SteveM
Well-Known Member
I have not really used kits much in a few years. Most of my brewing is done more or less the way your grandmother did her cooking and baking: I go into my LHBS, look over what he was, pick up some of this and some of that and make up my batch when I get home. I've done things this way for so long and for so many batches that it always works for me.
However, this time around, the pickings were slim for hops (surprise). No Amarillo, only a little Cascade and Centennial, some other odds and ends. I figured, let me try a kit out and see what that brings me. I picked up a California Imperial Pale Ale kit from the shelf and asked what hops it came with. We opened it up and it had FOUR full ounces of Columbus. Whoa!
This will work out nicely for me. I've heard of some hops substitutions in kits so this was an unexpected and pleasant surprise. Those who have not used kits in a while might want to think about this option.
However, this time around, the pickings were slim for hops (surprise). No Amarillo, only a little Cascade and Centennial, some other odds and ends. I figured, let me try a kit out and see what that brings me. I picked up a California Imperial Pale Ale kit from the shelf and asked what hops it came with. We opened it up and it had FOUR full ounces of Columbus. Whoa!
This will work out nicely for me. I've heard of some hops substitutions in kits so this was an unexpected and pleasant surprise. Those who have not used kits in a while might want to think about this option.