Bulldog Beer Kits - Bizarre Instructions

[tricky_dicky]

The bulldog kits come with a hop tea bag, to add after initial fermentation is complete. The instructions say to add the hop tea including bag after 4-7 days and then to stir and splash the wort vigorously to achieve maximum hop aroma.

Now I am sure this goes against everything I have been told about brewing, surely aerating the wort after the yeast has fermented out the wort will oxidise and ruin the final beer, first time I have ever seen this in instructions. Surely this is an error in the instructions?

[Pinto]

It does sound a little odd, but the chance of oxidation at that stage of the brewing process (cool, well fermented beer) is pretty low. I'd add the teabag but minimise the agitation...or... tear the teabag open and let the hops take a bath with minimal stirring to maimise the surface area of hop exposed to beer - just be careful when racking to the secondary/bottling bucket

[Caddarn]

I've got their Raja's Reward IPA on the go atm and thought that odd too... are you finding the ferment to be really really slow? Mine has been on for 2.5 weeks and appears stuck at 1016.

[tricky_dicky]

I haven't actually got this one the go at the moment, I was browsing their site and thought I would check out the instructions for the kit

Very tempted by their new American Craft Beer kits though

[PhilB]

Hi

Hmmm ... this is one of those "grey-areas" isn't it ... aeration of the wort before fermentation, definitely good ... aeration of the wort after fermentation, definitely bad ... aeration of the wort during fermentation, well that seems to depend ... certainly, it's not always bad, there are brewing techniques that make a particular feature of it (check out the Double Dropping process and what goes on in Yorkshire Squares, for instance )

Usually if you're going to do this, it's done early in the fermentation ... and 4-7 days in, doesn't sound like that, quite apart from being "a bit vague" ... but ...

are you finding the ferment to be really really slow? Mine has been on for 2.5 weeks and appears stuck at 1016.

... maybe, they're advising this because they know they've included a "lazy" yeast with these kits, which will need a bit of "chivying along"? Maybe?

I'll be interested to hear what others think, but I don't think I'd do too much splashing, maybe a "gentle rouse" though

Cheers, PhilB

[Caddarn]

I gave it a gentle stir when I added the teabag but I'm planning on putting this into PET bottles anyway so I'm going to go ahead a bottle at the weekend.

[tricky_dicky]

I emailed Hambleton Bard about this, and have got the following reply - looks like it was a misprint in the instructions after all

"You are absolutely right. I must have had brain switched off when I did the newest version of instruction which also handles the American Craft
Kits. Can only blame workload and hurry to get this out.

Thanks for warning. Good thing someone out there is vigilant. We are going into first production within less than 10 days. I've just managed to re-print with changes so nobody gets the bad instruction.

I've uploaded a new version to website. Removed splashing everywhere except the oxygenation bit at start."

Alls well that ends well - now just need to wait to get my hands on one of their kits

[orlando]

I emailed Hambleton Bard about this, and have got the following reply - looks like it was a misprint in the instructions after all

"You are absolutely right. I must have had brain switched off when I did the newest version of instruction which also handles the American Craft
Kits. Can only blame workload and hurry to get this out.

Thanks for warning. Good thing someone out there is vigilant. We are going into first production within less than 10 days. I've just managed to re-print with changes so nobody gets the bad instruction.

I've uploaded a new version to website. Removed splashing everywhere except the oxygenation bit at start."

Alls well that ends well - now just need to wait to get my hands on one of their kits

Good for you, kit instructions are a little thin and very optimistic at the best of times, when they are just wrong you challenging them has saved some poor bastard a ruined brew.