Smugglers Special: jazzing it up!

[CrownCap]

My next kit will be a Muntons Premium Gold Smugglers Special Ale (3.6kg) . I'm keen to start experimenting a bit and have got some First Gold hops and Crystal malt to incorporate with the kit.

Was thinking of the following:

1. Rinse out cans with about 2L boiling water into a pan.

2. Add 15g hops and ???g crystal malt to pan in muslin hop bag.

3. Boil for 10mins.

4. Add further 15g hops and allow to steep for a further 10mins.

5. Add liquor to the kit and ferment with Safale S-04.

How does that sound?

How much crystal malt should I use (looking to get add a bit of 'grainy' flavour)?

Would I be better off dry hopping instead/as well (will be bottled when ready)?

I appreciate any advice you have. I'm quite happy to experiment but don't really want to ruin the lot by doing something stupid!

[fivetide]

CC - I made this one up a while back with US dry yeast and some Bramling Cross. It's only just serving up clear pints now thanks to a cock-up with my tap float, but I'm pleased with the level of dry-hopping and think you'd get good results with anything that adds citrus notes.

[CrownCap]

Thanks for that Daab. I'll probably try about 150g then.

Fivetide, I've been following your trials and tribulations on this one. Just hoping I have a slightly easier time of it!

I've chosen First Gold for its fruitiness and aroma (something previous kits have lacked). Depending on what its like at the end of primary, I might transfer to a secondary and dry hop for a short time before bottling.

Hopefully be brewing up on Friday!

[fivetide]

Sounds good. I used First Gold in a Wherry and it was lovely.

A good long (6 weeks if possible) conditioning period is the key, I reckon.

[CrownCap]

Couldn't agree more on the conditioning time. The stuff I've left for 6+ weeks has been so much better. Its just so damned hard to resist it when its constantly calling to you!

[CrownCap]

Well I brewed this one up at the weekend. 150g crystal was steeped for 30min at ~70C in 2L of can rinsings, 15g First Gold boiled for 20 mins then another 15g steeped for 10 mins after the boil.

Made it up to about 21L giving an OG of 1052. Its now happily bubbling away in the garage and smells great!

[fivetide]

That sounds very promising.

Drank several Smugglers over the weekend, it's a very high quality kit, most impressed.

[CrownCap]

Well, this one is finally going into bottles tomorrow afternoon following a rather bumpy ride.

After 2 weeks in primary it was refusing to ferment out fully (see The Muntons stick strikes again!) so I added some Brupaks Dry Beer Enzyme to get it going again (see Dry Beer Enzyme - what does it do?).

Well that certainly did the trick. After a further 2 weeks in a secondary its now down to an inebriating 1002 from OG 1053 That gives it an ABV of around 6.8% ((1053 - 1002) / 7.5). Certainly not a session brew

Despite the low FG it still tastes pretty good and not thin at all although the alcohol content is definitely making its presence felt on the palate I dry hooped it with 15g of First Gold in a muslin bag for its time in secondary and that, along with the earlier crystal and hops, have probably boosted the flavour and aroma sufficiently to cope with the extra strength.

If I get my act sorted out I hope to get some pictures of the bottling process up tomorrow.