Cascade Chocolate Mohogany Porter

very good by Hugh @ 11, Jun 2008
This was the best homebrew ive ever made!!! Just NEVER use their yeast... otherwise it will be s***. I used Thames Valley Wyeast with 1kg of morgans caramalt. Best homebrew ever!! With fuggles and goldings hops it was very sweet, bitter and delicious! especially with the liquid yeast. Drank it all really quick so i will have to make some more.

Forget it by brewpower @ 28, May 2008
Sorry to lead you down a dark path, but I retract my previous comments! This kit has somehow changed (the yeast, at the very least) and my last brew was woeful with no chance of redemption. Has a roasty taste that is not chocolate and a finish that is just not right. Add five bucks and get a decent kit. This is officially my worse beer, though the Honey Porter I made was up with the best. Like I said, something's changed...

Ripped off by FazerPete @ 29, Apr 2008
I can't believe these things cost more than Coopers. I gave it every opportunity to shine by adding all the good stuff: 1.5kg Dark Liq Malt, 50g black malt, 50g chocolate malt, 25g Newport @15min & 12g Nottingham yeast. These ingredients are wasted on this kit. The result is drinkable but I think that's down to using good ingredients. Definitely won't be buying any more Cascade kits.

'Soul Beer' [as in 'Black as My' haha] by Boingk @ 23, Feb 2008
I followed Wassa's suggestion that this one be done as a honey porter, and used 1kg of liquid chocolate malt extract and 500g of yellowbox honey, as well as 20g of Cascade hops steeped for 15 min prior to throwing in the fermenter. Used US-05 yeast @ 20'C. After a month this is great stuff, and it only improves with age. 4 stars here, give it a go

Better kit than you may think by brewpower @ 11, Feb 2008
I've made this kit twice, against all advice to the contrary. First brew was a Honey Ale with Morgans Caramalt extract, 12g Goldings, 400g Leatherwood honey and 100g Yellowbox. Hated it at first but after three months it was sensational - red, clear and tasty. I've just made it again without the honey - 1.5kg Coopers amber malt, 500g Stout booster, 150g Corn Syrup and 14g Goldings. After two weeks it looks great and tastes good, though it needs more time to blend. Its a great kit if you remember these things: One, the kit yeast needs a higher temp than some (23-25 degrees) to get going. Two, it's not a porter! Forgive that and it's a good beer, and three, it's easy on the hops - add your favourite.

Beautiful marketing... hideous flavour by Andrew @ 22, Jan 2008
Made as per instructions. Reeked of sulphor for some weeks after bottling, but eventually that passed. Now it passes for something similar to asprin flavoured beer. I can't bring myself to finish these off after 12 months. Never, ever again. Ooops I've got another can in the cupboard which I can't bring myself to toss out... Planning on using a better yeast and some other added flavour.

Nothing to write home about. by MiniMoose @ 22, Nov 2007
I did this kit,1kg LDME,300g Crystal, 150g Pale Choc 40g of fuggles, filled to 23 litres,and fermented with Safale S-04 @ 21 degrees.Result:A low alcohol,light on flavour brownish beer with ruby highlights.The flavour is quite light,a VERY mild roastiness is present from the Kit,combined with a very mild choc/coffe flavour aroma.the kit itself lacks depth and character, and if this kit was to be good,it needs greater quantities of Chocolate Malt,Crystal Malt(maybe a combo of light and dark), and small amount of Black Malt for a touch of roastiness and colour.It would also need more more Malt extract to beef up the OG, and be only filled to 20-21 litres, as it think 23 litres dilutes it too much Cut a long story short on its own it aint nothing special but with right extras could be.

dodgy as a honey porter by petesbrew @ 18, Dec 2006
I made this one up as a honey porter recipe too... 1kg Dark Dry malt, 500g yellowbox honey, 20g cascade hops. I'm blaming the recipe here rather than the kit, as all I can taste is a below ordinary beer that doesn't taste anywhere near as good as it looks. Maaaaaybe I'll try this kit again, but definitely not as a honey porter.

Re: First Brew by Jaeger @ 10, Nov 2006
My first review was premature. Only two weeks after bottling, the honey porter is a vast improvement! Well balanced, and very enjoyable (so much so that I'll have to ration it if I'm to see how it improves with age...) I'll definitely one I'll make again, though I'll extract a bit more from the Cascade hops next time - it's there, but quite subtle. The honey is also subtle, but I'm not sure I'm game to add 1kg - maybe Ironbark honey instead of Yellowbox? (Not leatherwood!)

First brew by Jaeger @ 21, Oct 2006
Followed the honey porter recipe found here: 1 CMP tin, 1kg (dry) dark malt extract, 600g Yellowbox honey, Cascade hops "tea bag", S-04 yeast. Brewed for 10 days at 24C, OG: 1.062, FG: 1.016. I was little concerned about the final reading, but it seems to be typical for porters. Tasted at bottling today; seemed a bit thin, but not bad; should improve with bottle conditioning.