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My first batch was the BB irish stout - I just finished the last bottle a couple weeks ago, and man o man!...I really wish I had just waited to crack my first bottle at about the time I actually opened the last one, because each bottle got progressively better with time!
 
david_the_greek said:
Ok guys, I brewed up a Brewers Best scotch ale kit tonight but I put too much h20 in at the end. sigh. Probably not that much over, but still maybe about 5.15 gallons instead of 5. I hate being so ADD and rushing through things like I do. On a side note I'm hoping to add the yeast to my bank once this one's done brewing! So any reviews on the B.B. scotch ale?

The Scotch Ale is the only BB kit I have tried. I thought it was a good beer at 3weeks in the bottle but nothing special. At 6 weeks I couldnt get enough and I regretted giving so much of it away to friends. Taught me a lesson, never form a full opinion of a beer at 3 weeks, let it sit and mellow out. I liked it soo much I bought a wee heavy from Austin Homebrew and now Im currently enjoying ithat.
 
I want to recommend the Brewer's best bold series, they're more expensive but worth it...They're more expensive because basically there's double the fermentables...In other words rather than a single 3.3 pound can of lme, you get two...It means more body, abd bigger flavor...

Of course you could tweak the standard kit yourself by adding more DME, and adjusting the hops accordingly....

Here's what they offer;

1044 Ivan’s Belgian Tripel
A high gravity beer utilizing Belgian Candi Sugar that is light gold in color with a creamy white head.. Speciality grains and Styrian Goldings hops create a mild, spicy character.


1045 California Style Imperial Pale
This is a take on the popular Arrogant Bastard Ale. This copper-colored brew begins with an intensely rich malt flavor followed by an explosion of hop aroma and bitterness.


1046 Russian Imperial Stout
This full-bodied dark brew has an intense roast flavor with a hugh malt influence. The slight hop bitterness is offset by a touch of sweetness from the grains.


1047 Dortmunder Style
This American style Dortmunder is dark gold colored with a mild caramel influence from the crystal malt. The hops drive the tasteand help give this brew a nice balance with this big body and great mouthfeel.


1048 American Nut Brown Ale
Balanced with a big body and plenty of hop character, this American style Brown Ale has a deep amber to brown color. The slight caramel and chocolate flavors are followed by a nutty aftertaste.


I used the Dortmunder kit as the basis for an orange/ginger beer I was experimenting with, to come up with a non-wheat fruit beer that would be quaffable in the summer....I used approximately 4 ounces of Orange and Clementine peel, approximately 3 ounces of ginger, and 2 cloves, in 2 additions (one at 20 and one at flameout). Doubled the bittering hop, and added about 3/4 of a cup of boiled fresh squeezed clementine juice in the secondary....It came out really amazing....so amazing I probably won't have any left for summer drinking! :D
 
I just bottled the BB IPA. I decided to dry hop it. Of course I had to try a little bit of it, I could not believe how good a warm, non-carbonated beer could be!
 
I brewing my second BB Batch Today. It's a Best Bold Series American Nut Brown Ale. I've decided to pair it up with the White Labs California Ale Yeast (WLP001).

Was this a good choice?
 
The IPA should be fine in the 60s, depending on the yeast strain you used. Just about all the ale yeasts like that temperature, though.

WLP001 is a nice, clean, neutral yeast, and I'm sure it'll work well in the brown ale.
 
Anybody know what yeast BB uses in their kits? I can't remember if they used one strain for everything or different ones....I'm tweaking and recreating an old BB recipe, the ingredient sheet I have doesn't state what brand/strain.
 
I brewed the BB Red Ale about two months ago and used the White Labs Irish Ale yeast. It turned out OK. A little maltier than my taste. I have friends who love it though.
 
Revvy said:
Anybody know what yeast BB uses in their kits? I can't remember if they used one strain for everything or different ones....I'm tweaking and recreating an old BB recipe, the ingredient sheet I have doesn't state what brand/strain.


I just brewed the California Style Imperial Pale this afternoon and it came with the Nottingham dry also.
 
I'm looking to brew a BB Continental Pilsner with a White Labs WLP810 San Francisco Lager Yeast.

