ashy

[grabman]

Marty,

I hope you've been doing more than looking and smelling the samples! I always taste mine to make sure all is well with the brew, hell with the porter I was so impressed that while bottling I tapped of a glass to drink during the process, was bloody good too.

Happy bottling, I hope yours turns out as good as mine!!

Simon

[Marty]

Simon,

I just sampled some of my test jar. I put it in a wineglass. Colour was magnificent. Almost an amber ale like colour, nose was good. Taste was very smooth. Can't wait to get it bottled!

Marty