recommended kits for returnee brewer after 20 years

[Wekslap]

Hi all.

I live in Sunderland and I used to make some canny home brew many moons ago. Looking to start brewing again. Any recommendations for a good starting kit? My fave beers are/were scotch ale, McEwan's export, newcy brown. Also like Sam smiths old brewery bitter and black sheep.

I used to brew kits and later moved on to extracts and hops and barley etc but as I say was a long time ago.

Any tips or advice to help me get going again would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

John

[Mr. Dripping]

Kits have come a long way since you last had a go John.
For a one can kit, lots of people recommend Coopers - they have a big range and I used to like them when I did kits. Their IPA is especially good. With the one can kits you need to add extra fermentables....usually sugar. it is worth paying extra for spray malt to replace all or some of the sugar.
There are also two can kits that you don't have to add sugar to. I did a couple from the Muntons range and they worked very well. Lots of people also like Woodfords kits, their Wherry is very popular.
Generally, the more expensive the kit the more liquid malt extract you will get and hence the quality tends to be better.

Hopefully someone with a bit more recent experience will chip in with the latest recommendations.....there is lots of new stuff out there.

[SquireKnott]

Festival kits are highly recommended by this seven brew veteran

£23ish, two can (bag) kits.

[Wekslap]

Thanks for the suggestions. Keep them coming if you would be so kind.

Has anyone tried the Wilkinson's own brand beer kits? Any good? And if so which one's would you recommend?

Thanks
John

[Ditch]

John, seeing what ye used to go for? I'd say ye might like Coopers Dark Ale. Worth having a go at anyway.

[Hopping_Mad]

I've done a couple of Coopers Dark Ale and they are ok (...otherwise I wouldn't have done a 2nd one!)

It's about the only '1 can' kit I'd recommend to be honest. Shell out the extra and get kits that have at least 3kg of malt extract. I can concur the Festival kits are excellent. Bulldog also are consistently good.

Having drunk my old mans barely drinkable Boots kits in the 80's, the best kits now, with a bit of patience and consistency, brew beer as good as you find in the pub! Get back at it and brew a few in rapid succession so you get some 'stock'!

[Monkeybrew]

Hi and welcome back to brewing!

Here's my 2 pence worth -

Brupaks Almondbury Old
Brupaks Scammonden Dark
Festival Old Suffolk Strong
Woodfordes NOG
Muntons Gold Highlands Heavy
Milestone Dark Galleon (available in Wilko)

Cheers

MB

[ajclarkson]

Welcome back to brewing!

I'll second the recommendation on the Brupaks kits from above, going on the sorts of beers you listed as liking don't think you'll go far wrong with them at all.

Like others have said, definitely worth paying extra for the kits with 2 cans, though some of the Coopers 1 can kits can form an excellent base if you want to start experimenting with adding malts / hops to kits down the line. Theres loads of threads on here about modifying the IPA for example.

[Wekslap]

Hi all

Thanks for your helpful replies. Keep them coming.

Anyone any ideas which kits or kits with additions would be nearest to a scotch ale or Newcastle brown?

Also would anyone who knows the northeast or Sunderland be able to tell me my nearest home brew shops?

I do appreciate your help. This seems to be a very friendly and helpful forum.

Thank you

John

[ajclarkson]

I used to be based in Durham, and Hop and Grape in Darlington became my local of choice. Little bit of distance from Sunderland though. You'll find plenty of people talking about their online service on here, but they are good friendly knowledgeable people who work in the shop if you want tips / advice too

[Ditch]

Anyone any ideas which kits or kits with additions would be nearest to a ... Newcastle brown?

Absolutely no idea, John. But, if ye find out? Please let me know! I haven't had a Newcastle Brown in about ..... god knows. Thirty, forty years?

I'd ask someone to send me a bottle over, for the hell of it. But, for what that would cost? I could probably make a couple of gallons from a kit and bits!

[tazzymutt]

Also would anyone who knows the northeast or Sunderland be able to tell me my nearest home brew shops?

You could try Cheers Houghton Homebrew Centre (19A, Newbottle Street, Houghton Le Spring, Tyne And Wear, DH4 4AP Tel: 0191 5003865) I visited them once while I was working in Gateshead a couple of years ago. Not a huge shop, but very helpful and rather closer than Darlington.

Happy brewing,


Ian.

[Exiled Bradfordian]

The only kit I've seen advertised as a Brown Ale style drink is Wilko's own 'Sweet Newkie Brown'. I haven't tried it, and the reviews online indicate it's not quite a clone.

By all means give it a try, but I reckon your best bet will be one of the brewshops mentioned earlier, who may be able to guide you better.

[Monkeybrew]

It can't be that hard to clone a Newcastle Brown, pick a brown beer kit with no malt or hop flavour, sorted

[tazzymutt]

It can't be that hard to clone a Newcastle Brown, pick a brown beer kit with no malt or hop flavour, sorted

That's not a bad approximate description of the Wilko SNB kit.I deliberately brewed it full length as I was after a low strength session brew and it's not unpleasant. However, next time I shall add 300g of steeped crystal malt and reduce the brew length to 20 litres in an effort to get a bit more flavour out of the kit.

Happy brewing,


Ian.