Hopping up a kit?

[CB_Phil]

So looking @ heading home @ the end of the month & planning my next brew(s)
My last 2/1st 2 had a bit of a sweet after taste, last one not using any sugar, only Malt Extract for adding flavour & priming
Ive been thinking of utilising hops to help w/bittering especially
What is the best hops & best way to go about adding to a kit?
I will either be doing a Stout or Porter.
Thanks again in advance,
Phil

[LordEoin]

Sweet? Did you use LME?

no beersmith here, so guessing all quantities and times

i'd go for Galena, 10g pellet should get you about 20IBU extra with an hour boil
Grab your biggest pot, add 500g DME, fill so it will comfortably boil, add hops, boil 60 mins.
if you want some extra flavour/aroma, add some EKG/Fuggles at 10 and 5 minutes.

In fv add another 500d DME + coopers stout kit, strain the mini extract boil in, swirl it all up to disolve, top up to 20L aiming for about 20C pitching temp.

If you want it a little thinner, make to 23L and add 300g sugar

[Blueshed]

As LE said Galena is a good choice or the good old standards of East Kent Goldings and Fuggles. Some people like Willamette and i used Bullion and Cascade in stouts.

[imark]

Sweet! Did it fully attenuate? If you want to dry it use sugar as Le said.
Hopping for bitterness may not address the cause of your previous sweet beer. You might be served better by swapping in a packet of us05 yeast.

[CB_Phil]

i used 500g DME & 500g Brew sugar in the 1st w/Carbination drops, was inthe FV for bout 3weeks (book is @ home so cant say exact0
2nd one was a 3kg kit & aded 100g DME & Brown sugar (again amounts could be wrong as book is @ home0 &a MME 350g for priming, this was not as sweet & may be ok when i get home as it was only sitting in the bottles a week before I tried it as I was heading back out to work.
Should i let the boil cool off 1st? Ive been trying to up the % by reducing the amount of water added, last brew ionly made it to 17/ 18lts
yeast wise Ive just been using the one that comes w/the kit, both have been Mutons kits

[Dunkel]

Presuming MME is Medium Malt Extract, you used 350g for primimg?

[CB_Phil]

yep, medium. I followed the instructions on the pack for priming w/extract that was what it came to