There has been much discussion about the best method of kit brewing, but very little detailed information as there is for AG. Based on reading and my own experience I feel that there is a series of methods for getting the best out of kits so I thought I'd detail it, and try and put in place the reasons, especially where the method differs from more accepted methods.
This post is likely to be PistolPatch long, so eventually I will pdf it, if people like it enough. Or PM me for the document if you find it useful
The guide will be divided into 3 sections, equipment, recipe and method, and last but not least, the reasons for the method.
There are certain things I'm not going to go into, sanitation, dry hopping, all sorts of other bits. Sanitation should be a given. This is really about a basic method of kit brewing.
Big Disclaimer.
This is all of course all an opinion. It is based on my experience with brewing and stuff I have read and applied. It is not intended as the gospel but I really do feel this method improved my kit beers immensely.
I haven't used a kit for a while but I apply pretty much this same method to my mini-mash and extract brews.
I'm certain I'll leave something out so feel free to be critical, add, discuss etc
Part 1 Equipment.
A pot, 10-15L, or bigger but this will do, stockpot.
Another large pot (any decent size saucepan from the kitchen will do) (if steeping grains)
Large strainer.
Fermenters, hydrometers etc. which are pretty useful regardless of your method
Part 2 the method.
I'm going to do this with a recipe. I'm not going to include steeping grains, but will put some notes in the method as to where they would fit in. Note: this is an adaption of an extract recipe that I've done and doesn't necessarily represent the best way of K&King a Golden aleI have adjusted the bittering hop amounts to allow for the kits IBUs a little
Coopers Pale Ale kit
1kg light dried malt extract
Or, ideally, 500g DME, 500g Wheat malt extract.
100g Crystal malt (optional)
15g POR pellets
40g Amarillo Pellets
US56 or S05 or whatever it is called. American Ale Yeast.
I'll leave liquids for a whole other topic
The day before place as much water in the fridge as you can. I fill up a bunch of water bottles so I have 15 odd litres of cold water to top up with.
Optional grain step
Place crystal in 200ml of cold water and slowly raise temp so that it reaches around 76C. Exact temp doesn't matter, just don't boil them and it helps to bring it up as slowly as you can.
Strain into stock pot.
Place can in a sink of hot water for 10 minutes to warm.
Bring a small amount of water, say 2L, to the boil in stock pot. (with grain run-offs if these were used)
Open can and pour of a small amount 1/3 into stockpot, or use malt extract.
Place in 15g POR pellets.
Boil for 35mins.
Remove pot from heat and stir in remaining kit and/or malt extract. Drop in 20g Amarillo hops.
Add back to heat and boil for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Stir in 20g Amarillo hops.
Cool using one of the various methods. Place in a sink of iced water, replacing water as it heats. Cool this as much as possible as it easier to cool this and then top up with water.
Top up to desired level, say 22L, in your fermenter using pre-cooled water and more if required.
Cool, if it isn't already, to around 20C for an ale. For a lager I believe you should pitch around this and then drop the temp slowly to
Temperature levels and control are a whole other topic.
Pitch dried yeast, stir for 30 seconds+, lock and you are away.
If using dried yeast I don't feel you need to re-hydrate, although I do with Nottingham
Yeast choice and techniques are a whole other topic that is the same regardless of whether you are using kits or not. I will say that I do believe you should consider purchasing a different yeast from the kits, particularly if you are doing a lager.
Keep cool using available methods, wet shirt, fridge, 100 can cooler etc. etc.
So it's that simple. Boil adding hops at various stages, boil remaining extract, cool and ferment.
Part 3 Whys and wherefores.
First and most important question, why boil.
The reason for boiling is that it aids in protein coagulation, allowing the protein to sediment out (called the hot break), which in turn makes for a clearer beer. You can get a decent hot break with kits that have only been boiled 5 to 10 minutes.
http://www.bodensatz.com/staticpages/index.php?page=20020413075309659
You also provide another method of reducing the potential for infection. Boiling even for 5-10 minutes helps to remove any possible nasties. This is a minor concern really as the kits should be OK but is it possible to be too paranoid about sanitation?
