2nd brew, another Bootmaker

[HitmanAU]

Hey guys,
I'm doing my second brew today and I'm going to do another Coopers Bootmaker Pale Ale.
This one will be a bit different to the last one being I am going to use 1Kg of DME instead of the liquid, I'm also going to use the kit yeast and an extra sachet of Coopers Brewers yeast.

One question I had, the tin says to only brew 20L with 1KG of DME rather than 23L, why is that?

I did the equivalent with LME and did 23L

 

[Digga]

I think it's either 1kg DME = 20L and 1.5kg = 23L as per the attached image

 

[HitmanAU]

I understand that part but 1 can of LME is equivalent to 1kg DME and you make to 23L with LME so was curios why the sry is only 20L is all.

 

[HitmanAU]

Got it all rugged up at the moment as its getting cold overnight. FV is in the laundry at the moment instead of in the FV fridge as I don't want it to stall like the last one the temp in the FV fridge is 15 and no heat source I think it will be too cold.

This pic is the FV which by chance fits perfectly in my daughters winter foot muff from her old pram which is made for euro winters, even has a temp display hole lol

 

[pablo_h]

I understand that part but 1 can of LME is equivalent to 1kg DME and you make to 23L with LME so was curios why the sry is only 20L is all.

There's no mention of LME in that recipe. Both are for DME, and I guess 1kg is stretching it* for 20L which is why they suggest 1.5kg LDME if wanting 23L.

*Though of course it dosesn't really matter especially when people are doing K+K, or using only 250g malt in be2, or like me only use 600-700g LDME and the rest dex for most prehopped coopers kit beers...

Wish it was that cold here, struggling to keep below 18C in my house.

 

[HitmanAU]

LHBS said to do the Bootmaker with a can of light malt extract and do to 23L.
I was just wondering if the can was equivalent to 1KG of dry or 1.5Kg of dry.
All good. I went with Coopers recommendation and just did to 20L
With the addition of the extra yeast sachet it's bubbling it's little head off right now, a lot different to the 40 hours for any action last time.

Yes it's cold here in VIC dropping to 5 or less overnight. The FV is on about 21-22 at the moment house is steady at 20

 

[pablo_h]

Yeah as I was saying you can do what you want with K+K, it's just going to be thinner, drier or lower in %ABV if you went to 23L. For some that's OK, just do what you prefer.

The LHBS person just gave you a simple two can recipe. They could have also said 1Kg LDME (as you're right, 1kg LDME ~ 1.5kg LME).

But the coopers recipe was adding extra malt, 1.5Kg LDME for more body and %ABV.

 

[Rocker1986]

A 1.5kg tin of LME is equivalent to about 1.1 or 1.2kg DME I think.

 

[HitmanAU]

Thanks Rocker, you're a champ. Thanks for helping me over at Coopers too

 

[HitmanAU]

But the coopers recipe was adding extra malt, 1.5Kg LDME for more body and %ABV.

It's my second brew ever so thanks for helping. I know what I like to drink, just gotta keep trying different brews until I find exactly what I like I guess

Can you over malt a kit can??

 

[pablo_h]

IMO you can. There's some unfermentable sugars in malt, so there's a residual sweetness.
If you aren't adding extra bittering hops to balance that sweetness it may come out too sweet.
I tend to stick to 1kg DME or 1.5kg LME max
In my case as I don't like sweet things in general too much, I go even lower than that but add speciality grains and flavour/aroma hops.

E: that's based on the kits I've tried though. Some kits may be made extra bitter in the factory if they expect you to use more than 1kg LDME/1.5kg LME and give recommendations/recipes to that effect.

 

[HitmanAU]

No more action in the airlock after a few days. It's sitting at 20degrees, foam has gone and looks like the yeast has spent all the sugars. So much different than the last one with lazy yeast. I'll leave it another week and then check the SG