Best Brand of HME?

[John Sand]

Sometimes I only have time for an HME. Mix it up, add yeast, and wait for beer. Like many, I started with MrBeer. I am not thrilled with the results (though you may be). I have some BrewDemon fermenting, I think that Munton's and Cooper's make HMEs. What is your favorite? Why? (Ease, value, flavor?)

[dad2all5]

Need more info as to type of beer, size of batch.


I like Brew Demon in the 2 gallon batch size. The signature recipes are their best IMOP. I have brewed their basis, select recipes as well. All have gof flavor and price is also good. I choose either select or signature for the ABV%.

[duff]

I got a couple of the Brewferm HMEs on sale from my LHBS and I made those up in my LBK. I thought they were pretty tasty for Belgian beers but most of the Belgian beers aren't really my favorite so take that with a grain of salt.

[mashani]

By far the best HME's I've ever used are the Woodforde kits that representative of Woodfordes brewery beers, nearly all of which are silver/gold medal award winning CAMRA ales. (CAMRA = Campaign for Real Ale, which is a big deal if you live across the pond).

They are manufactured by Muntons using the same process that the Muntons Premium Gold kits are made on. I'd rate the Muntons Premium Gold and Gold kits as the second best HMEs I've ever had along with the Brewferm kits.

To be clear, these types of Muntons kits are not the big 4# cans you find in your LHBS to make 6 gallons by adding adjuncts.

They come as 2 3.3# cans (6.6# malt total). The cans contain identical hopped wort, so one can works great as an overfilled LBK / LBC batch.

They come with Muntons Gold yeast which is a spicy/bready English ale yeast. You can use S-04 or any liquid English ale yeast for the second can.

They do not contain any Pride of Ringwood, they are bittered with good old English hops.

[John Sand]

Thanks guys, good input.
Dad2all5, no limits. Big batches can be split, small batches can be doubled, many different brews appeal. Just looking for other brewer's preferences on HME.

[LouieMacGoo]

Just an FYI to all you newer members BrewDemon is offering BeerBorg Members, "Members Only pricing" on all it products including the Conical Fermenter for $25 instead of the $35 normal price. Just visit the linked topic and if you have any questions or issues getting set up you can PM BrewDemon right here on the forum.

[petts5354]

I got a couple of the Brewferm HMEs on sale from my LHBS and I made those up in my LBK. I thought they were pretty tasty for Belgian beers but most of the Belgian beers aren't really my favorite so take that with a grain of salt.

Like a lot of NMCWB's the thing that I dream of at night is making a 16% ABV home brew. Consequently I screw up a lot of batches. (BTW NMCWB is the HBA I invented.....it stands for Newbie Mad Chemist Wanna Be.....HBA is another one I made up....it stands for Home Brew Acronym)

Anyway I was looking at some of the Brewferm 2.5 gal kits on the WWW (World Wide Web) and they have several that boast an ABV of 8% with no modification or additions......very interesting.

Think I'll give that a try.

[jgm038]

For the majority of the brewferm kits you have to add sugar..I think 500-750g ^

All of my Mr. Beer kits have turned out pretty crappy ..Whether it's the recipe straight up, with added DME or LME, with their yeast or US-05 or S-04...Etc etc, so no vote for them by me.

I have made one BrewDemon kit, at bottling time it already tasted good so I have high hopes for it..

I have made one BrewFerm kit, probably the most active fermentation I have seen - hoping that one will turn out good too, we will see..

[petts5354]

For the majority of the brewferm kits you have to add sugar..I think 500-750g ^

Thanks. I'm looking for an instruction sheet over on homebrewing.org.

[ssorck]

I wish I could get my hands on a Muntons Santas Winter Warmer kit, but not about to pay the S&H from across the pond...

[John Sand]

More great stuff, thanks.
I like BrewDemon better than MrBeer, but I still prefer to use LME+hops if brewing extract. I get better beer that way with little extra effort. I have a Brewferm can that I'll probably use this winter, and I plan to order Munton's Gold from Amazon. HMEs are great for summer brewing, saving time over a hot stove.