Recipe Packs

[skurvy84]

Hi Guys

I'm looking at moving "forward" with my brewing and wanted to take a tiny adventurous step.

i've done 4 brews:
1 Pale Ale
1 Mexican Cervaza
1 Coopers Lager
1 brigalow apple cider (complete failure)

i've been checking out the brewcraft site and they show that online they have "Recipe Favorite Packs" that range from a Asahi style through too Guiness style brews (refer here http://www.brewcraftsa.com.au/listProdu ... rite+Packs )

i don't know alot about these kits and have not had anytime to call and ask brewcraft about them. is it basically a can of concentrate, different yeast, etc etc..... all the brain work taken care off instead of figuring it out myself?.

Who has used these packs and would you recommend them?

im interested in the grolsch, Guiness, LC bright ale style beer packs.

[smiggins55]

IMO i would not bother with these packs as they are pretty expensive for what they are.
You would be better off by finding a recipe and buying the ingredients seperately

[Kevnlis]

My BIL is a lazy K&K brewer and he buys these packs from his local. He does have temp control which helps, but I must say they make quite a drinkable beer! If you can't be bothered to source the ingredients of some of the fine recipes on this site, give the brew packs a go.

[skurvy84]

well thats what i've been thinking and its what i meant by "tiny adventurous step", i have been saving recipes (printing and putting into a folder for once i get more confident). but i know we have some pretty good home brew shops in adelaide, i would just think this would be a nice & easy way of getting the basics down before going over my head.

i'm happy to spend between $42 - $58 for the packs as it still works out at $1.93 for a longneck @ $58, which i consider very reasonable for a nice bottle of beer i made in the cellar.

Am i correct in understanding that it basically comes with the following;
Concentrate
Brew Booster
Saflager Yeast
10g Hallertau Hop Pellets and nothing else?

anyone else had some experiance with these kits?

[Kevnlis]

Also, I am glad to hear from your signature that the good Doc can be trusted, I was a bit unsure of that character.

[drsmurto]

Had to go back into my inbox to figure out how i became a trusted seller.

When you picked up all those bottles i am sure i would have lectured you endlessly on what retailers can be trusted.

In case i didnt, here i go!

I will continue to say that in Adelaide there are enough good HBS to avoid having to step into a Brewcraft who IMO are serioulsy overpriced.

For kit brewers the 2 best options are Brewmaker at Holden Hill - Bill and Luke were instrumental in me taking those tiny steps from simple kit and kilo to enhancers.

Then there is Still Brewing. Phil and Brad are the blokes who used to run the HBS at Grumpys up at Hahndorf/Verdun and are now based online. They still sell the popular 'grumpys' kits - Boston Cream is the highest rating kit on this site - Link. They deliver free to Adelaide customers. Phil (aka Voosher) is the bloke who helped me move from kits to AG and is the person i owe the most for THAT Golden Ale recipe, which incidentally started out as a kit beer on this site - Pale_Ales Sparkling Golden Ale which i then changed to include the wheat malt and some crystal and finally the US05 yeast before it went AG.

Either of these 2 shops will happily listen to you, ask you what sort of beer YOU want, not what they want to sell. Both sell fresh hops/grain, good yeast and are better value for money than any Brewcraft (which in my limited experience are staffed by non-brewers).

And both of these shops also cater for full extract, partial and AG brewers.

Cheers
DrSmurto - trusted seller - woot! Anyone need a used car

[skurvy84]

thanks Doc,

yeah i thought i would post a little mention of you, do it on other forums where i've brought car mods from users so why not .

nah no lecture from yourself, just some awkward convo from me hahaha.

will have to check out brewmaker when i'm down that, bit far as im moving to aldinga shortly but doesn't seem to me much else except jovial monk, which i've heard mixed things about.

will start of with the brewcraft kit still i think for convience as they are 5 mins from work and i drive past 2 on the way home pretty much, so i don't mind spending the extra $$ for now.

will be ordering from still brewing for sure, they have some tasty brews from the descriptions, and with all the bottles i got from you i have lots to fill, plus i was given 60 glass longnecks and 60 glass stubbies.....should be enough bottles for now.

so from the lack of replies i think i can determine the packs aren't to popular on a cost basis but the final product is great.

would still like to hear more from others actually, but oohh well, this is what i get for asking questions on the internet.

hope the mini-keg came in handy for you to doc!

