Ale, Beer, Stout appreciation

fantastic, thank you!

About to start on a new batch soon. Only used a beer kit before, is this much harder? Is there any way to get the alcohol down a bit?

Anyone know what the best Weatherspoons in London (for ales) is? I've finally got my Camra membership through the post.... along with 50 x 50p off vouchers for Ales and Bitters :-)

You could try The Ledger Building out at Canary Wharf if you're out east at all. They seem to have a good selection.

^ oh dear.

fantastic, thank you!

About to start on a new batch soon. Only used a beer kit before, is this much harder? Is there any way to get the alcohol down a bit?

A few things to consider:

1. Make sure your alpha acids match those values for the hops I used. If they are higher your EBUs will increase, lower and they will drop. You'll still get a nice brew but make sure they arent too far off
   
2. Make sure you measure out everything before hand
   
3. Watch out for boil overs when you add the malt, be prepared to pull of the heat
   
4. You can reduce the abv by increasing the amount of water in the fermenter but you need the abv to carry the high EBUs. You could probably reduce it down to 5%. Or remove 500gram of the malt extract, that will give you 5.1% with the volumes shown (I would do that)
   
5. Check out brewuk.co.uk for all the advice you will need
   
6. Leave in the primary fermenter for 2 weeks before bottling, the extra week conditioning is worth it.
   
   

PM if you have any other questions :)

awesome, thanks!

Had a couple Oakham Ales recently. Really enjoyed them. Also had a Magic Rock Rapture which was also very very nice.

Hope this isn't too off-topic.

I've just bottled up 6 gallons of cider. The juice was pressed last Spetember and it's just finished secondary fermentation. Tastes smooth and fruity. I've bottled it up with some sugar so that it will get a bit of fizz, but it's pretty good as it is.

I love food for free - apples were from orchards where the owners weren't going to use the fruit but let us have them for nothing ...

Anyone else make cider?

Dunno if this has already been mentioned in the thread but as part of a pub crawl last night we stumbled upon a place in Camden/Kentish Town last night that has an ace selection of brews. Including the finest beer ever made, Kostritzer.
It is the peculiarly named Tapping The Admiral: http://www.tappingtheadmiral.co.uk/
They also have the decency to call perry perry and not the tautology of "pear cider"
Fucking ace. I will be back, and in greater numbers.

Check out the Southampton Arms when you are next in the area. Amazing pub and ales/cider. Plus try their scotch eggs.

Good call. Not been there.

easts at he jolly butcher tomorrow
probably the best kept and various beer cellar in east London thanks to jcgarcia

Tonight drinking meantime ipa at home...lovely

London is currently an ale paradise. Used to have t travel to the white horse in parsons green (early 90s) for a decent belgian beer. Now available round the corner in the offie.

Meantime can suck my ballz. Style over content. Awful perfumed synth-beers. Still, there's no accounting for taste.

^Well I enjoyed it as a nightcap. Didn't notice any synth though was pleasantly perfumed. And yes, each to his own ;()

bottle of batemans mocha, is weird but nice, unsurprisingly it tastes of coffee and chocolate.

Stone Ruination IPA. Repost?

Just had some at a beer tasting thing at work. It is excellent.

Summer approaches, and I must remind myself, to drink new ales and porters.

Just enjoyed a pint of Fullers London Porter. I will be making a porter next, very underated. I do love an IPA/APA/Pale Ale but there is definitely something darkly delicious about a good porter

Just enjoyed a pint of Fullers London Porter. I will be making a porter next, very underated. I do love an IPA/APA/Pale Ale but there is definitely something darkly delicious about a good porter

My homebrew oatmeal stout. Bloody good it is too.

Envy = the emotion I am feeling now.

ditto

first ale in ages at weekend, Unicorn by Robinson's. Tasty.

The Food show (or whatever it's called) on Radio 4 is currently going over the history of modern American craft brewing scene. Garrett Oliver and the other usual suspects talking.

Tried Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, and Goose 312 Urban Wheat this eve. Preferred the Stout, but at 10% it's not for staying on all night.

I went to Brussels last weekend and this was by far my fave.

Did you go to La Porte Noir?
Run by the same folk as the Delerium Cafe, it has the awesome beer selection you would expect as well as a rather excellent selection of whiskey with a great decor. The bar staff drink about as much as the clientele.