newcomer(again)

fizzypop boy · Post by **fizzypop boy** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 10:52 pm

Having decided to take up again ye old skill of homebrew,i could do with some pointers.
The last time i was homebrewing was long long ago with kits by Tom Caxton,they always seemed to produce beer that was strong in yeast flavour.
What i would like to know now is are the kits these days producing better results and worth bothering with or should i grasp my new found hobby with both hands and take on them there pesky hops. :huh:

Reg · Post by **Reg** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 10:58 pm

There are plenty of simple Extract / Hop recipes available. The main advantage they present is that you can vary the hops, (down to a minimum level - hops preserve your beer), to your taste...

Post by **Andy** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 10:59 pm

Hi Fizzy and welcome!

Kits these days are excellent, get a 3kg kit though not a weedy 1.8kg one which requires sugar to be added. The 3kg kits need no added sugar, all the fermentables come from the malt extract. Brupaks produce a good range of 3kg kits which people on here (myself included) have had good results with.

Steeev · Post by **Steeev** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 11:56 pm

Hi Fizzy.

The new 3Kg kits seem to produce really nice beer.

I've got a Woodfordes Wherry in the barrel which I'm not too sure of but a Woodforde's Nelson's Revenge going into bottles tomorrow which already tastes fantastic, although looking at personal results I'd say ferment between 20-22 degrees and not 18 to 20 like the instructions say.!
Daft as a Brush recommends Brupaks kits, and I'm going to follow the Oracle's advice next kit brew.

fizzypop boy · Post by **fizzypop boy** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 12:16 am

Thanks for your swift replies,all knowledge passed on by you will be gratefully received and put to good use.

yamas

fizzypop boy · Post by **fizzypop boy** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 7:45 pm

Daab,
sorry to let you down but i only bought a 1.8 kit due to the fact my money was burning a hole in my pocket and couldn't wait for the hb shop to open,anyway is that a straight like for like with replacing the sugar with spray malt as iv'e seen mentioned on other sites a 50/50 combo otherwise you have to up the yeast.!?*

Reg · Post by **Reg** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 8:25 pm

A straight swap if fine and you can use the leavings stuck in a 1 Kg tin to make up a starter if you are worried about yeast propagation.

fizzypop boy · Post by **fizzypop boy** » Mon May 01, 2006 11:30 pm

Just a quicky i take it when bottling once again the sugar is replaced with spray malt or another ingredient?

Reg · Post by **Reg** » Mon May 01, 2006 11:40 pm

You can get away with sugar at this stage, particulerly with all malt brews, but spray malt would be the icing on the cake... (with icing being sugar, probably not the best analogy but there we go...)

Reg · Post by **Reg** » Tue May 02, 2006 12:57 am

QUOTE (Daft as a Brush @ May 1 2006, 11:33 PM) Brewers sugar or glucose (same thing) is preferable over household sugar.
Okay DaaB,

Maybe you can clear something up for me... I thought brewing sugar was invert sugar which is hydrolised sucrose... (something you can do in a household saucepan should you so desire)... but that would convert down to both glucose and fructose, but be infinitely more digestible to yeast.

I'm assuming I'm wrong here then... :huh:

:blink:

Reg · Post by **Reg** » Tue May 02, 2006 9:58 am

Ahh well, you learn something new everyday, and there's me been using Golden Syrup instead of brewing sugar for years... :huh:

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newcomer(again)

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