Festa Brew

Ntense · 12-15-2009, 12:32 AM

I've made 3 Festa Brew (Continental Pilser, Cream Ale and Cerveza) but I'm not happy with the result: They almost taste like Perrier water.

You can't go wrong with these kit, you only have to add yeast to it. Maybe it's because they are too young?

Will these kit will have a better taste eventually?

malkore · 12-15-2009, 06:00 AM

I've never heard of 'festa brew'...but maybe its a bit regional.

I would try some different kits. Any kit that has you add a pound or two of sugar is going to give you a thin beer, and pre-hopped extract kits are pretty tame on hops and bitterness.

I'd get a kit that uses nothing but liquid and/or dry malt extract, hop pellets, and some quality yeast (Danstar, Fermentis...not a 'no name' packet).

yeoldebrewer · 12-15-2009, 07:06 AM

Does Festa Brew come with the wort completely finished and at full volume? Maybe I'm thinking of another brand.

Are you saying your brew tastes clean but lacks flavor? Might the cause be over attenuation? Do you have O.G and F.G readings?

beeton · 12-15-2009, 03:43 PM

I've been doing the Double Oatmeal Stout from them, and highly recommend it.
It reminds me of St. Ambrose.
Dave.

YulebeHoppin · 12-15-2009, 05:05 PM

FestaBrew is made by Magnotta. It's a 23L premade wort. A friend of mine has had good luck with a red ale kit, but I think it was BrewHouse.

SeamusMac · 12-15-2009, 07:10 PM

I've used FestaBrew kits before any I really like them! I've found that they produce a better quality beer than the extract recipes I've brewed; save 1 or 2.

FlyGuy · 12-15-2009, 07:22 PM

The Festa Brew kits are exceptionally high quality, and if fermented correctly from a fresh kit, will taste better than nearly any extract kit out there.

It sounds to me like you overcarbed the recipe, or they could just be too young. Unless they have been in the bottle for at least 3 weeks at ROOM temperature, it is too early to tell.

If they still taste this way after 3-4 weeks, I bet they are over-carbed.

There is also a small chance that you developed a wild yeast infection and that is causing the overcarbonation and thin body/lack of flavour.

Ntense · 12-15-2009, 10:51 PM

Thanks for the information. It's not the first time I'm into brewing, but lately, I tried 3 Festa Brew kits.

Right now, they are all in kegs.

It does taste great, but lack in flavor. It reminds me the Bud light.

No flavor at all.

Maybe it's too soon to tell, I should wait 2-3 weeks.

Or maybe I should try another kit, like Buck?

opusx11 · 12-16-2009, 06:04 AM

I can't speak for Festa Brew, but I've done two Brewhouse kits. The first was a cream ale, and it was green for quite a while. Only after about 6-7 weeks in the bottle was it very good. The second one is a light lager which I added some Apricot puree to, and that was has been conditioning for just over 4 weeks, and so far so good. Perhaps try the Brewhouse kits for your next one?

Pivot · 12-16-2009, 08:40 AM

haha Festa Brew you must be a maritimer!!
Edit - or maybe not, haha I had only seen these things previously at the noble grape which is a maritimes homebrew chain.

My first drinkable beer was made with a festa brew brown ale kit. It was decent and all my friends thought it was fantastic.

I doubt ill ever go back to festa brew again, but i found the brown ale product to be decent. From everything I read about homebrewing It seemed that it just wasnt cutting it from what could be accomplished with a little more time and effort used.

And like most beers im fairly sure they will get better with time.