Recommend a kit

Tyberious Funk · Thursday Sep 22, 2005 10:33 am

The thread on the Cascade spicy ghost isn't the first time I've heard disappointing things about the Cascade range. It's made me wonder about which kits are highly regarded... particularly in respect to some of the follow criteria;

* Quality - does it result in a good brew?
* Authenticity - does it recreate the style it purports to?
* Flexibility - can it be used as a base for create a wide variety of beers?
* Value - does it represent good value?
* Availability - can it be found in most HBS or local shops?

So, can anyone tell me what they think some of the "best" kits are? Perhaps some kit ratings on the site would be useful.

Dogger Dan · Post by **Dogger Dan** » Thursday Sep 22, 2005 10:44 am

I'm not sure I can answer that one. I find the whole style thing way to overrated and I am using kits to provide a hopped malt......although that is soon to change as I can get a kilo of malt extract for 2.99 and a couple of ounces of hops for about 4 bucks, that makes, lets see, about 10 bucks give or take to replace a 16 dollar kit.

I like the Coopers kits as they seem to have more body than others I have tried, although I am pretty much limited to Coopers, a couple of Morgans, a couple of Black Rock, Edme and John Bull, A Canadian Brewcraft (I tihink its called that, was disappointed last time I tried it but on behalf of bobiolli I said I would give it another go)

Dogger

bkmad · Post by **bkmad** » Thursday Sep 22, 2005 11:13 am

By far the best kits I have used are the 3kg ESB ones. However, they are not available in all shops. There's hop pellets floating around in the malt so it seems they even provide finishing hops. Also being 3kg, they are all malt brews, you don't need to add anything else although I sometimes steep some crystal grain to go with them.

Another good kit I've recently tried is the wetpacks from the country brewer in Sydney. Basically they provide all the ingredients for an extract brew in one package - 3kg of malt with hop pellets, 300gm grain for a mini-mash and some finishing hops. You do have to boil it for an hour to extract the bitterness from the hops though. I've just done their american pale ale and based on tastings of the hydometer jar, its going to be brilliant. I haven't cracked one open yet as I only bottled it on friday.

BK

silkworm · Post by **silkworm** » Thursday Sep 22, 2005 11:40 am

For me its the Coopers Heritage series. A winner everytime.
I just compaired the ESB Pilsner to the Coopers Heritage Pilsner and the Coopers won. Both were very good but I liked the yeast in the Coopers it seemed to create a heavier sediment and the flavour was balanced and crisp.
The Gold Rush Texas-T makes a beautiful creamy dark ale. mmmm
Tooheys has consistantly produced lesser beers and I would now avoid it and pay a couple of buck more for a decent base...

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Thursday Sep 22, 2005 11:43 am

Have a squiz at http://www.hbkitreviews.com.

Tony

silkworm · Post by **silkworm** » Thursday Sep 22, 2005 11:58 am

Tony that link didn't seem to work???
I tried to find it through Google and found this.

http://www.download.com/Home-Brew-Kit-M ... 72990.html
I won't be paying $15 bucks for it though...

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Thursday Sep 22, 2005 12:04 pm

Corrected. Should be http://www.hbkitreviews.com (note "s")

Sorry.

Tony

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Thursday Sep 22, 2005 11:29 pm

I've found the 3kg X-Tract kits from the country brewer to be fantastic. Like the ESB kits, they are all malt- no extras required. They also have hop pellets floating in them. The pilsner is pretty good, but the lager is by far the best kit beer that I've ever had.

two headed brewer · Saturday Sep 24, 2005 7:26 pm

bkmad wrote:Another good kit I've recently tried is the wetpacks from the country brewer in Sydney. Basically they provide all the ingredients for an extract brew in one package - 3kg of malt with hop pellets, 300gm grain for a mini-mash and some finishing hops. You do have to boil it for an hour to extract the bitterness from the hops though. I've just done their american pale ale and based on tastings of the hydometer jar, its going to be brilliant. I haven't cracked one open yet as I only bottled it on friday.

BK

bkmad,
I'm with you dude! just tried a sampler of the American Pale, which is just 10 days old, 'cause I couldn't wait. Yes! the memory of the hydrometer tasting lasted quite a while - sensational. The lads at TCB have done a great job and brought up the standard of us hackers to a new level with these kits. Last visit, I picked up a European Pilsener, which should be good based on the TCB Wal's Pilsener I've done.
Recommend all to give these kits a run.

Bally

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Saturday Sep 24, 2005 7:47 pm

The do a great wetpack ginger beer too. It is especially good if you get the ginger booster.

steveo · Post by **steveo** » Saturday Sep 24, 2005 8:38 pm

Reckon the Spicy Ghost is OK, bit weak, but the missus liked it, as did a few of the guys at work who like that weak no hop, no malt flavour. Reckon it would be OK as a summer quaffer.

