Adapted Kit Recipes.

[pauljmuk]

ummm. A bit stunned - your second response of that kind to this particular new forum member in the space of two days... I'm struggling with this here forum, obviously!

But yes, it was a question. Honest advice and opinion always welcomed.

The brew is actually pretty much along the lines of that discussed with my local LHBS owner and a fellow visitor the other day - the only difference being the use of Belgian candi as opposed to equivalent weight of either glucose or dark sugar. Both had tried his recipe and it worked very well. It's a 20 litre brew.

Our discussion talked about Belgian Candi, and what the hell, I had some arrive, so did an exchange. Might work, might not. The guys in my local shop thought it was of interest. And in a "kit adapting" forum which seems populated with experimentation, probably worth mentioning.

Hell, a mate of mine has just cracked his first bottle of a kit adaption using masses of honey, crystal malts and hopped it with nettles (if that makes sense). Been 7 weeks conditioning in bottles and it's a mighty fine beer.

So the question of "d'you think?" was looking for opinion. You obviously don't agree, and that's fine (although a comment such as "it'll obviously come out otherwise" is a bit opinionated, if you dont mind me saying so - and I only say so, because I've already had opinion that was positive.)

Anyway, its started fermenting and looks ok.

First brew (as per earlier post) is looking great, and will be due for bottling towards end of week.


Best wishes

[OldSpeckledBadger]

ummm. A bit stunned - your second response of that kind to this particular new forum member in the space of two days... I'm struggling with this here forum, obviously!

Maybe if you listened to advice? Someone was kind enough to point out in another thread of yours that having sugars as the bulk of your extra fermentables is a bad idea. You clearly think otherwise so there's no point in continuing this.

[pauljmuk]

Cheers!

Which other thread? To the best of my knowledge I've been on four threads, this one, one asking about bottling, one re-telling a daft mistake with a broken hydro, and one asking about adding extra sugar to the FV. I dont recall in any not taking advice. In fact, isn't that what a forum is for. As I recall, your response to my question about adding other sugars was that i "may well introduce infection". Other replies followed, I took on board, and the brew has been left well alone.

And like I said, I had a discussion on Saturday in my local HB shop, that's been there for 25 years, over the recipe in question, and it was taken positively?

Ho hum, I'll plough on and take advice that's given, whatever form it may take. All I'd say, is that for a new poster (who made it clear in each of his initial posts that he was returning to this game after a LONG break) the new posters like to feel welcomed and ushered in to a new hobby. Dontcha think?

(sorry ps - you chose to quote my line regarding your second response to me to make your point. I made that point myself, as the other response I refer to had nothing to do with sugar, rather your response to my post regarding the hydrometer mistake)

[pauljmuk]

Further to this post below for FV1
1 x can Tom Caxton Real Ale kit
500g Muntons beerkit enhancer
250g Glucose powder
250g organic dark muscovado
A glug of golden syrup
half the hop oil packet from the real ale kit

Brewing now with Muntons Gold yeast.

Been fermenting steadily at 21 for five days now. Hydro readings OG 1040, currently 1007 (or so). Sounds like a strong brew (38 pints in the FV)

Gonna give it a few more days and clearing, then into bottles

I should also add, that FV2, based on the Mild kit is now on day three, fermenting well.

[dallse]

I just bottled a brew made with Coopers Canadian Blonde. Made up the fermentables with 1kg LME. Replaced the supplied yeast with Safale SO5. Primed with 180g of dextrose plus 2 tbs of "creamy top" added for extra creamy head.

Creamy top work great by the way, first time I've used it... my glass of beer held a thick creamy head all the way to the bottom of the glass, with foamy rings clinging to the glass marking each mouthful swallowed. (5 in total )

Wife loves it

Will be making this again but.... will be cask conditioning and dry hopping before priming and bottling.

[Titanium Tone]

Hi dallse,
Can you advise where you purchased "Creamy Top" as ive never heard of it and it sounds good. Thank's in advance. TT.

[Titanium Tone]

Sorry double post.

