Generic Beer, The final answer

[Dogger Dan]

http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/vi ... .php?t=354

The final results are in, yes there is a difference in Generic beer kits and the Brand Name stuff.

I posted the initial URL where I made this stuff. I must admit I was pretty disappointed but hey.

Anyway, I let it sit for about 4 months and then had some beer drinkers try it against a Coopers Lager brewed with the same raws WTE of yeast although I did use the "Under the Cap" stuff in both cases.

I found the generic cidery and thin in body, the Coopers stood out as being a very tasty beer.

The others trying the beer didn't know what it was and had to compare it between the Coopers and then a partial mash and malt. The order was expected, the partial, the Coopers, the generic.

My advice, be careful with the generic

Dogger

[two headed brewer]

Dogger,
I've used the generic tin as a sugar substitute - two can job. and results were pretty good and rather cost effective. They tend to be thinner and not very hopped (if at all) so it didn't overrun the primary base kit on flavour. From memory I used a draught no-name with a kit and was due to lack of choice at the time.

Bally

[db]

I hear ya Bally..

http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/vi ... .php?t=114

but dd's decision is final ..& he's entitled to it as he's atleast tried generic

but i do think it's a shame that Dogger cant make the decision with an australian generic brand.. seeing as tho Coopers is australia's largest manufacturer of malt extract i suspect that they have a hand in producing many a generic brand out here..

sorry guys just my 2c. anway i'll shut up now..

[Dogger Dan]

We have a hard enough time getting Coopers, let alone an Australian Generic.

If you want to see our kit selection, go here

http://www.abccork.com

Pretty limited eh?

Dogger

[Shaun]

Dogger I see you have access to one of the most "interesting", is the word I will use to describe it, brews I have ever made.

It was brew number 23 and I was beginning to feel more confident with my brewing so while in the local HBS at the time I told the bloke working there I wanted to do something different and randomly picked a tin off the shelf. It was a Morgan's Yukon Brown Smoked Ale. I asked the bloke what this was like. His description was " have you ever had eggs and bacon cooked on the BBQ, as that is what it tastes like".

So feeling brave and not believing him I purchased the kit and brewed with a body brew (600g dextrose 400g maltodextrin) so as not to alter the flavour. On opening the can the kitchen smelt as if I had fired up the BBQ and started cooking bacon. I let it brew, bottled, left for a month, and then tasted. Well it tasted like bacon and eggs on the BBQ. I was only able to drink it if cooking a BBQ. I also used to force the bar flies to drink one of these before that got anything better.

If you haven't already and want something different try Morgan's Yukon Brown Smoked Ale it is interesting.

[Dogger Dan]

Shaun,

One of the few styles of beers I have never tried......But, why not.... Thanks. Will give it a go as it comes recommended. Anyone see anything else that might peak my intrest

Dogger

[db]

limited indeed dogger. have you tried much of the morgans range? i once did one of their canadian (?) ipa's.. one of the best kits i've ever done

[Dogger Dan]

Yeh,

Did a Morgans dry lager. Hmmm, rather disappointed

Dogger

[peterd]

I recall making a fairly simple brew once with one of Morgan's Canadian range (details at home). Came out rather like Stella. You would have to be happy with that! (i.e. very little effort, coing out like one of the world's most recognised lager/pils).

[Evo]

Now I see why you've gone all grain. Perhaps it should be you opening the HBS Dogger, just so you can widen the range a bit. I mean, I know Canadia isn't the consumer monster that the US is, but it is no lightweight either. I don't get it. Do Canucks have an aversion to brewing ?

Do you also have both kinds of music over there ?

[Shaun]

Just remember I said it was interesting not good.

[Dogger Dan]

Evo,

There are not many homebrewers here.

We have Country and Western for music and both types of running water, hot and cold

Dogger

[Sacredsite]

Shaun,

One of the few styles of beers I have never tried......But, why not.... Thanks. Will give it a go as it comes recommended. Anyone see anything else that might peak my intrest

Dogger

All I normally brew is Morgans. The Pilsener, Royal Oak Amber and the Blue Mountain and every so often I do a Dockside stout with the darkest liquid malt I can find. But I have found that you have to brew them full strength to get the best flavour.

[Evo]

I remember my HBS guy telling me when I asked him about the Yukon Smoked Ale, "Well, why do YOU think I'm getting rid of it. Smoked ale ?" Apparently not a big hit. I'd be interested in trying one. One that someone else had bothered to brew I might add.

Dogger, that really perplexes me. A population of 30 million plus, and not many homebrewers. Do Cannucks not like beer or do they just not like making it ? How does Canadia rank in the world of beer drinking ?

Oh, and nice work on the quote.

[Dogger Dan]

We can consume beer.

I think most people just aren't interested. Of course, we don't have the micro breweries you guys have and they aren't interested in putting kits together for folks like me.

What quote by the way?

Dogger

[Beer Krout]

I did the Yukon Smoked with Dockside Stout as per one of Olivers recipes. The smoked flavour is very strong (it smells like burnt cigarettes when you first pour it in the fermenter). Maybe if they just backed off the power, a bit. They'd be on a winner.

[Beer Krout]

Dogger

Maybe Canada suffers from being too close to the USofA.

The micros here in OZ have only started multipling in the last few years.
There is a fine tradition of wineries and wine regions in Australia that has been slowly picking up speed over the last 20 years and probably peaked a few years ago. The new brewing micros seem to be an extension/differentiation of that market.
Also all those Aussie backpackers that have gone to Europe and the States and got drunk, over the last 10 years, have come home an realized how sh*t our mainstream beer was and how little range there was. Their starting to fix it now.

Sorry for rambling this sort of stream of conscious stuff.

[Evo]

No, you aint rambling BK. I reckon you are bang on the money. Never thought of it like that myself.

...and it was the "both kinds" line Dogger.

[gregb]

This may be anuvver drug for Keef to trigh,... but Dogger have you tried the Muntons Yorkshire Bitter?

Greg

[vinniethefish]

I am also from Canada, but Eastern Canada. I actually have three brew shops in my city and, like Dan says, they all stock Munton's, Morgan's and Cooper's. That is pretty much it. However, one also stocks Brew Canada and one has John Bull and Black Rock kits. I have never heard of Edme.

However, my neighborhood Zellers (which is a Canadian department store) has a small line of brewing/wine-making merchandise and they stock "Beer Maker's" and that Great Canadian Adventure Ale (with the mountain biker) and Great Canadian Adventure Pilsner (with a female mountain climber) - I guess you have to drink these in the mountains. I haven't yet tried either. The Adventure stuff isn't that much cheaper per kit than the premiums - maybe $2. The Beer Maker's is probably $4 cheaper per can. My question, then, has anyone tried Beer Maker's? What are your opinions of it? Would it at least be suitable to use as a second kit with, say, a Cooper's?