Brewers best ?

[Nightstalker]

HbgBill ... I am brewing the BB Milk stout right now. In fact I am 4 minutes away to the aroma hops addition, WHILE drinking the Falconers Flight. LOLOL Life is good ... Its a great kit. I will say my kit has the maltodextrin addition in the instructions and I would find it hard to believe they have been able to get the correct instructions out allready if it was missing. Either way it smells great and I am going to add 4oz of cocoa hulls at 5 minutes. Hopefully to give it a touch more chocolate milk stout flavor :rockin:

Oh and while at the LHBS there was another guy there talking about how he was going to add coffee. We got to BSing and he bought some cocoa hulls too along with the coffee LOLOL. Maybe next time.

 

[wells11]

I just made the Brewers Best Milk stout about a week ago and I added a whole coconut (shaved and toasted) to the secondary. Can't wait!

 

[Nightstalker]

I thought about throwing another 4 oz of chocolate hulls in the secondary. Dont really know if it would get much flavor from them without putting any heat to it. Probably make it smell even better

 

[unionrdr]

I'm curious as to how it'll compare to Left Hand Brewing's milk stout myself. That was bloody good.

 

[Nightstalker]

I dont know. I am hoping it will be closer to Terrapin's Moo Hoo but I dont think I had enough chocolate.

 

[srehal]

I have the BB English bitter kit. First BB kit for me. I Haven't brewed yet...I did notice that the instructions were for a 6.5 gallon fermenter, I have a 5 gallon bucket. Does it matter? or should I adjust the recipe etc...

 

[unionrdr]

Your fermenter should be at least 6.5G copacity for a 5G batch to allow decent head space. A 5G fermenter won't allow for this at all with a 5G brew.

 

[Nightstalker]

Bottled my Milk Stout last night. Absolutely thrilled with the way this came out. A touch of coffee (which I think will mellow out after a few weeks in the bottle) and then a nice hint of chocolate. How do I know all this .. well there was about 1/2 a bottles worth left in the bucket .. And you know we do not let it go to waste

OH and the Kolsch .. It was a hit. Even the bmc drinkers enjoyed it. Hell my mom had three glasses LOL

 

[unionrdr]

Good to hear! The milk stout description reminds me of LHB's offering. It does have a smooth iced coffee taste to it with the roasty little stout hit on the back. yours with the chocolate hit should be quite good on top of that.

 

[musicbymark]

I haven't been impressed with Brewer's Best customer service so far. I emailed detailed msgs twice this past month re: their Belgian Tripel; still no reply or acknowledgement. Northern Brewer has almost immediate tech support every time I call. Munton's emails responses to questions within a few days usually. I see an 800# for BB, so maybe I'll try that before writing them off. I see they are owned by LD Carlson. Maybe that would be another website to seek support from.

 

[SHBSJon]

musicbymark, I am not sure what detailed questions you need to have answered about the Brewer's Best kit, but I think the quickest way to get an answer would be to contact the Homebrew Shop where you made the purchase.

 

[HopSong]

I haven't been impressed with Brewer's Best customer service so far. I emailed detailed msgs twice this past month re: their Belgian Tripel; still no reply or acknowledgement. Northern Brewer has almost immediate tech support every time I call. Munton's emails responses to questions within a few days usually. I see an 800# for BB, so maybe I'll try that before writing them off. I see they are owned by LD Carlson. Maybe that would be another website to seek support from.

Wow, I have been nothing but impressed with their customer service. I had a problem with something.. they sent a replacement. I had questions.. via email.. replies the next business day. I couldn't be happier

BTW, The Falconers Flight kit was nothing short of awesome. I hope there is more at the supplier next time I go. It's great once a week or so.. but, I'd like their American Ale for a house brew.

 

[srehal]

So I brewed the bitter kit and it tasted watered down and no hop taste at all. I brewed as per instructions. I then added 6 ounces of Kent goldings hops in a bag to the cold carbed keg to get a taste of hops but after 6 weeks in the kegerator still no hop taste...any guess why?

 

[WyomingBrewer]

Does it have a hop smell? What do you call "hop taste"? Just curious as different people perceive tastes somewhat differently. Almost every beer I make I have people tell me its hoppy even when they are super malty. I have had the English Bitter Kit too....not at all a hoppy or malty beer. Its very well balanced which is probably why you think its watered down tasting. If hops are what you want, try an IPA next and you will get hops. Good luck.

 

[srehal]

No hop aroma either, I would have expected some of the smell and waste of the goldings hops that I dry hopped.

 

[WyomingBrewer]

The beer probably worked out just like it was suppose to. The name Bitter is misleading. In my experience they tend to be very well balanced or slightly on the malty side. I dont dry hop but I would think thats for the aroma more than anything so I cant explain not getting it from yours. Sounds like you may be somewhat of a hop head? Brew up an IPA next and you should be happier with the outcome.

 

[CDGoin]

I have to say my first kit was this Milk Stout.. I also screwed it up royally..

But even then it made a decent beer.. won't know how decent for another 2-3 weeks.

But yea, everything is in the kit.. I was going to do the kit again, but the next time not screw it up so bad..

Same for their Oktoberfest.. everything you need. As for the yeast, my stout showed life in 8 hours, and the Oktoberfest (be it fermenting in lower temps) took right at 38 hours.

Funny thing.. the stout I just threw the dry yeast in.. the Oktoberfest I activated it..

 

[HopSong]

Yes, Bitter is a bit misleading. This is a English style.. it's their "pale ale" and is similar to Am Pale Ale.. which is where the first brewers to try this style had their inspiration. The difference is using Am hops and Am grains. I'd suggest going to the BJCP guidelines. You'll see they are loser in alcohol, lower in IBU's and a very different malt profile.. the English being maltier.