Tom Caxton Real Ale Question

[scott6]

Planning to make up a Tom Caxtons Real Ale this weekend and in the cupboard I have 1KG of Muntons Beer Kit Enhancer and 500g of Muntons Medium Spraymalt. To try something different I was planning to use both packs. Is this wise? What should it do to the taste / strength?

[Aleman]

Youe could end up un balacing the beer as the kit is hopped to expect a certain level of fermentables, you are then adding more 'malt' making the malt profile dominate . . . may or not be a good/bad thing depending on your POV.

I have made a coopers kit up as you describe (Plus additional hops), and the beer is fine (I increased the brew length to 6 gallons rather than 5 though). I got 6 gallons at around 1.045 IIRC

[scott6]

Thanks chaps - is it worth me adding an extra 4/5 pints of water then?

[scott6]

Thank you for advise. Have just made it up. Stuck to 40 pints and used both Muntons packs. Time will tell...

[Piscator]

Hi Scott,

From memory the Caxton real ale kit had a sachet of isomerised hop extract which you could choose to add or leave out.

If you have used this it might go some way to maintaining the balance of bitterness with the additional sugars you have used

Caxton real ale was my first kit - hope you enjoy yours.

Cheers
Steve

[umpa]

Now - as luck has it I have just made the exact same kit. I got mine from Wilko's and I used 1 1KG Geordie Beer Enhancer pack.

I added the entire pack of hop powder because the instructions were wishy washy, and were based on the fact that you know how much bitterness you wanted.

I can tell you that the entire pack makes for a VERY bitter pint.

So I reckon bitterness is not going to be an issue.....

Just my 2pence worth...

Umpa

Master brewer NOT! (but hell I have fun makin the stuff)

[MartialAnt]

I made A tom caxtons real ale. You can read about it here...
viewtopic.php?t=12608

[coatesg]

Made this one up last year too - I used 500g dark spraymalt, 500g table sugar, and half the packet of hop extract.

It tasted horribly of acetaldehyde when it had finished in the primary - but persevered, primed it in in a keg for 4 weeks and it turned out to be lovely.

Agree with the non-commital instructions - I went for half the hop extract (being halfway between zero and the whole lot!) - turned out OK more through luck than judgement!

[umpa]

I gave in,

Just a little over a week in the bottle and I had to try one err two...

I like it, you can tell its not ready but it I have tasted much worse (even in a pub) I got drunk on it.

I think this is going to be the start of a lovley new hobby

[DrZiggy]

From memory the Caxton real ale kit had a sachet of isomerised hop extract which you could choose to add or leave out

My Tom Caxton Real Ale has been conditioning only 2 weeks, put it in ten 2 litre lemonade bottles, I used half the sachet of isomerised hop extract.

Just tried a glass today and seems to have a nice taste when drinking but leaves a very bitter aftertaste in the mouth (granted the more you drink the less this will matter). Is this normal or is there a way to prevent this ? as being new to home brewing I thought the idea of the hop extract was to enhance the flavour.

[umpa]

Mine is the same - but I put ALL the hops in. It goes down great - followed by a bitter after taste.

Its only two weeks old and I have supped half of it..... I know I shoud have left it a month, but I really cant help myself.

Just as well I have some more on the go.

ump..