[simple one]

I got mine from the home brew shop in clacton to the best of my recollection. But never used it. After I bought it I read somewhere that it dulls the taste of a pint slighty. Although I may have read it in a CJJBerry book, so take it with a barrel load of salt.

[dallse]

Can you advise where you purchased "Creamy Top" as ive never heard of it and it sounds good. Thank's in advance. TT.

Got mine from Leyland Home Brew

The reason I used creamy top was because I wanted to add extra body by using a whole kg of light DME. I could have used beer enhancer but I wanted to try something different. I used beer enhancer already and it does a great job. I have found a definite improvement in head retention using Creamy Top.

Cant say it has a dull taste... if it had, maybe I wouldn't notice cus I'm so excited by the head retention.

I only pitched the yeast on the 4th of April so its looking a promising brew.

To be completely honest I do detect slightly more bitterness than I like.... this maybe to the "youngness" of the beer. It may also be from using 1kg of Light DME. It may dissipate as it matures. We will see.

I will brew this again and plan to make the following adjustments.
1. For the fermentables... 750g of Light DME and 250g of dextrose.
2. Condition in a budget barrel and dry hop before bottling.

As a side note... im no expert brewer... still a green horn. I have only been brewing since October last year and all I have learned has been from this forum... so keep reading and experimenting.

Good luck brewing

[Spin]

I find the easiest thing to do is just add 1kg of DME instead of the sugar. Sometimes I just add a small amount of brewing sugar to help get fermentation started. You could use 750g DME and 250g brewing sugar if you want to cut costs a bit. And I only make it up to 20L. 1 week in primary then dry hop for 2 weeks in a secondary fermentor. Then bottle condition for 3 weeks at room temperature and 2 months in the bottle. That's usually enough time for the beer to mellow out. Also, storing the bottles in the fridge after the 3 weeks at room temp also helps it clear. I have written a more detailed description on a website that I have just set up. The link is on the right of this post. The little globe icon. Hope it helps

[Titanium Tone]

Thanks for the reply Dallse. TT.

[pauljmuk]

first fv bottled (read back on thread, adapted caxton real ale kit). what a pain that is. bit too cloudy for my liking and v dry and bitter. og 1038 fg 1002. used 12g muntons premium, constant temp 21 degrees.

second fv bottles tomorrow. the dark one based on recipe from local shop owner and so soundly slagged off by certain member on here. quite clear , lovely dark ruby colour. og 1042 fg 1008. quick taste, sweetish, full bodied, malty. looking good!

fv3 went on tonite. brewfem ambiorix made with 900g dark candi and 250g molasses. og 1054

[FlourPower]

I have found with Caxton kits they benefit from a long conditioning season.

Especially the two ales.

[WishboneBrewery]

Bit of a random one... but its tasting pretty good!

Brupaks Fixby Gold + First Gold Hops + a little Pale Choc & Crystal Malt

I've never done a straight unadulterated Fixby Gold so I can't compare, and I'm tasting this after 1 week of bottle conditioning, and its a very rough recipe.

1/ heat up 2 or 3 litres of campden treated water to 40 Deg C
2/ add maybe 4 tablespoons of Crystal Malt and about 2 tablespoons of Pale Chocolate Malt and bring to the boil
3/ Do the usual kit making up stuff and rinse the cans out in boiling wort
4/ add a medium to generous handful of First Gold Hops (along with the Fixby Teabag)
5/ boil for as long as you see fit depending on whether you want bitterness or flavour
6/ at flame out chuck in another random amount of First Gold hops and let steep for a few minutes
7/ through a sanitised stainless steel sieve pour the contents of the pan into your FV to dissolve the Kit malt syrup

Thats it... Better that a Wherry ever tasted even after real maturation time. I dare say its going to improve quite a bit more given 3 or 4 weeks

[Wyvern]

Just put on a Grand Cru, adapted recipe

1x Can of grand cru
500g Brewing sugar
100g light spraymalt
150g Belgian aromatic malt
20g Hallertau Hersbruck

Brewing to 10L rather than 9L

OG was 1.068