Recommend a kit?

[willk]

I just bottled my second kit (finished, not run away from) and I'm looking for your recommendations for easily available Stout/Porter/IPA kits with a bit of quality.  I'm prepared to tweak them a bit - if I can buy the necessary from the same retailer (I've been using HBW).  The first kits were Bulldog Four Finger Jack APA and Easter Chocolate Stout.  Haven't tasted the stout yet - APA was OK in an APA kinda way - maybe a bit funky for me, but seemed to brew to a decent result (my background is cider so I can run a clean ferment).

I think I'm looking for a couple of interesting/better than average brews to do while the 2016 cider bottling is conditioning and settling, and maybe before I try something a bit more adventurous on the beer front, if that makes sense?

[Ceedee]

I have a Festival Golden Stag Summer Ale fermenting at the moment and have seen good reviews of this and their Razorback IPA on YouTube.

I know it's no indication of finished beer, but the samples I've tried while taking the SG have been very drinkable, even if it is warm and flat 

[Leann ull]

Plenty of reviews and tweaks in the kit section of the forum by LE and others?

[willk]

Plenty of reviews and tweaks in the kit section of the forum by LE and others?

True, and I've had a good read through it (before I did the first two kits in fact).  I thought my question might prompt a reply that would reveal the Kit Brewer equivalent to the Third Secret of Fatima... 

[Leann ull]

It's there alright it's called all grain

[willk]

It's there alright it's called all grain

I was worried that might be the answer.  Be careful what you wish for, eh? 

There is no place for all grain in my life - my one true love is the sound of seasoned apples squealing as they go into the mill.  This kit beer fling is just a dirty weekend in the country...

;-)

[irish_goat]

Is extract out of the question? All you need extra is a bucket with a kettle element in it. Same ingredients as a kit hack basically. HBW sell extract kits so you'll not be left with spare odds and ends of ingredients either.

[willk]

Is extract out of the question? All you need extra is a bucket with a kettle element in it.

Don't think for one minute that I don't know where this is headed.......Mainlineing all grain!

Seriously though - I have a seven gallon steel pot and a gas cooker.  The missus goes out to money vanishing class* every Tuesday night and I can have the kitchen - any good?


*Advanced Course

[SprocketFuel]

Seriously though - I have a seven gallon steel pot and a gas cooker.  The missus goes out to money vanishing class* every Tuesday night and I can have the kitchen - any good?

Your all set up for BIAB so

[LordEoin]

This seems to go down well:

http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/forum/kit-brewing/orange-hefeweizen-(ala-'shocktop')/

[RobShamrock]

Did a lot of kits last two years, for a good quick un hacked kit I loved the festival kits, did a limited edition pale ale and the old suffolk strong ale, both excellent and drinkable relatively quick,

Did the Bulldog Red Cat Imperial ale twice too, first time made a balls of it but it showed potential so did it again I like strong ale, second time left it to condition for 3 months and still have some and its a great beer but sweet

[mac2k]

Festival Razorback IPA is an excellent kit.  I've done quite a few hacks on kits, but the Razorback IPA was one of the best. 

From memory, It does need some extra fermentation time though.  3 weeks at 19c (ish) seems to be preferred and that's what I done. If you can leave it a month in the bottle your onto a winner.  Mine only got better with age.  Big difference in Quality between the first and last bottles.

[willk]

Thanks for the replies guys.  I'm just about to go another two or three kits now that the 2016 cider is coming on stream.  It takes the pressure off the conditioning beer if there's another source of drink in the house...

[Ceedee]

I can also highly recommend the Festival kits. I did the Summer Ale one back at the start of Feb and I've only got 6 bottles left, so much for keeping it for the Summer ;-) Just bottled up the Razorback IPA three weeks ago and it's tasting great already. Hopefully I can keep a few of these for a nice sunny weekend if it ever arrives.

[oconn]

youngs Youngs American Pale Ale and IPA are fa and away the best US style beer kits. For more traditional the St Peters are great. Ive had the beer in London pub and the kit is very close to be fair.