Additional flavours

[johnnyk]

Hi,

I am on to my 3rd kit now which is a Coopers Canadian Blonde. I was looking at Coopers own site and noticed they add Strawberry Clover Honey (and call it Strawberry Blonde).

Does this make much of a difference to the flavour and what other additions have people tried and recommend or is it just a case of trying this yourself to find out?

Or should you not mess about with kits?

Cheers,
John

[BlackBag]

You could make it as normal then prime with about 80g of maple syrup.
I've got the same kit and that's what I plan to do with mine. I was going to put some in from the start as part of the fermentables but read somewhere that this can cause a dry woodsy flavour. Bottling with it is fine though. Should leave a slight sweet maple taste. Perfect for a Canadian brew.

[johnnyk]

I might give that a try when bottling thanks for that.......

[andyp]

Definitely mess about with kits; changing the yeast and adding a hop tea will invariably improve it.

And other people's experience of experimenting with additions of honey, syrups, fruit and the like helps other brewers to refrain from doing likewise

[BlackBag]

Exactly Andy, just what I'm doing here. You see Johnny will go and try this first and no matter how it turns out he's bound to post and let us all know. So long as he doesn't rumble me I'm fine . . .

[Damfoose]

You could do the Brewferm Frambos its rasberry flavour and tbh I did not think it would be my sort of drink but it is turning out quite nice I have just taken a small amount to test the gravity , It is quite clear and I mean clear its at 1010 but still fermenting and has a really nice smell of rasberrys when tasted it has a taste but not overpowering of rasberrys.
I would honestly recomend this kit to everyone just as a tryer for the wife and yourself as it is pleasantly palatable.

[johnnyk]

thanks guys, i will have a look and start experimenting with things and hope they turn out OK and I will post the news good or bad after I taste it!!!