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[Review] HBC Irish Stout Extract Kit

Started by DrowningManatee, February 05, 2014, 01:28:27 PM

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DrowningManatee

Instructions on site:

Ingredients. Roasted Barley, Chocolate Malt, Carapils Malt. Galena hops 1 Whirlfloc Tablet. 1 Ale Yeast Suitable for all grain or extract brewing. Requires 3.0kg Dark Dry Malt Extract, or 5.2kg of crushed Maris Otter malt for all grain brewing. Once the wort comes to the boil add the hops as labelled. These hops will be left to boil for an hour. 15 minutes from the end of the one hour boil, add the whirlfloc tablet.

I was surprised to find no flavour/aroma hop additions, only bittering Galena hops to be added at 60mins. I checked it out, and the roast flavours are meant to shine through, which the aroma hops might take away from (though adding some aroma hops yerself couldn't hurt a bit of complexity). I left the kit as is anyways for a fair review. I tasted Porterhouse's wrasslers xxx and celebration stouts recently and really liked them both so I'm looking forward to tasting this kit.

There's a decent whack of malt in there. I had to pack it into 2 hopsacks and they were pretty full.

Here's some pics with my crappy wort chiller (the tap will not fit securely, and this is a universal tap, and no matter how many jubilee clips I attach it still leaks): http://imgur.com/a/t9xDh

Anyhoo, I cooled and mixed with cold water to 20C and added the US-05 dry. Made up to 21L - Friday 31st Jan. Will update when I bottle.
Primary :
Grapefruit mead

Secondary:
Orange Blossom Mead
Blackberry Mead
             
Bottled:

Damo

Hi DM

Is your chiller leaking at the hose connection?

You need to get yourself a roll of insulation tape and wrap the copper pipe where you've attached the hose.
This will increase the O.D. of the copper.  Start on the coil side of the pipe so you get an overlap, don't be afraid to lash the tape on and make sure its approx. 5cm wide.
You want a nice tight fit before you put the clips on.  If needs be you can soak the end of the hose in hot water to help slide it over.

HTH

Damian

DrowningManatee

Cheers Damo, that sounds great.

Wasn't expecting a fix for the wort chiller. I knew it'd be something I shoulda thought of in the end. It's been fun chilling with a squeezy toilet paper rag stopping the water running into the pot, but I think it's time for the insulation tape upgrade :)
Primary :
Grapefruit mead

Secondary:
Orange Blossom Mead
Blackberry Mead
             
Bottled:

Ciderhead

use a flame or gas ring being careful to take it to the point that it softens but not catch fire, it should shink onto the copper


LordEoin

Quote from: DrowningManatee on February 05, 2014, 01:28:27 PM
I was surprised to find no flavour/aroma hop additions, only bittering Galena hops to be added at 60mins.
many stouts only use hops for bittering. I think you did the right thing leaving it as-is  ;)
There's always next time to go crazy!

LordEoin


DrowningManatee

Here's some images of the final beer taken by my housemate. The beer is actually darker and not so ruby red in real life, it was a sunny day:

http://imgur.com/a/yiRwp

I'm not usually a stout fan but drinking this batch has taken the final nail off that coffin:

Appearance: Almost black, but ruby red with the light shining through. A vigorous pour yielded 2 fingers of head with medium head retention. The lacing on the glass was prominent.

Smell: Cocoa, caramel, sharp roasted barley (how I like it ie.Guinness foreign extra as opposed to plain guinness). 'Thick' smell if that makes any sense?

Taste: Rich. Chocolate, coffee upfront. Bitterness from roasted barley and hops at the end.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full bodied (the internet seems to reckon Irish stouts have a light body?) with lightish carbonation. No nitro system but I think I like it a bit sharp and roasty anyway (less creamy).

Overall:
Great beer that has persuaded me into the world of stouts. I will buy this kit again as I now want a regular supply of this beer. I don't like guinness as it tastes flavourless to me, but this is a full, rich taste experience. My mates reckoned they could detect the homebrew twang but I couldn't really find it. Really impressed, recommend it to anyone.
Primary :
Grapefruit mead

Secondary:
Orange Blossom Mead
Blackberry Mead
             
Bottled:

Ciderhead


LordEoin

I don't think i've ever heard someone say they don't like the HBC stout :)

Donnacha

Good to see the HBC Stout kit has another fan ... I keep coming back to this one, it really is a tasty stout

GrahamR

Generally brew in 13 - 15 ltr batches, would ye reckon the kit with 1.5kg of extract and maybe some dem sugar would manage this.
Lifes Too Short To Not Make Beer

Fermenter 1 - Turquoise Lunar Showing

Fermenter 2 - Vitalift Cider

DrowningManatee

If you want it as is expected you should skip the dem and could lay off the extract a bit (though of course it'd be nice to ramp up the abv - if thats what yer afer then go for it. I know dem sugar has some unfermentables but would it dry it out a bit?) . I dont really know but thats my 2 cent, someone else might know a bit more about it
Primary :
Grapefruit mead

Secondary:
Orange Blossom Mead
Blackberry Mead
             
Bottled:

DrowningManatee

Just reread this and I see what you mean now, I was assuming 2x1.5kg extract, sorry
Primary :
Grapefruit mead

Secondary:
Orange Blossom Mead
Blackberry Mead
             
Bottled:

jawalemon

I just bottled a batch of this last week and looking forward to giving it a go.