Wherry tweaking

[MartinB]

Hi all,

I used to be on here around 9/10 years ago, I think my username was Roy and I got quite into kit brewing when I moved into my first flat post university, then as the last decade or so has passed I have probably made on average 1 kit per year(!!) around Christmas time.

Anyway, similarly to other new members on here i'm in the process of planning a lockdown brew (about 6 weeks late but oh well!). I am awaiting delivery of a Wherry kit and want some advice re adding cascade pellets to the brew. From my research, it sounds like the Wherry kit is good as it is without any additional sugar/malt products so the only addition will be hops, although I am open to adding some honey, or some brown sugar if anyone can recommend such an addition.

What would be the best use of my Cascade hops to the Wherry kit; as a hop tea when making the kit, or dry hopping after a few days... or both?!

The only other change will be to safale-us-05 yeast as I my experience with kit yeast previously hasn't been to great!

[simple one]

I would go with dry hopping. Sometimes tea can pull out a bit of astringency or add more bitterness. Dry hopping might cover over, what I sometimes find a sweet malty aroma associated with muntons kits. However its probably about ten years since I tasted a wherry kit.

Sugars? Maybe. But just think of the yeast and stressing that out if the gravity starts to get to high. I would avoid personally.

However, all credible options.

[adamzworld]

Welcome back Martin!

I've recently started brewing again as the lockdown has given me the added incentive! I had a Wherry kit that was well past its best before date (two or three years I think!) and I transferred to the pressure barrel after it had been fermenting for just over three weeks.

I've just kept it standard this time and tastes good so far, but I am also growing my own hops in the garden so am hoping to be able to add these to my future brews.

Happy brewing!

[MartinB]

Thanks all - it gets slightly more complex as I visited Wilko this morning and picked up a bag of light and a bag of medium spray malt that were both reduced to £2 a bag, so also bought a cheapie Cerveza kit to make too.

Thinking of Cerveza first, then Wherry. Got some Saaz pellets tucked away somewhere plus the cascade I was saving for the wherry!

[adamzworld]

That's good that you managed to get some half price spray malt in Wilkos. I popped into our local one last week to get some brewing sugar and it was well stocked but everything was full price.

[MartinB]

Made up the Wilko Cerveza today with 1kg of spraymalt, 100g of honey and only 10g (that's all I had!!) of Saaz pellets. Think i'll dry hop with 50g of cascade in a few days