Malt Shovel Pale Ale

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Total Reviews 13  
Average Rating
3.00 stars - based on 13 reviews
Description

MALT SHOVEL

 
Homebrew For Beginners eBook | The Ultimate Home Brewers Recipe Book, 641 Home Brew Recipes
January 22nd 2008
1/5 stars
#810

Poxy

This was one of the most disappointing kits I've ever done and it's not cheap when you consider the small volume that they recommend a can be made to. Made to recipe exactly and just gammy. Tastes like bananas. Never, ever again.
June 12th 2007
4/5 stars
#707

Surprised

I've read negative things about this brew but got offered 2 cans by the HB shop at a very low price so I thought I'd try it. Mixed up two cans with 20g cascade and S-04 yeast in 21 lt. Fermented at 19c for 7 days then kegged. I was expecting a pretty bland brew but it's nicely hoppy and could almost pass for an APA. It's way too dark for a pale ale but the head is good and it's got good reviews from the mates.
May 7th 2007
3/5 stars
#669

saazy red!

OK. First up -nothing to do with Malt Shovel. If you've rung MSB to complain about this brew and wondered why they know nothig, it's because it's based on Lion Nathan NZ stable-mate "Mac's Sassy Red". The spiel on the can is just a marketing ploy. So what we have here is an attempt at an English style Pale Ale with Saaz hops. Just doesn't work. Not worth the cover charge. Unless you absolutely MUST brew only in 11.5l batches, in which case you'll want to add some crystal and extra hops for some FLAVOUR! Not bad, nothing offensive, just not good.
December 2nd 2006
3/5 stars
#596

Bland!

Put down 24/08/06 in MS fermenter to volume of 11.5L. Steeped Morgans Fuggles hop bag for 10 min, & added the lot to wort, plus Safale S-04 dry pitched @ 24degC. Brewed 18-20degC. OG 1040, FG 1014, = low alc! Bland & boring & rated @ 13/20. Not on my to do again list.
September 20th 2006
4/5 stars
#550

Bonza Brew

put the brew down with two cans plus an extra can of amber liquid malt. added 25g of POR hops boiled for 20mins plus some cascade for 3mins. used the yeast that came with the can. left in fermenter for 3 weeks then in bottle for 10 weeks. fantastic!
September 10th 2006
4/5 stars
#547

Pale Ale Redux

2nd go, as I thought there was a good ale in this kit somewhere -the challenge is to coax it out. Kit, 50gms crystal malt grain steeped, 1 plug East Kent Goldings hops added to this, 125 gm mix malt, dextrose, maltodextrine, volume 11 litres, Saf K-97 German Ale yeast. The yeast gives a cleaner, less fruity flavour, the crystal adds some depth and the hops some character. Hardly recognisable from the first go. Cleaner, more complex, after the style of a German Alt.
December 8th 2005
2/5 stars
#404

Not Happy Jan

This was average to bad Kit. Careful modifying this one. Done to the letter it is a bit bland and well... a nothing beer not like there commercial beer at all. no delicate florals or late hop flavours. This one isn't exciting and not a standard. Modified it was aweful. I was so careful to use supporting hops and malts to the style and followed temps and instructions on kit closely. Made a double kit (23 litres).
October 3rd 2005
5/5 stars
#336

Perfect First Time

Did the Pale Ale about a month ago. Took approximately 1 week to fully ferment. Followed instructions on the tin to the letter including using the supplied yeast. During bottling beer did smell funny but tasting after three weeks of bottling was quite surprising. I'm not good at describing tastes but this beer has definetely made it into my christmans party collection.
July 20th 2005
2/5 stars
#300

disappointing

Made up to 11.5 litres. Safale yeast. Fermented at 21 celsius. OG 1.040 FG 1.014 At six weeks: colour exactly right for style: deep amber with hints of ruby; carbonation OK, finely beaded; good head; little malt or hop aroma. Taste is bland. More an 'ordinary' bitter than a PA. Slightly rough - could be from the kit hops. Not to the same standard as others in this range. Disappointing considering price of the kit.
February 21st 2005
4/5 stars
#198

Pretty darn good

Took 2 weeks to finish fermenting, bottled and consumed after 3 weeks. Nothing to rave about, very little head, lightly carbonated. Had a 44 degree day where one bottle exploded in my shed with an almighty bang. Thought my beer might be off, chilled and drank. Turns out it's one of the best ones I have done so far. Maybe it needed the ultra heat treatment. Doesn't have that distinct homebrew aftertaste, very nice, improving with age.
February 7th 2005
2/5 stars
#184

Jury's out on this one

Bottled this one 6 weeks ago, and the tastings so far have been very disappointing. (For the record used 2x1.7kg extract cans in 22l at fermenting temps of 20-22 degrees C - used the supplied Brewer's yeast) As both other poster's have said, very very bland on the front/mid palate, followed by a very long (and unusually smooth) biscuit flavour at the back of palate. Here's hoping it will mature into something worthy of the malt shovel brand name with a few more months maturation.
February 6th 2005
1/5 stars
#179

a turkey

Fermented with given dry yeast at 23 degrees. Made 10L. After 2 months minor background flavour. 10 months later - thrown away. This was very expensive for a basic beerkit (no aroma) and tasted rough.
January 16th 2005
4/5 stars
#116

Pale Ale

When I tasted this one out of the fermenter I thought it was a failure. Some watery alcoholic taste unlike their Deep Roast Ale where I felt like not even bothering about bottles and just gurgling straight from the tap. I did per instructions, just added 25g Hersbrücker hops. But as I opened one up 2 months later I had a very pleasant surprise. The creamy after taste is just faint and well balanced in the very refreshing beautifull red amber.
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