Favorite Extract Kit/Recipe

Hey everybody, I'm still pretty new to homebrewing but I really want to step it up this year. So far, I've made 5 Brewer's Best kits (over the last couple of years). They have all turned out okay, and they're getting better as I'm learning more, but there's still something about the flavor that isn't quite as good as store-bought.

Has anyone else had a similar experience with their kits? Or is it more a factor of extract kits in general?

Either way, I'm looking for another good kit or recipe to try. Please post what has worked well for you! (Preferably an IPA or American Ale)

Cream ale from Northern Brewer. Make your batch, leave in the primary for 5-6 days, transfer to secondary, and add 2 lbs of FROZEN blackberries. Let that secondary for at least two weeks.... make sure to check final gravity before removing from secondary.

Makes a GREAT blackberry cream ale. Also, might try wyyeast or white labs yeast.

I have did many kits from Midwest Supplies and have never been dissapointed. The support you recieve is also really good. I personally like there Altbier, I know you said you were looking for an IPA type though.

The first thing to remember is that commercial breweries refined their recipe many, many times to get what you so thoroughly enjoy.

In my short experience, I find creating a complex malty beer to be difficult. I am not sure if that is because all grain brewers have more tools and options to create that complexity.

I have been very, very happy with beers that get their flavor mainly from the yeast. E.g. hefeweizen, belgian ales. My friends say those are as good as anything they have bought.

I think a hoppy beer would turn out well because all of that aroma is best fresh.

Finally, its about good ingredients and good habits. The freshness of the extract is important. Also, using good yeast and having a very healthy fermentation is very important. For me, trying to improve these things is what makes this hobby fun!

Those are good points.

I was looking at Midwest's site and their instructions offered some good pointers as well. It seems like a 2-stage fermentation is recommended across the board, so I'll probably try that next time.

I agree that the process of improving is one of the main reasons to have this hobby, and practice makes perfect, so I guess the easiest way to improve is just to try out a variety of kits while learning how to do everything properly.

we've only used brewers best kits and have not had a bad batch yet. i lie - pitched the yeast too hot in our second batch and the little fella's didn't make it. other than that all good. favorites have been the red ale and the dunkelweizen.

cheers

theres nothing wrong with BB kits...BUT. sometimes those can sit around a while. If you have a LHBS that does a fair bit of business, they usually put together their own kits often with fresher ingrediants. I havent gone wrong with Northern Brewer kits. My favorite is their 3-hearted ale. Its a (somewhat) copy of Bell's 2-hearted. By far and away its the best beer i've ever brewed. If i can make another suggestion it would be to try liquid yeasts, they offer a lot more choices and versatility. There is nothing wrong with using dry yeasts but the liquid stuff can add more notes to your brew. A little more expensive, but its pennies per bottle.

Good luck and have fun. Go Pack!

Here's my all time favorite. I've brewed it twice and it is better than you can buy at a pub or store. I also have added 16oz. of corn syrup to boost the ABV. Check it out.

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/WILLIAM_S_BROWN_ALE_P277C189.cfm

NRS

Norther's Advantageous Weizenbock and Big Honkin' Stout are awesome. MoreBeer's Frank Ellis Pale Ale is a winner for me a swell.

I would strongly recommend ANY of Austin Homebrew Supply's kits. They are fantastic.

jmkratt said:

I would strongly recommend ANY of Austin Homebrew Supply's kits. They are fantastic.

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I second that; had good luck and great taste from their stuff. A buddy recently made the Austin Homebew Dutch Castle Magic...that was amazing!

This is not a bb kit but a great beer...Irish red ale
#6 light malt extract (lme)
#2 Amber dry Malt
#1 Crystal Malt 20L
#1 Crystal Malt 120L
#1 Cara Red
2 oz Golding Hops
Notingham Dry yest...

Tonight I sampled Papazian's Samuel Smith brown ale clone - it was awesome.

B

I have to give a shout out to my LHBS.......High Gravity. I have brewed a majority of the kits they offer and they have all been amazing. They seem to have more steeping grains then most other places I have bought kits from and I think it helps to add more flavor to the end product. Quality all the way around. They have a website if you want to check them out.

I have also been happy with More Beer kits as well.

I have had nothing but good beer with the Midwest kits. The instructions were a lot of help when I first started. However, even though they suggest transferring to a secondary, I stopped doing that about a year ago and my beer hasn't suffered from it.

The Belgian Wit is my favorite and the Pumpkin Ale is pretty good as well.

Also, there are a good bit of recipes found on this forum that are available as "Kits" from Brewmasterswarehouse.com and are fantastic.

birvine said:

Tonight I sampled Papazian's Samuel Smith brown ale clone - it was awesome.

B

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Is that a kit or did you use one of his books?

Ray

The recipe from his book. Just finished another pint a few minutes ago - quite like it.

B

ie extract, grains and patience

I have been away from brewing for a while but am happily back. I really like Hoptech's Blue Whale Ale kit based on Pacific Coast Brewery's product. It is really hoppy and a good beer.

I've bought kits from Autin's and Midwest. Both places are excellent in terms of ingredients and selection. I would recommend either.