Will this work together or should I use the WLP800 Pilsen Lager instead?
 
Mayday99 said:
I suggest you take a look at the kits from northern brewer. I have made a few of these with good results so far.

The LME they use comes in a milk jug and they crank out a pretty high volume so it is much fresher than what you get in a can. All their kits come with a liquid wyeast activator pack as well.

+1 for Northern Brewer kits. I'm now addicted to smack packs - I love the no-hassle prep and clear feedback on yeast activity
 
I would actually recommend the Nottingham for the Continental Pilsner. It was my roommate's first brew and everyone enjoyed it so much we've got it in the primary once again (with Nottingham). Wait-are you lagering?
 
Just tasted a BB Amber Ale I brewed about 6 weeks ago (used the 1-2-3 method).

It has a metal taste. After reading a post from Forrest, it's likely from the LME in a can.
 
I brewed the BB Red Ale - initially unimpressed, no hop aftertaste, just blah. Pulled out the remaining two cases at Easter (30 days later) and got multiple atta-boys, people leaving with bottles in their pockets. It's not agressive-hoppy, but a very good ale.
 
I really like Brewer's Best... I am a big fan of the Scottish Ale! Hard to go wrong when using them... great for beginner's or if you just want an easy batch to throw together. I have had many compliments from friends who have sampled it.
 
I'm planning on the Pumpkin Spice Porter in August. Anyone have experience with that kit? Also, I want to make a quick batch for the summer. My wheat is almost gone and the summer hasn't even really started! Any suggestions?
 
skipfab74 said:
I'm planning on the Pumpkin Spice Porter in August. Anyone have experience with that kit? Also, I want to make a quick batch for the summer. My wheat is almost gone and the summer hasn't even really started! Any suggestions?

Yes! Great beer but I wish I would have listened to others when they said to use less of the spice pack. I used the whole thing... Way too much. If I do it again I will use 1/4 or 1/2 of the pack. Longer aging on this beer a good idea too.
 
Newbie to newbie, a great BB kit for a summer beer is American Light. I've only been brewing since March and I've only brewed BB kits so far. A-L was my first brew and I enjoyed it so much that I started another batch. Light LME, Pilsner DME, corn sugar, rice solids, just a little hops; many of the same ingredients as a classic American pilsner (which IMHO is a great summer beer) but fermented with an ale yeast. Lots of flavor, easy.
 
I'm planning on the Pumpkin Spice Porter in August. Anyone have experience with that kit? Also, I want to make a quick batch for the summer. My wheat is almost gone and the summer hasn't even really started! Any suggestions?

I wasn't impressed with this one. Too much spice for my liking. I would consider using less of the spice pack as others have stated.
 
Just brewed the Summer Ale on Friday. Had a lot of citrus smell going on. Looking forward to it.
 
RM-MN said:
If you let it age a bit more the spices will be more subdued.:mug:

Mines been nearly a year in the bottle. It has mellowed, still a bit much spice for my liking. Just not a fan of those one personally. Others have said they like it. I give it to them.
 
Running_Crazy said:
I wasn't impressed with this one. Too much spice for my liking. I would consider using less of the spice pack as others have stated.

I am a fan of Southern Tier Pumking. More or less spice than that?
 
I've got the BB American Amber in the cleanup phase, getting ready to bottle in a few days. The sample I tried when I took a hydrometer reading was very tasty. Next up will be the BB English Brown Ale (glad to see a few posts in this thread saying it's very good) and then batch #3 will be the BB American Pale Ale.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Running_Crazy

I wasn't impressed with this one. Too much spice for my liking. I would consider using less of the spice pack as others have stated.
I am a fan of Southern Tier Pumking. More or less spice than that?


Much more. I would use half of the spices at most. It was almost undrinkable with the full spice mix.
 
I just brewed my second dunkelweizen, My friends and I liked it, the irish red was good also. Brewed an American Light today, I hope it turns out good, the wort tasted bitter on the end
 
I have put the dunkelweizen in secondary for 19 days, Turned out good. I noticed all bb kits recommend a secondary. Well the 5 that I have done
 
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