Well my first attempt (which in fairness I started before I found this fantastic forum) was a Muntons Midas Touch prepared by following the kit instructions - a few mistakes along the way :
no water pre-treatment
no significant aeration of the wort
sprinkled dry yeast
did not measure OG (or FG for that matter !!).
Transferred to pressure barrel after 1 week in primary (as per the kit instructions) - its been in there for just under 6 weeks now.
Apart from it being somewhat hazy (although I wouldn't go as far as saying cloudy), it tastes really good - not that much left though only about quarter of the barrel !!
My second attempt I was using a cheap Geordie Yorkshire Bitter kit with 500g Light Spray Malt and 500g Tate and Lyle (all I had at the time). This started off with an OG of about 1034 and dropped to 1006 before bottling. Its perfectly clear now after only 3 weeks conditioning. It tastes smoother than the Muntons kit but lacks body....not bad though.
My next kit which I'll hopefully set going on Saturday will be....Woodefordes Wherry using Gervin Ale yeast and dry hopping with 25g East Kent Goldings.
Any advice on this particular kit ?
If all goes to plan I'll take photos and update site on Monday
Cheers
Stephen
Brew Update...
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fivetide
That Woodforde's kit / yeast / dry hop combination will prove really tasty.
I'd advice half a Campden tablet in your liquer, aerating the wort as long as you can bear, rehydrating the yeast in advance (Jim tells you how), consider adding a half tsp YeastVit, fermenting out for about 10 days, a week in secondary or in barrel at fermentation temperature (good window for dry-hopping) then take out the hops and move whole thing to the cool in your barrel for at least another four weeks, preferably six.
It's a lovely pint.
I'd advice half a Campden tablet in your liquer, aerating the wort as long as you can bear, rehydrating the yeast in advance (Jim tells you how), consider adding a half tsp YeastVit, fermenting out for about 10 days, a week in secondary or in barrel at fermentation temperature (good window for dry-hopping) then take out the hops and move whole thing to the cool in your barrel for at least another four weeks, preferably six.
It's a lovely pint.
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StevieR
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fivetide
No, the Midas touch is in a Corni unprimed and I'm leaving it that way for some time before gassing for a week and delving in, maybe another month.
But I used a hop bag of First Gold in my Wherry and although fermentation stuck and needed a kick with Yeast-Vit, it tasted fantastic. The last few pints were the best though and since learning that lesson I now allow a proper secondary plus a long conditioning period to get the best out of the brew.
I've dry-hopped each kit I've done and really enjoyed the effect, which is pleasingly noticeable. I like hoppy beers, but even so I've reduced the amount in the muslin from 40g to 25g and the duration from leaving it in the barrel to hoiking after 5-7 days.
The Cascade gave great results!
But I used a hop bag of First Gold in my Wherry and although fermentation stuck and needed a kick with Yeast-Vit, it tasted fantastic. The last few pints were the best though and since learning that lesson I now allow a proper secondary plus a long conditioning period to get the best out of the brew.
I've dry-hopped each kit I've done and really enjoyed the effect, which is pleasingly noticeable. I like hoppy beers, but even so I've reduced the amount in the muslin from 40g to 25g and the duration from leaving it in the barrel to hoiking after 5-7 days.
The Cascade gave great results!
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StrangeBrew
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