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[Review] The Homebrew Company's All Grain Mash Kit - American Pale Ale

Started by Jacob, February 24, 2014, 08:59:02 PM

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Jacob

Thanks to generosity of The Homebrew Company I received American Pale Ale All Grain Kit (BJCP - category 10A) for a review.

The kit contains following items:



1) 5.4kg of malt (mix of Maris Otter & Crystal)



2) Hops (Nugget, Chinook, Cascade)
   - 60min 20g
   - 30min 15g
   - 10min 25g
   - 0min 45g
3) Whirlfloc tablet
4) US05 yeast
5) Instruction leaflet

All the items arrived packed in one plastic bag as seen on a picture posted above.
I'd prefer to see them packed separately. That would allow me to store hops in the freezer and yeast in the fridge.
Also, having instructions packed alone would allow me to read them few days before the brew day and plan everything.
Instruction itself is straightforward and simple.

The beer was brewed following the leaflet but all the numbers were also checked in BeerSmith.
Finally after 1 hour boil 23l of wort were collected at OG 1.053.
Beer was transferred to second fermentor after a week of primary fermentation and kegged after another with FG of 1.009 and ABV ~5.78%

Here is how it looks carbonated and in a glass :)



Tasting notes ...

Lovely white long staying head nicely contrasts with golden almost amber beer.
Still a little bit cloudy but c'mon!! it was kegged just a week ago :)
It's not as citrusy on the nose as I would expect it :/
Some extra hops for dry hopping would change it for sure, but unfortunately they were not included.
Think that reducing last hops from 45 to 20g and then using remaining 25g for dry addition could do the trick as well.
Not sure about the IBU but it's bitter enough. This beer is not too sweet or 'thick' which makes it very drinkable!
It's not going to last long :(

Kit overall score: 8.5 of 10