Betterbeerkits.com AG brew

[Beer-lord]

I think you can ask for a 'brew sheet' but I just got some generic instructions and it mentions nothing about the grains or hops used and gave rough ideas on how much water to use based on the size of your pot. Nothing is mentioned about OG, FG or much else. Of course, the instructions were not for a BIAB either.
I blame the water volumes on me though I still think I was close. I should still come out close to what a typical pale ale would be and it appears to have all the workings of a tasty beer but we shall see.

[Beer-lord]

Just a quick update on this kit beer that's fermenting......as expected, the Mangrove Jack M44 yeast did take about 24 hours to get going and as of this morning, a tad less than 3 days since the brew was completed, it's still chugging along. With the small amounts of unknown hops I don't get a huge hop aroma and what I smell is somewhat malty but it looks like it's starting to slow down a bit. It's sitting at 67 degrees and as of now, I'm thinking I'll be kegging this between day 14-18 as I'm sure it will be done way before then and since there is no dry hopping, it'll be ready.

After it's kegged and carbed and I take a taste test, I just may be forced to add some hops to the keg to make it Paul-drinkable.

[Beer-lord]

Just kegged this 1 day less than 2 weeks since it was brewed. Since the recipe didn't tell me the expected OG or FG, it's a guess but it started at 1.052 and ended at 1.011 so that seems about right for a small, pale ale......5.3%. Smells a little like cheap beer but tastes ok at kegging time. It'll be a week until there is room in the kegerator so likely 2 1/2 weeks before I can get a carbed taste but I think it'll be ok. I might keg hop it after I taste it since I do want to see just what the kit would taste like without any tweaking.

[Beer-lord]

Though it's not been in the keg long enough to really critique it, it is carbed and started to clear. We had some yesterday and this beer, while not fabulous, did come out very well. Since it's much less hopped than I'm used to making, I do get more of a yeast aroma on the nose (which I'm sure will settle out as it clears) but the taste is clean and it has no off tastes. In fact, it drinks much bigger than a 5.3% beer. When it warmed up, it gave much more enjoyable flavors and a balanced taste.
I think I would definitely dry hop or keg hop this is I were to brew it again but the idea behind buying this kit was to brew it as instructed, which I did and it does pass in my book.
I still may add some keg hopping though I'm thinking this is the beer that 'regular' beer drinkers would enjoy as is.

[LouieMacGoo]

Paul, thanks for the write up and evaluation/review of Betterbeerkits. It sounds like it would be a good resource for someone that wanted a "paint by numbers" approach to all grain brewing to help get them started. Although this recipe may apeal to "regular beer drinkers" I know BetterBeerKits does have some other recipes that are pretty attactive such as a Black IPA or the Steel Cut Stout.

Thanks again!

[Beer-lord]

I agree and only got this recipe because it was simple, a low OG and I felt I would be able to find any faults in a recipe not covered up with hops or roast by doing this recipe. It was a fresh kit and seems to be everything it said it was.
Going forward, it would help those who are advanced enough to do this AG version to have an idea of what to expect for an OG and FG.

[Beer-lord]

This beer is just too blah for me to really enjoy when I have so many beers around that have lots of flavor so I added 2 1/2 oz of Amarillo via keg hop with the hope that it will spice it up a bit. There's really only about 3 1/2 gallons left so that should do the trick.

[mashani]

This beer is just too blah

The good news for folks buying the kits is that the kits with more stuff in them (more flavor, less "blah") cost the same.

Then again the bad news is also that they cost the same depending on your perspective.

[LouieMacGoo]

Just keep in mine that Beer-lord's idea of "Blah" is any beer that has an IBU of less than 80 or 90! For the rest of us mere mortals this may be a perfectly fine non-blah Pale Ale.

[Beer-lord]

Well, I have been enjoying some 40 IBU pale ales lately and plan a somewhat mild saison soon but only after a 100 plus IBU session beer next beer.



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[Beer-lord]

This pale ale is really at it's prime. I have no doubt the keg hopping saved this beer. It's a fine beer and almost gone. It took a long time for a pale but it came thru. Too bad it's so expensive but I am pleased with this beer. Quality has shown it's head.