[svyturys]

I've never tried the brewkits as I've been quite happy mucking about with the recipes on the forum. Getting great results at a fraction of the cost of the kits.
Cheers

[Longwood-65]

I've tried a few of these type kits,
The beers don't taste or look anything like the style the kits says. ( not saying they weren't drinkable).
These kit types also do not seem consistant either, buy 2 the same and end up with 2 different beers

your better off as others have been saying, find a good HB shop and make your own kits up and because you know the quantities you put in it's far easier to adjust to taste.

Cheers
Ron

[drsmurto]

thanks Doc,

will have to check out brewmaker when i'm down that, bit far as im moving to aldinga shortly but doesn't seem to me much else except jovial monk, which i've heard mixed things about.

hope the mini-keg came in handy for you to doc!

If you value your time and sanity dont go to the monk.....

Aldinga ey? Dont be tempted by your local 'microbrewery' - the Lovely Valley Beverage Co. Only 'micro' i know of that sells kit beer where is that vomit emoticon when you need it.......

Couldnt figure out how to get the mini keg open so its now in the bar next to all the bottles!

[skurvy84]

If you value your time and sanity dont go to the monk.....

Aldinga ey? Dont be tempted by your local 'microbrewery' - the Lovely Valley Beverage Co. Only 'micro' i know of that sells kit beer where is that vomit emoticon when you need it.......

i see what you mean by "microbrewery"

Couldnt figure out how to get the mini keg open so its now in the bar next to all the bottles!

yeah i just cut mine open with my dremal in the end, now i have an idea for next time.


well goodnews everyone,
i brought this http://www.brewcraftsa.com.au/showProdu ... ses+%2A%2A and finally got off my arse and put down the "grolsch style" last thurs (30/04/09).
it has sat between 16-18 degrees and fermented with Saflager. the Saflager sachet recommended between 9-15 degrees which is its "premium temp range" but i have read people have used saflager at room temp with great results anyway.

last night the FG was at 1014 (if i read it correctly) so if its the same tonight i'll let it sit to sunday and bottle.

now, i forgot to put in my sediment reducer and i want to make this a pretty clear beer, should i buy some finings and add that tonight for bottling on sunday or do i have to rack to my second fermenter, add the finings and bottle on say monday/tuesday, i have'nt racked before and im not keen to try yet but if i add finings do i have to rack it?

[Pale_Ale]

Hi everyone,

If you value your time and sanity dont go to the monk.....

You can get stuck there...

i have'nt racked before and im not keen to try yet but if i add finings do i have to rack it?

No, you don't have to rack it. Normally with this sort of brew I would, but only rack if you're comfortable doing so.

i've been checking out the brewcraft site and they show that online they have "Recipe Favorite Packs"

That's certainly an easy way to get a brew happening but I personally haven't had much luck with Brewcraft in general and IMO their recipes haven't really been that close to their namesake.

I'd always suggest getting the ingredients individually, there's plenty of recipes availble on this forum and others to put something nice together.

Good luck!

Cheers,
Pale

[drsmurto]

Woo hoo, Pale_Ale is back!

[Pale_Ale]

Woo hoo, Pale_Ale is back!

Yes it's been far too long!

[skurvy84]

welcome back.......thread hijacker

[skurvy84]

well i cracked open the first few bottles and it was all down hill, (check other threads) no carb whatsoever for the first couple of bottles (but i still drank them anyway....lol) these were at 1,2,3 weeks, i was expecting little to no carb at week 1, but i did expect something by weeks 2,3. at week 4 it was fully carbed and ready for drinking. i must say, it is a very very very drinkable beer.

My father was absolutely stunned at how good it tasted, its taken my brewing in an entirely different direction now.

it had a nice white head (headmaster glass... ) a nice rich golden color with a very nice hoppy aroma but i can occasionally smell citris but i think (in my amatuer status) it has a very floral scent and taste about it.

i love this beer and i am very very suprised at how good it actually is, will i use the receipe pack again, yes for a grolsch clone, no as i now want to try from scratch but i will definatley use the packs for a start as i think the $$ is pretty good for the final product.

[svyturys]

Congratulations on your positive result.
Isn't great to have the "old man" make positive noises about your beer?

Cheers