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What to do next
Posted: Thursday Jul 27, 2006 6:35 pm
by NTRabbit
I've decided to get a TCB Wetpak - Classic Oak Ale from The Country Brewer as one of the brews I'm going to do over the next 4 months. To make the most out of the shipping costs, I've also decided to get a Coopers Sparkling Ale kit from them and pick up the extra ingredients from my local.
I also want to do a Pilsner next month while its still cold, to compare it to the cheap Brewiser + teabag one i made last year. This time I will also have a Wyeast Czech Pilsner to use instead of Saflager S-23. Heres the question: Which one should I go for from TCB (they are all within $2 of each other), the TCB Wetpak - European Pilsner, the X-TRACT Pilsner 3kg or the ESB 3kg Czech Pilsner?
Cheers guys
Posted: Thursday Jul 27, 2006 7:03 pm
by lethaldog
I have also recently ordered a tcb wetpack classic oak, a wals pilsner and an extract lager but havent recieved them yet. reports ive had are that the wetpacks are all sensational, aparently the extract pilsner takes a long time to mature as it is very bitter in its early stages. I hope to recieve my order tomorrow and will put them down almost straight away but this wont help you much as it will be like two months before i try them, i have heard that the wetpack pilsner and the wals pilsner are very good though.

Posted: Thursday Jul 27, 2006 8:33 pm
by NTRabbit
I thought about maybe the Wals Pilsner, but when it says 'Australian Pilsner' I get a little worried about what hops are in it.
Posted: Thursday Jul 27, 2006 8:57 pm
by gregb
Can you do the Wet Pack Pilsner and let us know if it is any good?
THanks,
Greg
Posted: Thursday Jul 27, 2006 10:41 pm
by lethaldog
i am actually going to do the wet pack pilly next but will be a few months before i can let u no

Will deffinately post and tell everyone what it was like!!
Posted: Friday Jul 28, 2006 7:54 am
by stevem
I did the 3kg ESB pilsner about a year ago. It was terrible to start with, very bitter, almost undrinkable. But... as the months ticked by it became one of the best brews I have made.
Posted: Friday Jul 28, 2006 9:08 am
by da_damage_done
I'm drinking a ESB 3kg Czech Pilsner which is really nice at the moment.
http://hyperfox.info/beer01.htm#14
Haven't tried the others.
Cheers
Posted: Saturday Jul 29, 2006 10:58 pm
by Chris
The X-Tract pilsner is one of the best kit pilsners there is. Just add a little crystal. Or don't bother if you don't feel like it.
Posted: Saturday Jul 29, 2006 11:09 pm
by NTRabbit
Chris wrote:The X-Tract pilsner is one of the best kit pilsners there is. Just add a little crystal. Or don't bother if you don't feel like it.
I was thinking that if I went for the X-TRACT or ESB, I would go for CaraPils grain from Grumpys instead of Crystal - same effect without changing the colour.
Still leaning towards the Wetpak at this stage, but the weekend isn't over yet.
Posted: Saturday Jul 29, 2006 11:14 pm
by Chris
I like the darker colour. It is purely cosmetic, but I like it anyway. Carapils would do a great job though. I can't brew for the next 3 weeks, so this is all making me edgy.
Posted: Sunday Jul 30, 2006 7:23 pm
by Wassa
Rabbit,
i have just put down 2 x Xtract pilsners using whitelabs budejovice yeast in one, with 150gm of pilsner grain and 15gm off saaz dry hopped and the other with W34/70 and 15gm of Sazz dry hopped.
did this to get a comparison. Will post tasting notes when available in 3 months.
Posted: Sunday Jul 30, 2006 8:48 pm
by NTRabbit
My comparison is going to be between a $15 Pilsner (Brewiser Pilsner, Ultrabrew, Saaz hopbag, S-23), and a ~$33 Pilsner (Extract and specialty grains, Saaz, 2278 Cezch Pils)
I'll be ordering as soon as the money clears (hopefully tomorrow), so I'll let you know what I went with then!
Posted: Friday Aug 04, 2006 4:33 pm
by NTRabbit
I ordered the Classic Oak Ale, European Pilsner and Summer Wheat wetpaks, along with a Coopers Sparkling and some Vienna grain, and they arrived today - or rather, most of them did. The Summer Wheat was not on the receipt and not in the box, and there wasn't a note to say why.
Still waiting for a reply from their support email

Posted: Friday Aug 04, 2006 4:42 pm
by ACTbrewer
I just got an X-tract Pilsner and a American Pale Ale Wetpack.
I'll be using the s-04 with the Pale Ale, and a Wyeast Budvar Lager for the Pils.
Would be interesting for everyone who seems to brewing these beers to swap and compare!
Posted: Friday Aug 04, 2006 5:18 pm
by NTRabbit
I have Wyeast Cezch Pils to use with the Pilsner, was planning on getting Wyeast Weihenstephan Weizen for the undelivered Summer wheat, and am tossing up over the provided S-04 or Wyeast London ESB Ale for the Oak.