What company makes the best Imperial Stout Extract Kit?

I am a new brewer, I actually did my first batch yesterday; True Brew Nut Brown Ale: Mash-Extract using Danstar Nottingham yeast in place of the Munton's and with an addition of 1 oz of coffee beans at flameout. I have another Mash Extract kit from True Brew (Amber Ale) but then I want to try an Imperial Ale kit. I know TB makes one but it seems like there are lots of different options out there.

Does any one have a recommendation for the best Imperial Stout Mash Extract kit? What makes it the best one in your opinion? I would love some suggestions. My LHB store only carries True Brew so it will save me some shipping costs. I am sort of leaning towards trying a kit that isn't True Brew just for variety but if that is in fact a good option I will go with it. Thanks.

So my first batch was a bastardized version of a couple of different recipes. It turned out ok, a little to hoppy for me, but not bad for a first attempt.

My subsequent batches have been kits. Morebeer.com and Northernbrewer.com have really good kits that have been tried and true. Try Em out, you might be surprised.

Try these guys....

I've been in the same boat you are - done a few extract batches and steeped some specialty grain. Not that my feet are wet, I'd like to try my hand at a little bit bigger beer.

http://www.boomchugalug.com/shop-kits/beer/stout

Cheers!
tb

Alabamy said:

I am a new brewer, I actually did my first batch yesterday; True Brew Nut Brown Ale: Mash-Extract using Danstar Nottingham yeast in place of the Munton's and with an addition of 1 oz of coffee beans at flameout. I have another Mash Extract kit from True Brew (Amber Ale) but then I want to try an Imperial Ale kit. I know TB makes one but it seems like there are lots of different options out there.

Does any one have a recommendation for the best Imperial Stout Mash Extract kit? What makes it the best one in your opinion? I would love some suggestions. My LHB store only carries True Brew so it will save me some shipping costs. I am sort of leaning towards trying a kit that isn't True Brew just for variety but if that is in fact a good option I will go with it. Thanks.

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About your True Brew Amber Ale kit. I did one recently. The can of LME in my kit was pre-hopped. Don't boil it even though the instructions are for a 60 minute boil. Boiling pre-hopped LME will make it extrremely bitter. True Brews instructions are very generic no matter which recipe it is for. Found the no-boil information on either Coopers or Muntons home site. Can't remember which one now.

I did Alien Dog Imperial Stout kit from AHBS and tweaked the hops. They called for 1.5oz Millenium for full 60 min's but I like a hoppy IRS so went with a fellow's rec's of 1oz Mellinium and 1oz Nugget 60min's and 1oz EKG and 1oz Fuggles 30 min's...unfortunately can't give taste feedback till sometime around xmas....

flars said:

About your True Brew Amber Ale kit. I did one recently. The can of LME in my kit was pre-hopped. Don't boil it even though the instructions are for a 60 minute boil. Boiling pre-hopped LME will make it extrremely bitter. True Brews instructions are very generic no matter which recipe it is for. Found the no-boil information on either Coopers or Muntons home site. Can't remember which one now.

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Thanks for this, I recently heard James Spencer mention the same tip about only boiling the extract for 15 minutes. I will definitely follow your advice. My plan is to use the kit to make a spiced ale, I'm planning on 1/2 to maybe 3/4 tsp each freshly ground cinnamon, allice, nutmeg and 1 ground clove added at the last 5 minutes of boil. I am also considering either 1/4 - 1/2 oz fresh ginger pulp added at 15 minutes and another 1/2 to 1/2 oz added at 5 minutes.

I want more body in this kit so I'm also considering adding some maltodextrin. I also want to increase the gravity so I was considering added some dark candi sugar or some other adjunct, maybe rice? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

This one currently got racked onto vaniller beans and Cold seeped coffee yesterday. Sits at 8.1%

Taste at racking over was AWESOME, can't wait for the finished product in about 2 months.

1.5lb Maris Otter Partial-Mash
1.25lb Oat Flakes Partial-Mash
1lb CARAFA® Special II Partial-Mash
.5lb Roasted Barley Partial-Mash
.25lb Black Barley Partial-Mash
.5lb Caramel 120L Partial-Mash
4lbs Gold DME 60 minute boil
2lbs Dark DME 60 minute boil
1lb Corn Sugar 60 minute boil
1oz Nugget hops 60 minute boil
1oz Willamette hops 10 minute boil
1oz Willamette hops Steep 10 minutes after boil, before cooling
Safale US-05 Dry yeast Ferment at 66-68F
4oz Espresso Roast Coffee Steep for 24-48 hours before bottling
3 Vanilla Beans Split, scrape, soak in vodka. Add at bottling
50mL Chocolate Cream Essence Add at bottling

AHS Imperial Stout and Noel Stout were both excellent.

Well thought out kits, fast shipping, good instructions.

The imperial ended up being surprisingly strong, a bottle of that and I was done. The Noel was a great beer, very drinkable.