Brewmasters:
Greetings from a newbie with one batch under our belts (American Wheat), which we survived with no complications. We want to go bold this time with an IPA and I would like some suggestions for what would be a 1st time safe pick.
Thanks to all who chime in.
Chinook IPA. The lower gravity will be easier for a newer brewer.
Plus Chinook hops are just delicious.
All the kits are solid beers. One that I might like you may hate and the opposite.
There is one hop that some say taste like cat urine. Others love it.
If you like Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, try Dead Ringer. It was my second batch ever (back when it was called Three H_a_t_d Ale, here) and it was awesome.
I also like the Double IPA, and Jamil’s Evil Twin, kits.
But, like an earlier poster said, my favorite IPA from NB is the Chinook IPA. I can’t believe that you get that much flavor out of 3 oz of hops. First IPA I brewed (again) while already having it on tap.
Note that it’s also low enough gravity that you can get away with a single smack pack and ithout a yeast starter, if you haven’t gotten to that point, yet. And, it doesn’t have to age as long as some of the other bigger IPA kits.
I just did the Chinook IPA a few weeks back and it was excellent.
I’d go for the Bell’s 2 Hearted Clone or Jamil’s Evil Twin (though the latter is a bigger American Amber, but is a little more forgiving).
Just make sure to pitch either 2 packs of yeast or make a starter to handle the increase in gravity you will have.
Also ferment cooler than you did for your first batch. Find a spot with temps hovering around 62F, so your actual fermentation temps will be mid sixties.
I have to swear by the Black IPA kit. Yes, you’ll need to make a starter, but you’ll be rewarded. It was the first beer I made that I can honestly without a doubt say I prefer to darn near anything I can buy in the store (naturally, there are one or two exceptions to that).
I’m voting for Dead Ringer. Watch your fermentation temps no matter what you brew, especially those double IPAs.
Well, just to throw in a little variety (because there isn’t enough already) I’ll pitch the Lakefront IPA clone kit. It’s great. That said, it’s gonna be hard to go wrong here. If it were me though and my second kit I would do something towards the lower end of the gravity spectrum.
