Experimenting with a kit

StrangeBrew · Post by **StrangeBrew** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:48 pm

I've got a 3kg Sherwood Ale - Dark Oak Ale kit that I want to experiment with and hopefully learn a little from. I intend to brew from 1 can of malt at a time making 20 pints appossed to 40 for the full kit. One 1.5kg can of malt will be done as per kit instructions and the other will have fuggles hops to replace the hop pellets supplied, a little steeped crystal malt and using Safale04 yeast to replace the John Bull yeast.

What I'd like is some advice on quantities of fuggles and crystal malt to use, how long to boil the hops and how long to steep the crystal, bearing in mind that this brew is lightly hopped with low bitterness to give a smooth brew.

Any ideas?

edit: It's all going to be bottled if that makes a difference.

StrangeBrew · Post by **StrangeBrew** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 10:24 pm

Thanks for that DaaB!

I take it that your recomended weights of 5-10g of fuggles hops and 50-100g of crystal malt is based on a 20 pint brew?

Is it worth adding some fuggles to the crystal malt and steep together? Would this help with flavour/aroma? Or is it the case that the hops really need boiling to extract flavour?

StrangeBrew · Post by **StrangeBrew** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 10:42 pm

Cheers mate!

I'm going to enjoy doing this one!

StrangeBrew · Post by **StrangeBrew** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 1:33 pm

Does this sound about right? All suggestions welcome!

Use 2 pints of boiling water to wash malt extract from can and add to a pan, bring back to boil, add 5g fuggles and simmer for 15 mins then add another 5g fuggles and simmer for a further 15 mins, remove from heat, add another 5g fuggles and allow to steep for 15 mins strain off hops and add liquid to fv.

Take 2 pints of boiling water and add 80g of Crystal Malt to a pan, bring back to boil, remove from heat and leave to steep for 30 mins. Strain wort trough a sterilised mesh bag, discard used grain, bring back to boiling temp and simmer for 5 mins then add wort to fv.

StrangeBrew · Post by **StrangeBrew** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 2:34 pm

Why didn't I think of it that way!

Is a total of 15g of hops too much for a 20 pint brew? I thought it would be ok as 5g is being steeped.

StrangeBrew · Post by **StrangeBrew** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:12 pm

I got this 20 pint batch on the go on Sunday, using 100g Crystal Malt steeped for 30 mins and a total of 20g of Fugggles, 6g x 2 added at 15min intervals during boiling and 8g steeped at the end. OG 1045.

I'm very pleased with how it went, it's now well on it's way. Can't wait to see how it turns out!

After finishing the decorating recently, I'm no longer allowed to have my FV in the dinning room but I've been given 'permission' for it to go in our bedroom! Now I'm a happy man...Woman to one side and my beer fermenting to the other!

StrangeBrew · Post by **StrangeBrew** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:31 pm

Nothing seemed complicated about it but at least it gave me the opportunity to learn by trying something new.
I'll keep you posted as to how it turns out.

...onwards and upwards!

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Experimenting with a kit

Experimenting with a kit