Adding hop pellets to a kit

[StrangeBrew]

I have a Sherwood Dark Oak Ale and in the instructions it gives two ways to add the shachet of hop pellets to the kit.

1. For more bitter flavour add approx 3 litres of the wort to a pan with the hops and boil gently for 30 minutes, add this to the fermenter.

2. For a full hop aroma, without extra bitterness, add the hop pellets directly to the fermenter on day three of the fermentation. The hops will fall out with the yeast when the fermentation is complete, no need for straining.

I am wondering if I could conbine both of these methods by adding 1.5 litres of wort to a pan with half of the hop pellets and boil gently for 30 minutes, add this to the fermenter. Then adding the other half of the hop pellets to the fermener on day three of fermentation. Would this work?

[Reg]

I'm really with Chris on this. I've only ever used real hops for kit improvement. You can add to the boil or dry hop the barrel. The whole point overhopping a kit is often to counteract the chemical nature of the bitterness imparted by isomerised hop extract products and with limited boil times or dry hopping pellets don't really help much.

[StrangeBrew]

Which gives the best effect, adding hops to fermentation on approx day three as in step 2 or adding to the barrel as suggested?

This is a learning curve, I saw the opportunity to tinker a little so I thought...why not!

[AT]

Great idea i'd love to mess around with a few kits. Kinda add a personal touch to them. Is there anything else you can do to tinker a bit wit a kit?

[StrangeBrew]

Does boiling tend to add more bitterness/flavour the longer the boiling time?

Which would you choose to use for boiling and how long, Goldings or Fuggles?
Bearing in mind I'm not keen on overkill on the bitterness but like just enough to give a gentle lingering bitter after taste.

EDIT: I'm not sure I should change this brew until I've tried it as it is?!
This is the Dark Oak Ale description: A lightly hopped malted and tasty dark beer, which is low in bitterness giving a soft smooth brew.

[AT]

why not just boil the hops in water

[Reg]

Steep some specialty grains (crystal malt, chocolate malt. black malt and roast barley). Try small amounts to start, eg 50-100g to get a feel for them.

Simmer them at 60-70 deg for 30 mins, strain out and use the wort to boil some hops in before adding to the fermenter.

I've certainly "portered up" bitter kits using this method in the past. Dead malts can easily be added to kits to good effect; particularly if, like me, you like dark beers.

Reg