Absolute Beginners

[chivelegs]

Evening All,

I've been given a Thrifty basic Coopers British Bitter kit for my birthday by the missus ( funny how she always gets me presents she will eventually enjoy herself) and trawling this here forum has answered many of my basic beginner questions already. The first brew is fermenting away happily ready for transfer into the plastic keg over the weekend. Sadly it won't be ready in time for Christmas but that will give me an opportunity to empty some bottles for my next project (Edme Stout)

I live in North London and was wondering where would be the nearest 'bricks and mortar' shop I could buy additional bits and bobs from? Wilkinsons is all very well, but not exactly stuffed full of experts willing to offer advice.

[Barm]

Guess t'internet might point you towards your nearest HBS....

BTW the Edme stout is great (esp when made up with dark spraymalt instead of white tate&lyle): but I'd consider kegging it - IMO it often ends up rather too fizzy when bottled. Or if you must bottle, then reduce the priming sugar rate.

[scottmoss]

Hi,

You could try and online outlet http://www.thethriftyshopper.co.uk They have a contact number for any advice you may need. They also offer free delivery on orders over £25 I think which is the cheapest I've found. Others minimum order is £60.

[chivelegs]

The power of Google led me to a shop quite near where I work, http://www.homebrewstore.net or Mattock Lane Pharmacy by another name. Anyone ever been? May be worth a half hour stroll during lunch if it stops sleeting/raining/snowing to get the recommended spraymalt.

[Ditch]

Chivelegs ~ great handle, by the way! ~ it'd be worth a thirty Day march to get the malt, mate. That way ye'll make a beer worth drinking. Sugar would likely produce a disappointing result and put ye off HB before ye even found how good good it can be.

Why not pick up two kilo's of malt, and a 'better' kit while ye there?

[chivelegs]

Will definitely stock up, thanks.

There seems to be two verions of the recipe in the Edme Stout booklet, one for half the amount (12l not 24l) Would the 12l version not be a little, well, sticky?

And when Barm says it gets a little too fizzy in bottles, is that "fizzy-whoosh taste" or "Fizzy-Bang-shards-of-glass-all-over-the cellar"?!!

[Ditch]

Not having seen the recipe for the EDME stout, I wouldn't like to comment. I can say though that I've made my own stout with less water and without adjusting anything else. Frankly? I didn't really prefer it that way. I'd imagine ye booklet there shows some difference between the two other than just volume of water used though?

Either way, I personally can't be arsed with making half brews. I know they have their place. I just don't need them. After all that washing and rinsing, I want my full forty pints!

[scottmoss]

Either way, I personally can't be arsed with making half brews. I know they have their place. I just don't need them. After all that washing and rinsing, I want my full forty litres!

Forty litres? Jebus

[Ditch]

Yeah. That suddenly dawned on me too! I just edited it

[Barm]

I usually aim for a brew length of 20L - it'll have plenty of body and strength at that; IMO 12L would be excessively strong for a stout. Also remember that shortening the length by such a large amount will change the beer's flavour balance - usually exaggerating the bitterness, possibly to the point of unpleasantness.
Personally though, I do find most kits are a bit on the thin side if made up to the advertised 23L or so; and they'll generally benefit from shortening the length down to around 20L - this doesn't seem to detrimentally affect the flavour/hop/malt balance.

For a "normal" 20L brew I'd usually go with 1kg dark (or extra-dark if you can get it) spraymalt; but 500g spraymalt plus 500g kit enhancer works well also. Maybe even max. 100g brown sugar if you like it a bit stronger. Or a hop-tea addtion if you want some extra really fresh hoppy bitterness. But that's the beauty of 'adapted kit' brewing: you can mess around with recipes as you please, and to your own tastes.

[THE TACKER]

Just done my second EDME'S Stout with:- 500grm dark spray malt,Half a tin of black treacle + 500grm dark brown sugar. and it's belter . I use KK barrel with 80grm sugar for priming.

[Barm]

@ The Tacker:
I've been meaning to try using some treacle for ages: I'm guessing you've gone for 1/2 of a 1lb tin - ie about 225g?
I've recently tried reducing priming sugars to about 50g for a 20L length; but am using CO2/N2 mix on a KKTT through an ex-bar guinness tap. Reckon it'd be even better in a cornie as could achieve a higher pressure...

[THE TACKER]

You've got it .1/2 a 1lb tin and I find that works a treat ,that with the dark spray malt and dark brown sugar gives it a bit more body .

[Barm]

Ta - I'll give that a spin next time around!

[chivelegs]

Ta very much for the replies. The 12 litre recipe says to leave out the sugar, but as you pointed out, what's the point of all the preparation to make half the lovely lovely beer.

I'll be going for the 20 litre cut back version with dark spraymalt once we get Christmas out the way. Wouldn't want a stout fountain all over the place when Santa is trying to empty his sack.