Amber Ale

[kuzzy]

I am going to try my first kit with some additional stuff - the additonal stuff is new to me...

Morgans Amber Ale
Amber/Brown Ale Pack (Crystal Malt, Cholclate Malt)
Brew Booster (Dextrose, Malt, Corn Syrup)
Finishing hops - Cluster (in a tea bag)

Now as the man in the shop said:

Do the tin and dextrose as per normal.
Steep the Amber Ale pack for 30 mins in 250ml of water - is this straight from a boilling kettle?
Drain to the fermenter and put another 250ml of water over the pack and also put straight into the fermenter.
Have the hops in the tea bag for 15mins in cup of hot water (straight from boilling kettle?) and add water to fermenter.
Fill to 22.5l
Put hop bag in fermenter and then add yeast - sit back for a week or so.

Is this correct?

I am getting a keg set up in the next week or so - so this will be the first non bottle batch.
I plan to put this in a cube for a week before the keg. Should I through this in the fridge a day or two before I keg it to help with CO2?

 

[zabond]

My steeping method- add grains to about 3ltrs water[I usually allow 1ltr/200grm grains] bring up tp 65*c[do not boil]for 35min strain into another pot sparge[rinse]grains with hot tap water til it runs clear,add this liquid to strained liquid,brind this to boil for about ten mins add flavour hops let sit for ten mins then add to ferm with kit & bits,also I personally keep my wort @1*c for 3days befor kegging
Russ

 

[kuzzy]

Cheers Russ.

 

[The Big Burper]

etc, etc.......
I plan to put this in a cube for a week before the keg. Should I through this in the fridge a day or two before I keg it to help with CO2?

kuzzy,

That sounds a delicious drop! Cluster is yummy.

I don't think a couple of days in the fridge before kegging will make a difference, I reckon 7 days will chill it and drop out the yeast so you get a nice clear beer to
keg. I leave mine in the fermenter for 14 days, rack to to blue plastic jerry can and
fridge for 7 days, then keg. There is no discernable crud left in the keg after this
treatment.

Of course, you need 2 fermenters going if you age your ale this long. So I do 14 days primary, rack and cool 7 days, keg and gas 7 days and drink in 7 days, so that means I have to start a new brew every 7 days.

cheers
BB

 

[manticle]

Article here on steeping specialty grains:

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...;showarticle=80

 

[kuzzy]

I did not boil the steeped liquid - Just hot water 30mins and more hot water to rinse straight into the fermenter. How will that go?

It smelt great - can't wait to try it.

 

[zabond]

boiling the resultant liquid from the grains is to kill any nasties that may be in the grains that arn't normaly sterile so as to reduce the risk of infections, you should be ok,
Russ

 

[manticle]

You should boil the liquid. It's easy, enables you to add your own hops, is good practice for moving further into grain based brewing, helps drive off chlorine, and will avoid infection from any grain bugs. It also drives off precursors to undesirable compounds like di-methyl sulfide.

Next time I would boil, even if this one turns out without any problems from the above.

 

[kuzzy]

I was planning to but got caught up in the excitement.

Will boil next time.

Thanks for the advice guys.

 

[kuzzy]

transfered into a cube and stuck it in the fridge tonight - had a sample taste - Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm beer. This is the best I have done to date.

Also went shopping today and picked up a keg system from one of the sponsers of this site - will have to go and spend some more time there I think - and some more money.

Can't wait to set the keg up next weekend and have my first keg beer!

 

[kuzzy]

After 2 weeks in the keg (after I managed to get correct carbonation) - best beer I have ever made, almost cried when I ran out. Might be one of the best I have ever had in my life.

Brewed a few others over the last month or so - nice, but not as good.

Have another one of these brewing away, and I boiled the steeped grain water this time - just love going into the shed and having a sniff. Can't wait for the end result, even picked up a second fermentor and hopefully get another keg or two to ensure supply of this.

I would put this on the give it a go list gents :icon_chickcheers: B)