Tyberious Funk · Post by **Tyberious Funk** » Monday Sep 26, 2005 1:01 pm

Actually, for the first time in a few months, NONE of my fermenters have anything brewing. I was supposed to kick off something on the weekend, but got distracted by the football and bottling my stout.

I'm actually thinking of making my first foray into a completely kit-less beer... which has got me a little bit nervous because it would be the first time I will be totally responsible for the hop flavours. And other than having some great experiences with Saaz, and some horrible experiences with PoR, I can't say I'm that familiar with creating specific flavours using particular hops. I think some small batches are probably in order.

Wassa · Post by **Wassa** » Monday Sep 26, 2005 2:27 pm

Well, seeing as how the weather is warming up it is getting to be Ale time.

What I am planning is a kit brew of Tooheys Dark Ale, put down with 600gm of Dark dry malt and 400gm of maltodextrin. Will add Willamette finishing hops and ferment with Safale.

Believe me it is true nectar and the closest thing to Tooheys old that you will find.

silkworm · Post by **silkworm** » Monday Sep 26, 2005 2:32 pm

Tyberious Funk wrote:and some horrible experiences with PoR.....

Hi Tyberious
Would you mind letting me know what happened with the Pride of Ringwood hops?
I would like to try it but have heard only warnings...

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Monday Sep 26, 2005 3:34 pm

Wassa wrote:Well, seeing as how the weather is warming up it is getting to be Ale time.

What I am planning is a kit brew of Tooheys Dark Ale, put down with 600gm of Dark dry malt and 400gm of maltodextrin. Will add Willamette finishing hops and ferment with Safale.

Believe me it is true nectar and the closest thing to Tooheys old that you will find.

When my current stock of Tooheys Dark runs out im going to make it again to the same recipe - Brewiser Ultrabrew (500g light dme, 250g dex 250g malto) and 500g dark dme - but this time im going to try a better yeast, and add a Fuggles teabag to give it the proper aroma this batch was lacking.

Tyberious Funk · Post by **Tyberious Funk** » Monday Sep 26, 2005 4:27 pm

silkworm wrote:
Tyberious Funk wrote:and some horrible experiences with PoR.....
Hi Tyberious
Would you mind letting me know what happened with the Pride of Ringwood hops?
I would like to try it but have heard only warnings...

Actually, the horrible experiences with PoR that I was refering to was drinking VB

I know that might seem a bit extreme, but my first beer experiences were with VB and it put me off the stuff for many years. The same thing occured with most of my university friends... fortunately we've all seen the light now. But we all used to think that it was "just what beer tastes like".

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tuesday Sep 27, 2005 2:35 pm

Tyberious Funk wrote: Actually, the horrible experiences with PoR that I was refering to was drinking VB

I know that might seem a bit extreme, but my first beer experiences were with VB and it put me off the stuff for many years. The same thing occured with most of my university friends... fortunately we've all seen the light now. But we all used to think that it was "just what beer tastes like".

and you wonder why premix spirits are so widely drunk now!! the beer industry would hugely benefit if filth like VB and Calton Draught are banned. i guess its back to the bundy and coke whilst VB's around.

keep it reel

Wassa · Post by **Wassa** » Tuesday Sep 27, 2005 3:02 pm

I've got to admit that VB is not the best beer going around, but it's definately better than Resch's Draught in NSW and Carlton draft is at least drinkable.

There are some decent commercial beers available though and I'm on record as stating that Tooheys Old is a great beer (IMHO).

By the same token there are some awful homebrews about. Goldrush turned me off brewing back in the early 80's and Brigalow and Wander are 2 more that I can think of straight away.

Anyway, I'll get off my soap box.

silkworm · Post by **silkworm** » Tuesday Sep 27, 2005 4:16 pm

Wassa,
Actually Goldrush Texas-T is a kit I would recommend. It proves that it is all down to individual taste. I'd agree with the VB comments though.
Has anyone tales of good experiences with using PoR hops in a HB?

J D Kipper · Post by **J D Kipper** » Tuesday Sep 27, 2005 5:18 pm

None of the cascade kits could live up to the stories on the cans, but I got a good result from Golden Harvest lager Last summer.

Ignore the skunky smell as you bottle.

Leave bottles in the dark a Minimum of 10 weeks

The bitterness of this nice clean lager would definitely not be to everyones taste, but for me it was made for swallowing at the emergency rate on a hot January afternoon.

Personal taste i guess.

sleeper

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