BASICS EXPLAINED!?

[trucker5774]

Hi folks. I have returned to brewing after 20 years or so. This site has a wealth of knowledge and information and is a credit to all involved. I have a few questions and also some stuff to clarify, which I struggled with when I started. I'm no expert so I'm sure there will be some corrections and additions. I'm hoping to keep it simple and am interested in mainly kit brewing and alterations thereof.

Questions

1. When making a kit up, can I add a can from a second kit to use as part/all of the normally added sugars to ferment?

2. Is liquid malt extract just the same as a kit can, but without the hops added?

3. LME do people mean light malt extract (light spray malt or DME) or are they refering to Liquid Malt Extract?

4. How ctritical are fermenting tempeatures............I have read so much about lower temperatures for lager (hard to achieve for some folk with limited facilities).........just for the sake of argument, if lager is fermented about 18C and ale about 21C plus or minus a little......how much difference will it make?


I found the following useful

To calculate the ABV from the ingredients (most new brewers want to know how strong their creation will be) The following values are a good guide


The fermenable points can be worked out from the weight of the ingredients, then divided by the volume of the brew (commonly 23 litres...40 pints) then added together. The final gravity is then taken an assumption at 1010

Typical values per KG

Liquid malt extract (including the cans supplied in the kits) 300
White sugar (the household stuff you put in your coffee) 374
Dry malt extract (spray malt) 374
Glucose (brewing sugar) 300

Simple example

Typical kit can of 1.7 kg.................. 1.7 x 300 divided by 23 litres = 22.17
0.5kg spray malt............................0.5 x 374 divided by 23 litres = 8.13
0.5 kg glucose...............................0.5 x 300 divided by 23 litres = 6.52
Total = 36.82

This gives an original gravity ( 36.82) rounded up to 37 OG 1037
Subtract the assumed final gravity of 1010 - FG 1010
This gives you a figure of 27

Divide this by 7.45 (or multily by 0.129).....Alcohol by volume 3.6% ABV (approx)
You can add about 0.5 % after secondary fermentation (bottle or keg) + 0.5%

Total 4.1% ABV (approx)

A hydrometer reading should always be taken one the brew is being produced, to establish the actual figures, but the above is intended as a good guide.
I hope I got it all correct. Looking forward to any comments from the members!

[trucker5774]

WOW !! Fast response. I knew this was a good place to be. Thanks for the answers Chris. I have a lager on the go at the moment (coopers mexican). I used the kit yeast and it's in the coolest place in the house, about 18C. In view of the yeast should I try and move to a warmer spot or just let it tick along. It's started off ok and is on day 2 now.
Cheers John.

[lollypopp]

I don't like lager, but my mate knocks them out all the time, but hates the warmer weather, so I would leave it where it is, and as you say, "just tick along" His dad has a cellar, so he's always nursing one of paul's lagers, funny thing is, his dad don't like lager either, but then Paul can't stand my Ales and Beers, but his Dad can!!

[trucker5774]

Still ticking!!!!! .................... after a £20 spend in the pub, Grrrrrr. Not a lager drink myself but there are several "variations" running from this kit, including added hops .....and mexican blush (strawberry extract), the next will be some type of bitter, with a "side order" of course!