Brewferm Grand Cru
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wetdog
Brewferm Grand Cru
I've just bought 2 identical kits, Brewferm Grand Cru. As they are only 9 litres each I thought I would put them both together in the fermenter. I know I have to use double the sugar but should I put in both yeast sachets?
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Chris The Fish
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wetdog
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bosium
- CBA Prizewinner 2010
- Posts: 732
- Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 9:10 am
- Location: Eindhoven, Netherlands
Hi wetdog,
I guess this thread is a bit old so it's probably too late, but my advice would NOT be to add DME to this kit. Use sugar!! Brewferm are not being cheap by telling you to add sucrose to the brew instead of malt extract, sugar is a vital addition to just about all Belgian ales as it not only lightens the body of a high-gravity brew, but it dries it out and prevents it from becoming too malty and cloying.
The reason the sugar dries out a beer is because it ferments almost completely, where malt extract will not attenuate completely, thereby leaving a residual sweetness to the beer. If you do not want to use sucrose (table sugar / candi sugar), then use glucose / dextrose instead. The yeast has to break down the sucrose into fructose and glucose before it can ferment it, this reaction creates byproducts which could be desirable in a Belgian beer, so don’t be afraid to use sugar.
Cheers,
G
I guess this thread is a bit old so it's probably too late, but my advice would NOT be to add DME to this kit. Use sugar!! Brewferm are not being cheap by telling you to add sucrose to the brew instead of malt extract, sugar is a vital addition to just about all Belgian ales as it not only lightens the body of a high-gravity brew, but it dries it out and prevents it from becoming too malty and cloying.
The reason the sugar dries out a beer is because it ferments almost completely, where malt extract will not attenuate completely, thereby leaving a residual sweetness to the beer. If you do not want to use sucrose (table sugar / candi sugar), then use glucose / dextrose instead. The yeast has to break down the sucrose into fructose and glucose before it can ferment it, this reaction creates byproducts which could be desirable in a Belgian beer, so don’t be afraid to use sugar.
Cheers,
G
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wetdog
Hi bosium,
yes it is too late but you are right about the sweetness. it finished fermenting at 28 which gave it an ABV of around 6%. I tried all sorts to get it going again including yeast vit and a champagne yeast starter but couldn't generate a single bubble. It's not unpleasent to drink but would definately use sugar next time
yes it is too late but you are right about the sweetness. it finished fermenting at 28 which gave it an ABV of around 6%. I tried all sorts to get it going again including yeast vit and a champagne yeast starter but couldn't generate a single bubble. It's not unpleasent to drink but would definately use sugar next time
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ADDLED
Hi Chris, Ive had the AventinusChris The Fish wrote:a truely fantastic brew.
i made mine with candy sugar from hop and grape, and it was one heck of a brew.
if you've ever had schneider's Aventinus then you know what your in for.
happy days!
and its a dark beer but I looked at the details of this kit and its a golden beer. Is that right?Im keen on trying it and even more so if its anywhere like the Aventinus.
tks
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Chris The Fish
i did the double grand cru brew and used candy sugar, thinking it would come out like a golden beer it actually ended up very dark, it would be interesting to know what colour others came out like.
The taste is essentially a high strength wheat beer and mine (being dark) was a very close match to aventinus both in taste and appearance, whether by chance or otherwise it was a fantastic brew and one im going to do again this year.
The taste is essentially a high strength wheat beer and mine (being dark) was a very close match to aventinus both in taste and appearance, whether by chance or otherwise it was a fantastic brew and one im going to do again this year.
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ADDLED
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Chris The Fish
yeah, double up the water, essentially treat them as 2 kits in one bucket as opposed to a double kit with single water (you could try it, only dont smoke near it when youve finished!)
no boil is necessary, i basically poured the contents of 2 tins into a bucket, then rinsed both cans with hot water from the kettle and emptied them into a large pot, into which the sugars go and stir until dissolved. This is then added to the bucket and again stirred until the syrup has been disolved, then i added cold water (from as high as poss for airation), a stir and a quick test should give you a nice little number.
i did use a different yeast, but i think the one which comes with the kit is fine, i also added about 300 or so grammes of glucose just to get it up there.
have fun!!!
no boil is necessary, i basically poured the contents of 2 tins into a bucket, then rinsed both cans with hot water from the kettle and emptied them into a large pot, into which the sugars go and stir until dissolved. This is then added to the bucket and again stirred until the syrup has been disolved, then i added cold water (from as high as poss for airation), a stir and a quick test should give you a nice little number.
i did use a different yeast, but i think the one which comes with the kit is fine, i also added about 300 or so grammes of glucose just to get it up there.
have fun!!!
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PeteH
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bosium
- CBA Prizewinner 2010
- Posts: 732
- Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 9:10 am
- Location: Eindhoven, Netherlands
candi sugar is just table sugar, ie sucrose. I'd use it, as its cheaper than glucose and the act of breaking the disaccharide sucrose into its constituent parts of sucrose and fructose will mean the yeast creates some esters as byproducts which may be desirable for your belgian beer.
glucose will ferment cleaner, so feel free to use it if you like..
glucose will ferment cleaner, so feel free to use it if you like..