hi,
choperswookie, when you put in the crystal malt for the 1/2 hour did you keep it at a certain temp or just like you said at a simmer?
Cheap Beer Kits
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chopperswookie
Re: Cheap Beer Kits
i got the water rolling, then turned the heat down so it was only simmering. i took a guess that it would be about the late 60's early 70's degs C. i tried to keep it constant at that temp.sam c wrote:hi,
choperswookie, when you put in the crystal malt for the 1/2 hour did you keep it at a certain temp or just like you said at a simmer?
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rollin danny
Re: Cheap Beer Kits
Did ya wear yer flares and kipper tie fer the late sixties early seventies bitchopperswookie wrote:i got the water rolling, then turned the heat down so it was only simmering. i took a guess that it would be about the late 60's early 70's degs C. i tried to keep it constant at that temp.sam c wrote:hi,
choperswookie, when you put in the crystal malt for the 1/2 hour did you keep it at a certain temp or just like you said at a simmer?
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mercilessrich
Re: Cheap Beer Kits
Great minds eh?!
Yesterday got me a cheap kit (youngs harvest bitter), crystal malt, 500g spraymalt (gonna use half cane sugar) and dry goldings. And of course safale04. And yeast vit.
How hoppy are you expecting your brew to be? The HBS guy said dont steep but add dry hops to the FV. Not sure about this. And do you really need muslin? Can I get away with just straining and does it matter if a few bits get through?
Yesterday got me a cheap kit (youngs harvest bitter), crystal malt, 500g spraymalt (gonna use half cane sugar) and dry goldings. And of course safale04. And yeast vit.
How hoppy are you expecting your brew to be? The HBS guy said dont steep but add dry hops to the FV. Not sure about this. And do you really need muslin? Can I get away with just straining and does it matter if a few bits get through?
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chopperswookie
Re: Cheap Beer Kits
i used muslin with the grain but went "free" with the hops. just get a sanitised sive. as the pictures show.
i honestly don't know how hoppy this will be and have took chrisx1 advice of less is more when experimenting. when i taste it and it is too hoppy, take it down to say 50g. what i'm looking for is the malt flavour. does adding grain add to the malty-ness of a brew?
finally, if you don't suceed, try, try again. (£1.19 for a bag of grain, £4.49 for the hops. so not that expensive. need to add i also bought some Saaz to spruce up my future lagers! was thinking of adding 60g to the rinsed out can of wort and leaving for 20 mins in the can then adding to the ferming bin. any other suggestions all gratefully recieved.)
i honestly don't know how hoppy this will be and have took chrisx1 advice of less is more when experimenting. when i taste it and it is too hoppy, take it down to say 50g. what i'm looking for is the malt flavour. does adding grain add to the malty-ness of a brew?
finally, if you don't suceed, try, try again. (£1.19 for a bag of grain, £4.49 for the hops. so not that expensive. need to add i also bought some Saaz to spruce up my future lagers! was thinking of adding 60g to the rinsed out can of wort and leaving for 20 mins in the can then adding to the ferming bin. any other suggestions all gratefully recieved.)
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mercilessrich
Re: Cheap Beer Kits
I believe it does add malt.... and body.... and nutty-ness.
Started mine last night- simmered 200g crystal in water (and wort can wash out) for about 45 minutes, then added about 50g goldings and allowed to steep for 20mins. Added this to a youngs harvest bitter with 600g sugar, 500g med spraymalt, 1/2tsp brewpacks yeastvit and of course rehydrated safale-04. I couldn't resist chucking a small amount of dry hops too.
OG 1050, checked just now (17hrs later) SG1040. Going in the right direction.
Started mine last night- simmered 200g crystal in water (and wort can wash out) for about 45 minutes, then added about 50g goldings and allowed to steep for 20mins. Added this to a youngs harvest bitter with 600g sugar, 500g med spraymalt, 1/2tsp brewpacks yeastvit and of course rehydrated safale-04. I couldn't resist chucking a small amount of dry hops too.
OG 1050, checked just now (17hrs later) SG1040. Going in the right direction.
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chopperswookie
Re: Cheap Beer Kits
bit of a bump
just bottled the kit, no pics, not really that exciting, but the beer looks a lot darker than any other ale i have done. it smelt lovely and tasted rather bitter. couldn't sense any hop-ness (sorry i'll think of another adjective soon) but i think the hops have added to the bitter ness. also praise the lord for s-o4. all clumped up at the bottom and led to how clear i think the beer is. might try this one after 21 days, just to taste!
just bottled the kit, no pics, not really that exciting, but the beer looks a lot darker than any other ale i have done. it smelt lovely and tasted rather bitter. couldn't sense any hop-ness (sorry i'll think of another adjective soon) but i think the hops have added to the bitter ness. also praise the lord for s-o4. all clumped up at the bottom and led to how clear i think the beer is. might try this one after 21 days, just to taste!
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mercilessrich
Re: Cheap Beer Kits
How'd yours turn out wookie?
Kept mine in the keg inside for about 2 weeks then moved to the garage to condition. Tasted it before it went out and is honestly the best brew ive done. Im chuffed! Its got a real hoppy aroma, not too bitter, but malty and holds its head throughout.
How long should I leave it in the cold? Getting impatient!
Kept mine in the keg inside for about 2 weeks then moved to the garage to condition. Tasted it before it went out and is honestly the best brew ive done. Im chuffed! Its got a real hoppy aroma, not too bitter, but malty and holds its head throughout.
How long should I leave it in the cold? Getting impatient!
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chopperswookie
Re: Cheap Beer Kits
bottled 19th Feb, moved to the outhouse last weekend. still looked cloudy in the bottom quarter of the bottle (used 2litre pet bottles). going to be patient with this one. will prob open 19th March-ish.
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WishboneBrewery
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Re: Cheap Beer Kits
Was that the geordie bitter kit you bottled?
I'm going to bottle my two Geordie bitters this weekend, the yeast ate through the brew in quick time so it will have had 5 days of sitting doing nowt on Saturday... should leave it 3-4 weeks I suppose before drinking it!
I'm going to bottle my two Geordie bitters this weekend, the yeast ate through the brew in quick time so it will have had 5 days of sitting doing nowt on Saturday... should leave it 3-4 weeks I suppose before drinking it!
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chopperswookie
Re: Cheap Beer Kits
just had a look at me babies and they aren't as cloudy but still going to leave them 4 weeks.
yep geordie bitter. going to Saaz up a geordie lager next week, busy weekend so no time but i do have some days off next week. i used s-04 which dropped very well that is why i am suprised that they were cloudy last weekend. i did only use a teaspoon of sugar to prime. this was because as an ale i don't want it too busy. lager needs the fizz, an ale of this is more about subtle flavours. thats another reason why i'm giving it the full 4 weeks.
yep geordie bitter. going to Saaz up a geordie lager next week, busy weekend so no time but i do have some days off next week. i used s-04 which dropped very well that is why i am suprised that they were cloudy last weekend. i did only use a teaspoon of sugar to prime. this was because as an ale i don't want it too busy. lager needs the fizz, an ale of this is more about subtle flavours. thats another reason why i'm giving it the full 4 weeks.