Home Brew Kits

[Nufy]

So...its done...at least the carbonation is there to my liking.

The taste....Not really sure.

Certainly not store bought quality but I'm not really sure if its good...

Anyone in SE Calgary / Deer Valley want to sample and offer an opinion ?

[Aleks]

Originally Posted by Nufy

So...its done...at least the carbonation is there to my liking.

The taste....Not really sure.

Certainly not store bought quality but I'm not really sure if its good...

Anyone in SE Calgary / Deer Valley want to sample and offer an opinion ?

What was the style?

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[Nufy]

Honey Brown Lager

[Aleks]

Originally Posted by Nufy

Honey Brown Lager

Post the recipe, the way you fermented it, and what you think or don't like

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[McG]

It’s funny I was just wondering how everyone’s beer was doing. My recommendations are to use a good glass, pour it in one go, and don’t put the yeast from the bottle in the glass. I also let mine sit for the co2 to clear. I absolutely have made lots of beer better than some of the crud I’ve paid for. Maybe pinch your nose when you are taking the first sip.

[Nufy]

Originally Posted by Aleks

Post the recipe, the way you fermented it, and what you think or don't like

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This one...

https://www.amazon.ca/Brewers-Best-H...9191484&sr=8-1


I followed the included instructions.

Started in bucket but transferred to carboy for fermentation of 2 - 2and 1/2 weeks.

Back to bucket for bottling and wait 4 weeks before sampling.

Tastes kinda dry I think. Not really sure.

[GeoffSK]

I get my kits from Readybrew (made by paddockwood micro brewery in saskatoon)

Looks like you can get them from grapes to glass in Calgary but are $10 more than i pay locally in saskatoon.

https://readybrew.ca/

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[Aleks]

Originally Posted by Nufy

This one...

https://www.amazon.ca/Brewers-Best-H...9191484&sr=8-1


I followed the included instructions.

Started in bucket but transferred to carboy for fermentation of 2 - 2and 1/2 weeks.

Back to bucket for bottling and wait 4 weeks before sampling.

Tastes kinda dry I think. Not really sure.

Threw me off with the Lager ... Lagering is a whole 'nother ball of wax, but thanks to the magic of Kveik can be easily worked around!

What yeast was included with that, I can't find it in the description.

But first things first, Kits.....Kits are an awesome way to learn the process of turning out beer, with the understanding there is some limitation to how a kit will taste. Malt extract degrades with time, darkens, and flavors off depending on how its handled and stored and all of that. Because of that, kit beer will "lack" that fresh taste you are accustomed to with local fresh craft beers. This is where all grain brewing comes in, you don't have that aspect of it because you're using the same process and everything is fresh, you're creating the wort, not diluting a extract.

Sometimes it just takes a bit of time to mellow out, so leave it for a bit and see if they balance better as some of the residual yeast does some cleanup. This can take weeks but its why some bottled homebrew gets better with time, some of the secondary fermentation from the carbonating can cause some flavors that make you think this wasn't what you were looking for.

This happens with kegged all grain brews too, to a degree, but because you treat them differently (crash them, no secondary fermentation, force carb, etc), you get a bit more of a consistent product that doesn't change much with aging.

Either way, leave it for a bit, don't be discouraged, you'll find it will taste a bit different soon!

[Fuzz]

Ya, when i made those Brewers best kits they improve over time. Another month or so it should taste different(and better).

[Wormius]

How are the Coopers’ kits? I saw that Save-On Foods has a fairly extensive variety of them. Just looking for something to experiment with. Any that are better than expected?

[Aleks]

Originally Posted by Wormius

How are the Coopers’ kits? I saw that Save-On Foods has a fairly extensive variety of them. Just looking for something to experiment with. Any that are better than expected?

Some people love them, they have a lot of people that use Cooper's. It's an extract kit like any other and its mass produced so I don't think it's necessarily better. LME can be a pain to work with and I don't think aside from availability there's any advantage over any of the kits available at LHBS. I guess maybe cost.

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[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Aleks

Some people love them, they have a lot of people that use Cooper's. It's an extract kit like any other and its mass produced so I don't think it's necessarily better. LME can be a pain to work with and I don't think aside from availability there's any advantage over any of the kits available at LHBS. I guess maybe cost.

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I am not too worried about cost, just looking to make use of my brewing equipment. What I meant though was it looks like there are a lot of different varieties of the Coopers kits available and curious if any of those are actually worth trying to make. I am sure my wife would like the “Mexican Cerveza” one.

[Aleks]

Originally Posted by Wormius

I am not too worried about cost, just looking to make use of my brewing equipment. What I meant though was it looks like there are a lot of different varieties of the Coopers kits available and curious if any of those are actually worth trying to make. I am sure my wife would like the “Mexican Cerveza” one.

I think people have had and turned out good beer with them. That's just as much a factor of your process as the ingredients. I would say just try it, why not!

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[GeoffSK]

Originally Posted by Aleks

I think people have had and turned out good beer with them. That's just as much a factor of your process as the ingredients. I would say just try it, why not!

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Yes. Just use dry malt and not dextrose. Some of those can kits say you can use either but dry malt will make a much better beer.

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[Wormius]

I had to pick up a bigger primary to accommodate the 23l for the “Mexican Cerveza” kit. I dumped 1kg of light dry malt, and then the Coopers concentrate along with a lot of water. It is starting off pretty dark for what is supposed to be a Corona-compatible brew. I haven’t pitched the yeast yet as it’s still pretty warm. Hopefully this is fairly successful.

[Aleks]

Originally Posted by Wormius

I had to pick up a bigger primary to accommodate the 23l for the “Mexican Cerveza” kit. I dumped 1kg of light dry malt, and then the Coopers concentrate along with a lot of water. It is starting off pretty dark for what is supposed to be a Corona-compatible brew. I haven’t pitched the yeast yet as it’s still pretty warm. Hopefully this is fairly successful.

Most malt extract beers look a bit dark. Sometimes it depends on the age of the extract, they tend to darken over time. That said everything looks dark in the fermenter, even lighter beers. I'm sure it will be fine!

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[guzzy]

Originally Posted by Aleks

Most malt extract beers look a bit dark. Sometimes it depends on the age of the extract, they tend to darken over time. That said everything looks dark in the fermenter, even lighter beers. I'm sure it will be fine!

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agreed. The last malt extract kit I used was a German Pilsner from Brewhq. It is very dark for a pilsner but tastes similar.

It was my last kit before switching to all grain.

[Wormius]

The Cooper's Cerveza is looking good at day 10, and gone from O.G of 1.038 to 1.008 and tastes quite a bit like Corona already. I am starting to think of clarifying it with gelatin. Instructions aren't exactly clear. Do you just cold crash the beer and pour in the the gelatin slurry, or do you need stir it all up and bring up whatever had all already settled to the bottom?

[Wormius]

The Coopers turned out better than I was expecting, and by that I mean better than Corona.

Next will be some blueberry apple cider. Found some jugs of unfiltered pink lady apple juice at the grocery store, so mixed that with some a bag of thawed wild blueberries. Pretty high o.g at 1.054.

[Aleks]

Sorry I forgot to answer about the gelatin. I usually just mix up a half a packet in some water, enough to dissolve it, warm water makes it easier, and then just dump it in. Just keep in mind if you have vegan friends (weirdos), that they may not be happy with it

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