adding to bew kit

[mactier]

So I am getting back into homebrew again after a little time off. And I'm looking at progressing on what I do from just using a kit to adding some stuff to it.

I am wondering for those that add hopes and other flavours to kits, would you use a "flavoured" kit to start with, or would that just spoil the taste of the finished beer?

I have a can that is a "winter ale". I think it has some spices and such in it designed for the Christmas period. But wondering if I start adding hops and anything else, will that just ruin the taste of the hops and the finished beer, or is it still worth going ahead with?

or

Would I be better of brewing this one as is by the can and getting something more neutral to add the hops, malts and sugars?

[DEMPSEY]

If as you say this beer kit has already got a spice addition then what you add could make it too fussy. Make it as is and get your fermentation and bottling up to standard for good practice

[LordEoin]

A pale ale kit is a good starting point, but my favorite is Coopers English Bitter.

Why not just hack this kit sensibly?
Some carapils or crystal will add body and 'freshness'. You could dryhop something spicy/earthy like saaz, williamette, ekg.
Maybe that spice would be nice with the flavors a saison yeast like t58 or m29 brewed nice and warm at ~30°C
Or go mad and hack it into the king of ginger beers with extra LME + ginger

Its your beer. You're the only one who'll suffer if it's shite! 

[mactier]

LOL very true ... well me and whoever i test it on

i was going to go for a coopers or simple can of malt without any of the extras but went with the cheapest option for a first try.

maybe ill see how it goes and see if is smells or tasts like i could add something to it.

I did get myself hops, spray malt, yeast and crystal sugar to use, but im not 100% sure if i will or should. :/

been making homebrew for a few years so the basic kits im grand with, but venturing into the world of hops and malts and such now. trial and error i know.

[mactier]

this is actually the kit that i bought

http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/mr-beer-winter-dark-ale-p-4796.html

[LordEoin]

That one should be a pretty clean canvas to play with. none of those nasty christmas spices.
what yeast and what hops did you get?
what do you mean by 'crystal sugar' ?