Kit for the summer, warm fermentation

[obsidian]

Hi guys

First of all, since this is my first post, I just want to say thanks for all the great information on this forum. I've been using it a fair bit as I've taken my first steps into homebrewing.

Having finished off my first kit (an ibrew bitter, bundled with the tap-a-draft system), with good success, I'm looking to get something going to drink this summer. I'd fancied having a go at a pilsner, but looking into it I'm not sure this is something I can attempt without making myself a brewing fridge. Currently I can put my FV either in the house (where I believe the temperature is a fairly constant 20 degrees, though I need to verify this), or out in the garage which is a fair bit cooler though I suspect also more volatile. It seems that this will restrict the kits that I can realistically make?

So, my question is, what are your recommendations for a nice refreshing summer beer which I can ferment in these conditions? Are there any beers which are close to the lager style? Or am I restricted to ales?

Thanks for any help

[Monkeybrew]

A wheat beer kit with a proper wheat yeast likes a warmer fermentation, and is a nice refreshing drink when chilled.

Cheers

MB

[Maysie]

I quite like the St Peters Golden Ale as a light summery beer. Brewed at 20C should be absolutely fine.
It isn't really heading towards a lager though, if that is the sort of thing you were looking for. Still a pretty decent beer though!

[TC2642]

If it starts to get hotter check out some of the Belgian beer kits, blonde or golden styles will be fairly refreshing and there's no problem with a higher ferment 25+.

[Newbrew1]

I did the coopers canadian blonde for my first kit it brewed at room temp and turned out a nice brew when chilled, try that

[obsidian]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll have a look at those. Will be great to have the tap-a-draft dispensing some chilled beer from the fridge all summer!

[obsidian]

Right, I just got home from my local homebrew shop with a Cooper's wheat beer kit. Had a pretty awful experience in the store, as the woman serving me spoke bad English and the guy who knew his stuff was clearly in the back. For some reason he didn't want to come to talk to me himself, so I communicated with him via her, and I'm a bit concerned as to whether I've got the right stuff. For a start, I was sold an "auto syphon" which upon getting home and checking online is defintely just an ordinary syphon with an extension and some fancy clips.

Anyway, in terms of the kit I have the Wheat beer kit itself (best before May 2014, so pushing it a bit!), a 1.5kg tin of "Better Brew light unhopped enhancing malt extract" and a sachet of M20 Bavarian Wheat yeast. Is this what I need to get decent results? WIll the enhancer change the time it needs in primary? I'm going away next week, so I need to plan the right time to get it going. I'm also considering adding coriander and orange zest- if I do this can I just boil them up in some water and pass it through a sieve into the FV when making up the initial wort?

Would appreciate any help as I am feeling a bit put out by my bad shopping experience. Will probably stick to online from now on

[WalesAles]

Right, I just got home from my local homebrew shop with a Cooper's wheat beer kit. Had a pretty awful experience in the store, as the woman serving me spoke bad English and the guy who knew his stuff was clearly in the back. For some reason he didn't want to come to talk to me himself, so I communicated with him via her, and I'm a bit concerned as to whether I've got the right stuff. For a start, I was sold an "auto syphon" which upon getting home and checking online is defintely just an ordinary syphon with an extension and some fancy clips.

Anyway, in terms of the kit I have the Wheat beer kit itself (best before May 2014, so pushing it a bit!), a 1.5kg tin of "Better Brew light unhopped enhancing malt extract" and a sachet of M20 Bavarian Wheat yeast. Is this what I need to get decent results? WIll the enhancer change the time it needs in primary? I'm going away next week, so I need to plan the right time to get it going. I'm also considering adding coriander and orange zest- if I do this can I just boil them up in some water and pass it through a sieve into the FV when making up the initial wort?

Would appreciate any help as I am feeling a bit put out by my bad shopping experience. Will probably stick to online from now on

Hello Obsidian,
You will be OK boiling the Coriander and Zest and sieving it.
Sounds like you had a bad shop, where is it? Perhaps someone on JBK could direct you to a better shop nearby.
WA

[obsidian]

Thanks WalesAles. Any idea of quantities of coriander/zest?

The shop in question was Millfield Homebrew, in York.

[obsidian]

So, the current plan is to put into the brew:

Coopers Wheat Kit
1.5kg tin malt extract enhancer
25g coriander seeds and 50g orange peel boiled for 15 mins and poured into FV through a sieve
M20 Bavarian wheat yeast

Does this have a reasonable hope of producing a decent wheat beer? Reading around I see that others have used wheat extract rather than malt extract. Will this significantly change the character of the beer? I'm also wondering in the general case how you decide how much malt/wheat extract to add to the kit?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm just not feeling very confident about the "advice" I received in store.

[tazzymutt]

You should be OK with the enhancer. I use wheat spray malt, but not for any particular reason beyond it seeming to be the obvious stuff the first time and then, because it worked out OK, I saw no reason to change.

I'd allow 14 days minimum in the FV, no sense in rushing it so I'd plan the brew day based on that but probably with a couple of days available after day 14 in case it has not quite finished by then.

Sorry to hear that your LBS was not as helpful as it should have been, but at least you have a brew shop...

Happy brewing,


Ian.

[obsidian]

Thanks tazzymutt. I think I'm going to go ahead and get this going tonight then. Will report back with how it all goes.

Further research has revealed that home-brew-online are based in York and have a shop, so I will try giving them my business next time.

[far9410]

There are some great home brew shops around, ok so they are not local to you, Darlington, Stockport, Morley, to name but five, so don't use the one near you, order a bulk load from one of the others to keep the delivery costs to a minimum

[WalesAles]

So, the current plan is to put into the brew:

Coopers Wheat Kit
1.5kg tin malt extract enhancer
25g coriander seeds and 50g orange peel boiled for 15 mins and poured into FV through a sieve
M20 Bavarian wheat yeast
Does this have a reasonable hope of producing a decent wheat beer? Reading around I see that others have used wheat extract rather than malt extract. Will this significantly change the character of the beer? I'm also wondering in the general case how you decide how much malt/wheat extract to add to the kit?
Sorry for all the questions, I'm just not feeling very confident about the "advice" I received in store.

O,
Sorry I`m late replying and you`ve probably finished your BrewDay.
25Gr is toooooo much Coriander. Everyone who has tasted mine with 25Gr are all of the same opinion! Too much Coriander.
I like it, even though it is a bit overpowering!
WA

[Exiled Bradfordian]

Thanks WalesAles. Any idea of quantities of coriander/zest?

The shop in question was Millfield Homebrew, in York.

Obs - not exactly local to you, but I can highly recommend Fireside Brews in Shipley, Bradford - [url]about an hour's drive - https://ww ... d53.834875[/url].

Lovely blokes running it, really helpful and friendly, very reasonably priced, and don't try to flog you a load of stuff you don't need...the guy even tried to talk me out of buying stuff when I went in and very honestly said I was thinking of starting up brewing and didn't know where to start. Could have sold me a load of kit and caboodle I didn't need but sold me the basics and advise me to come back if I got into it to top up my stock.