Call Me Crazy....

[Pivovar_Koucky]

I know a few people that do the no boil kits for club functions and such, there not to bad if you stick with a wheat. The IPA kits lack flavor and aroma.

Yeah, that's sort of what I was thinking. I've never made a no boil kit (actually I've never made a kit beer at all, my dad taught me how to do it all when I was like 16 and then I picked it up again a few years ago), but I can't imagine that you could get any aroma or flavor (except bitter) from the hops without boiling. Maybe you could dry hop?

 

[KingBrianI]

Yeah, that's sort of what I was thinking. I've never made a no boil kit (actually I've never made a kit beer at all, my dad taught me how to do it all when I was like 16 and then I picked it up again a few years ago), but I can't imagine that you could get any aroma or flavor (except bitter) from the hops without boiling. Maybe you could dry hop?

You know, I think the IPA, the Bitter and other Cooper's kits like that must have at least some hop flavor and aroma. The Cooper's website definitely attributes hop flavors and aromas to those kits and I don't think they would be so bold as to outright lie. I'll have to try one of those kits next if this one is decent so I can test out the hoppiness.

EDIT: By the way, I'm about to chill down and test out the oxidized last bottle. You know the one that only gets partially filled at the end of the bucket. I'll report back if I survive!

 

[agroff383]

Yeah, that's sort of what I was thinking. I've never made a no boil kit (actually I've never made a kit beer at all, my dad taught me how to do it all when I was like 16 and then I picked it up again a few years ago), but I can't imagine that you could get any aroma or flavor (except bitter) from the hops without boiling. Maybe you could dry hop?

Man now I am thinking, get a can at the LHBS, 1 lb of extract, 1 lb of sugar in the raw, and dry hop it after it finishes down to 1010 or so. then if it sucks serve it to my friends! haha I love the idea of "making" a batch in 20 mins. awesome idea.

 

[KingBrianI]

Alright, well, it's not too bad! It's actually decently good, and I expect it will only get better as it conditions. Carbonation is a little low at this point but it has only been in the bottle for 2 days! It is very clear though and pours a nice dark copper/light brown with an off-white head. Aroma is all sweet malt and brown sugar, as is the flavor. The brown sugar is almost a little overwhelming at this point and probably would have been better at only 1 lb instead of 2. But we'll see how it ages. Other than the overwhelming brown sugar flavor, nothing else is offensive at all about the beer. It's thin, but not overly so, and is actually quite drinkable. Bitterness is low but definitely present and does a good job at balancing the malt. If it ages a bit and the brown sugar comes down into balance with the rest of the beer, it will be a very decent beer.

 

[KingBrianI]

Man now I am thinking, get a can at the LHBS, 1 lb of extract, 1 lb of sugar in the raw, and dry hop it after it finishes down to 1010 or so. then if it sucks serve it to my friends! haha I love the idea of "making" a batch in 20 mins. awesome idea.

That would probably make a pretty good beer.

 

[KingBrianI]

I took another taste test today. It's not that awesome. Kind of thin and watery, but that's not the problem. I think that all the brown sugar really kind of took over. It combines with the subtle malt in both aroma and flavor to create a somewhat cloying effect. It's not sweet, but somehow gives that impression. The bitterness also has a kind of weird medicinal tinge to it that isn't altogether pleasant. The color is really nice though, and it's crystal clear with no sign of chill haze. And a nice head pops up that descends to a nice cap that lasts to the bottom. I think if DME was used in place of half to all of the brown sugar, it would actually have been very good. As it is now, it's ok, but nothing I would choose over any of my AG beers.

 

[Dave258]

I have heard someone else talk about the weird flavor from the hop bitterness. I forget what type of hop they said coppers uses, but they did mention the weird medicinal/chemical flavor from them.
I haven't picked one of the can kits up yet, but when I do, maybe I will use all DME and see how it comes out. I know what you mean though, about it not being chosen over an AG beer. For someone who brews AG, I am sure it is also more gratifying that you control the entire process. At least that is how I feel now. Crush my own grain, prepare my own water mash where I want... But I can see how people just starting out could easily get into the cans.

 

[ntempleton]

I took another taste test today. It's not that awesome. Kind of thin and watery, but that's not the problem. I think that all the brown sugar really kind of took over.

I made the same mistake on an extract batch years ago. I don't remember what I did with it, but I know I didn't drink it. I haven't used brown sugar in a batch of beer since.

 

[jturie]

If you look on YouTube for "SteelJan", she describes the hop taste as being similar to Quinine, which she had to take during her overseas military stints. She figures it's the Pride of Ringwood hops that are in Coopers kits.

I agreed with SteelJan--when I started out I brewed a Coopers IPA and didn't care for it because of the weird hop taste that I couldn't place. As soon as she mentioned Quinine in one of her videos, I had an "A-HAH" moment. Over time it did improve somewhat. However, today I sit here drinking my all-grain Nierra Sevada, and it's light years better.

 

[KingBrianI]

Just popped open another to see if it had improved. I hadn't tasted one since the last time I posted. It was a bit more carbonated this time around. Seems to have fermented a bit more in the bottle. Poured with a two finger soda-like head. Quickly dissipated to a thin khaki cap. Flavor is much diminished. I think between it being a bit drier, having a higher carbonation, and the flavors having had a chance to mellow has caused the beer to be much less flavorful, though that is a good thing. It's actually kind of like a dark macro lager now, only with some ale yeast and dark malt flavors. It's not that bad for an easy-drinking, thirst quenching type beer. It's crystal clear and a beautiful dark brown. The strange bitterness has also almost disappeared. I'll probably end up giving most of this batch away, but I won't feel bad about it now. I actually think the general drinking public would quite like its thin, watery blandness.