Promised an update on Youngs American Craft APA

[Hopping_Mad]

So, here's a pictorial account of efforts!

Kit contents:


Fancy box, detailed instructions, a humungous amount of LME, some brewing sugar to up the ABV! , 15g yeast, hop pellets for late addition and the correct amount of sugar for batch priming.

Once I've checked the picture uploads ok, I'll add the rest...

[Hopping_Mad]

Mmmmmmm, let me find the 'rotate' option!

[Hopping_Mad]

Detailed instructions - good for the first time homebrewer or relative novice.

[Hopping_Mad]

West Coast yeast, apparently?

When I pitched it I expected it to break out into 3 part harmonies accompanied by country rock!



That huge amount of LME in the FV!



Forget "squeezing the packet" as per the instructions, I use some of my boiling water to get as much of the malt extract out by only cutting a corner off pouring some in carefully then swilling it around! Repeat if necessary!

[Hopping_Mad]

Bloody good stir then in with extra brewing sugar. It takes some dissolving believe you me!!!!



Campden treated tap water in from a height, giving nice aerated wort.

[Hopping_Mad]

Just short of 23ltrs and nice temp (22C) to pitch the already rehydrated yeast (staged that photo, can you tell? Already pitched it before realised not taken piccy!)



So FV happily nestling in the cupboard with the heatmat ready just in case! Hydrometer reading 1044 as the starting gravity (was expecting slightly higher?).



Reward for efforts - nice 6 week old Wherry and the rugby league - come on you Rhinos!!!!

[Hopping_Mad]

I'll update this as I hop it, bottle it and drink it!

[WalesAles]

Hello Hopp

Bloody good stir then in with extra brewing sugar. It takes some dissolving believe you me!!!! :roll

Believe you me! This will solve your stirring problems! Put this Baby on High speed and you will never use your Spoon again!

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/PADDLE-MIXER-TOO ... R6/$_1.JPG

WA

[Hopping_Mad]

What do I use with that - the wife's handheld Kenwood or my mains Bosche?

[WalesAles]

What do I use with that - the wife's handheld Kenwood or my mains Bosche?

Hopp,
Up to you really, but I think the Bad Boy Bosch would be the Dogs Boll@xs for this one! (It won`t fit in a Kenwood anyway!)
Look on the post `Ditch`s Stout`, Ditch has video of this in action!
Have Fun!
WA

[solbrew]

Hi

Just noticed this thread and am doing this same kit - my first - so I'd be interested in how it goes. Ten days in and it's still bubbling here, so think it's ok at the moment.

As I've invested only recently in a starter kit, I have just the one FV with a tap, so I think I need to 'bottle prime', yet the priming sugar included in the kit is listed in the instructions as being for 'batch priming'. Would it be ok to use this sugar for bottle priming on this occasion do you think?

[edonald774]

Thanks for this.
I'm just about to try this kit for my beer club. We're doing a kit comparison and I snaffled this one.
It looks way better than any of the kits that got me into brewing so I'm quite looking forward to it.

[Hopping_Mad]

Solbrew, not sure how your going to divide up the sugar packet between 40 bottles? I'd use granulated sugar if I were you, the dextrose supplied adds no flavour or body - you just need some feed for the remaining yeasties to create CO2. I've used a sawn off kids medicine syringe - you can dunk it in your sugar bag for an adjustable measured amount and the end fits in your bottle so you are not fiddling about tryin to fit it in (ooer missus ).

I've had the temperature pretty constant at 22*C for 10 days and I think even the kit instruction estimate of 15 days for the gravity to reach 1008 is a significant under estimation! There's been no crazy stage and the gravity was only 1020 on Sunday when I checked.

This 'US West Coast' yeast is extremely 'laid back'! I think it's going 'wort surfing' instead of converting sugar to alcohol and CO2 !!! I'm sure I heard it singing Take It Easy as I opened the cupboard door yesterday!

Typical - bloody foreign yeast coming and stealing work from British yeast then on a go slow and only doing half a job! Makes me want to vote UKIP !

[Hopping_Mad]

To be fair to the yeast, it's got it down to 1011 after 11 days, so I suspect it will have hit the suggested target 1008 FG before day 15! FV lid has been like a drum every morning this week. Never gone mental though and no Krausen stain on the lid - hare and the tortoise, eh?

Better start thinking about chucking in the huge packet of Columbus and Centenniel hop pellets they give you for that authentic 'American' wiff and flavour!

[solbrew]

Many thanks Hopping Mad. I just thought I would do half a teaspoon of the supplied sugar in each bottle, but will happily bow to experience, just normal white granulated sugar then?

I'm on day 15 and the reading is just under 1010, and I've had it at about 22 degrees throughout.