Tom Caxton Best Bitter

[SilasWegg]

Can anyone tell me anything about this kit? I am waiting to brew it with no embellishments, just a big standard kit and kilo using light dme, but my main question concerns the hip addition sachet. How much of the contents of the sachet is best to use? Has anyone made this kit and how did they get on with this sachet of hip addition?

[WalesAles]

Silas,
I`ve not made this kit.
I would use hops rather than the hips that you are going to use.

WA

Sent from my BIG Sofa, recliner of course!

[SilasWegg]

Well I've got two hop teabags, one with 25g EKG and the other 15g Fuggles, how best to utilise them with this kit?

[WalesAles]

Well I've got two hop teabags, one with 25g EKG and the other 15g Fuggles, how best to utilise them with this kit?

Silas,
Do what you want to do.
If it was my kit, I would boil 30gr Simcoe for 10mins in 2ltrs water, simmer 10mins then dry hop with 70gr Simcoe on day 8.

WA

But that`s just me!

[scotsloon]

Silas,
Does the instructions indicate which is which? One of them may be bittering hops (25gEKG?) and the other flavouring hops (15g Fuggles?). Use all of them.
The bittering hops I would do as WA suggests and the fuggles could be used as a flavouring hop, simmer for 10 mins or you can also blitz them in a foodprocessor then steep them in a cafetere for 30 mins then pour the tea into the brew.

[RobP]

I'm sure Tom Caxton (purchased from Boots) was the first beer I ever made, in around 1980. As I recall it was horrible but I'm sure it's got better since, definitely no sachets of hips in those days.

[RobP]

Silas,
Does the instructions indicate which is which? One of them may be bittering hops (25gEKG?) and the other flavouring hops (15g Fuggles?). Use all of them.
The bittering hops I would do as WA suggests and the fuggles could be used as a flavouring hop, simmer for 10 mins or you can also blitz them in a foodprocessor then steep them in a cafetere for 30 mins then pour the tea into the brew.

haha! I'd do it the other way around. No help from us then!

[cwrw gwent]

Silas - is the hop enhancement sachet a white powder made of hop extract (rather than actual hops)? I've made this kit before with good results. I would suggest adding half the powder and, when the beer has matured, decide if you think future kits would benefit from either more, less or the same amount. Whatever the amount used, it's a nice beer - and thankfully, nothing like the kits RobP refers to from the 1980s!

As for adding actual hops why not post in the Customise Your Beer Kits section for advice.

[SilasWegg]

Silas,
Does the instructions indicate which is which? One of them may be bittering hops (25gEKG?) and the other flavouring hops (15g Fuggles?). Use all of them.
The bittering hops I would do as WA suggests and the fuggles could be used as a flavouring hop, simmer for 10 mins or you can also blitz them in a foodprocessor then steep them in a cafetere for 30 mins then pour the tea into the brew.

I think you have misunderstood what comes with the kit. With the kit comes a sachet of white powdered hop oil which the instructions suggest adding to the fermenter either all or half of it depending on your personal taste, which is a bit difficult if you've not made this kit before.
The hops that I have in teabags are some I purchased separately.
I have now decided to use the hop teabags not the sachet of powdered hop oil as I'm thinking the real hops will taste better than the powdered stuff.
I'm not sure whether to boil the hops in just water or whether to make up a small quantity of wort with some dme in order to get some bittering from the hops as well as flavour. What do you reckon? The hops are in separate teabags.
I'm looking to make a fairly standard Best Bitter session ale.

[SilasWegg]

Silas - is the hop enhancement sachet a white powder made of hop extract (rather than actual hops)? I've made this kit before with good results. I would suggest adding half the powder and, when the beer has matured, decide if you think future kits would benefit from either more, less or the same amount. Whatever the amount used, it's a nice beer - and thankfully, nothing like the kits RobP refers to from the 1980s!

As for adding actual hops why not post in the Customise Your Beer Kits section for advice.

Thanks, I'll have a look on that section.

[RobP]

What's to stop tasting the beer after it's made and adding some or all of the powder into the bottling bucket with primings if you think it's needed?

Dissolved first or you might have problems with nucleation and foaming!

[SilasWegg]

What's to stop tasting the beer after it's made and adding some or all of the powder into the bottling bucket with primings if you think it's needed?

Dissolved first or you might have problems with nucleation and foaming!

I don't use a bottling bucket so don't batch prime. I prime each bottle individually and bottle directly from the fermenter so I'm not really inclined to add any powder and stir the contents of the fermenter at that stage of the brewing process.

[WalesAles]

I don't use a bottling bucket so don't batch prime. I prime each bottle individually and bottle directly from the fermenter so I'm not really inclined to add any powder and stir the contents of the fermenter at that stage of the brewing process.
[/quote]

Silas,
Why don`t you use a bottling bucket?
To make your Brewing life easier, I demand, Implore, Beg that you get one (borrow one of mine if you want).
I find it so easy with the extra bucket.

WA

Sent from my Other Big Sofa.

[SilasWegg]

I don't use a bottling bucket so don't batch prime. I prime each bottle individually and bottle directly from the fermenter so I'm not really inclined to add any powder and stir the contents of the fermenter at that stage of the brewing process.

Silas,
Why don`t you use a bottling bucket?
To make your Brewing life easier, I demand, Implore, Beg that you get one (borrow one of mine if you want).
I find it so easy with the extra bucket.

WA

Sent from my Other Big Sofa.
[/quote]
I use a Cooper's fermenter that has a Krausen collar that is removed after the initial vigorous fermentation for ease of cleaning. It has a very good tap at the bottom which a bottling stick is attached to for bottling. I don't think there is a better fermenter on The market, I've been using one of these for about 8 years. The whole process of fermentation and bottling could not be simpler. I could as you say transfer the brew to another bucket for bottling but why would I want to make the extra work for myself?

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Tom Caxton........... That brings back memories...