Boiling for 5-10 minutes is the minimum. You can boil for longer but your wort will darken. This isn't an issue for darker beers so you can boil for longer for these if you wish
If you are adding sugar do not boil for the full amount of time. There is no benefit to doing this. In fact, there can be some minor negative effects in doing so. The main reason the extract is boiled is for protein coagulation.. Since sugar is 100% carbohydrate and no protein, we don't have to do this. If you did boil the sugar for the entire length of time, the higher resultant specific gravity of the liquid being boiled would cause the hot break to be not quite as good as it could be. Also, the higher gravity will have a negative effect on hop utilization and could even cause the wort to darken more (called caramelisation), causing a darker beer.
Hops
I am aware that boiling will drive off hop aromas etc from the kit. This is why we add in our own. This gives better flavour and allows control over the hop additions and combinations. It doesn't necessarily need much but fresh hop additions are a great step to getting better flavour in kit brews. The first kit beer I made where I did my own hop additions was a revelation. I didn't do another one without it.
Personally I'm also not a fan of the finishing hop teabags but that's just me. Fresh is best!
Here's my hop guide. Not complete or definitive but I find it useful
Why grains and what to select.
Certain grains require a mash. They don't have enough power to convert to sugar on their own. Specialty grains as they are usually called contain enough sugars and are used to add flavour and colour.
Check out my grain guide for a starter on grains to use where and when and just read. Grumpys and Weyermann are good starter sites for some information, and this one as well
http://www.bodensatz.com/staticpages/index.php?page=Grains
Specialty grains give colour and flavour as I said, so adding them will allow you to utilize the kit more as a base and experiment with creating your own beers. From here it is a short step to replacing the kit with light extract only, and creating the beer yourself. Also the practice of steeping I have outlined above is very close to a mash. Mini-mashing is essentially steeping to a controlled temperature level. It is simple with the same equipment outlined above to do a mini-mash and learn some of the techniques for mashing without going to new equipment.
This post is likely to be PistolPatch long, so eventually I will pdf it, if people like it enough. Or PM me for the document if you find it useful
The guide will be divided into 3 sections, equipment, recipe and method, and last but not least, the reasons for the method.
There are certain things I'm not going to go into, sanitation, dry hopping, all sorts of other bits. Sanitation should be a given. This is really about a basic method of kit brewing.
Big Disclaimer.
This is all of course all an opinion. It is based on my experience with brewing and stuff I have read and applied. It is not intended as the gospel but I really do feel this method improved my kit beers immensely.
I haven't used a kit for a while but I apply pretty much this same method to my mini-mash and extract brews.
I'm certain I'll leave something out so feel free to be critical, add, discuss etc
Part 1 Equipment.
A pot, 10-15L, or bigger but this will do, stockpot.
Another large pot (any decent size saucepan from the kitchen will do) (if steeping grains)
Large strainer.
Fermenters, hydrometers etc. which are pretty useful regardless of your method
Part 2 the method.
I'm going to do this with a recipe. I'm not going to include steeping grains, but will put some notes in the method as to where they would fit in. Note: this is an adaption of an extract recipe that I've done and doesn't necessarily represent the best way of K&King a Golden aleI have adjusted the bittering hop amounts to allow for the kits IBUs a little
Coopers Pale Ale kit
1kg light dried malt extract
Or, ideally, 500g DME, 500g Wheat malt extract.
100g Crystal malt (optional)
15g POR pellets
40g Amarillo Pellets
US56 or S05 or whatever it is called. American Ale Yeast.
I'll leave liquids for a whole other topic
The day before place as much water in the fridge as you can. I fill up a bunch of water bottles so I have 15 odd litres of cold water to top up with.
Optional grain step
Place crystal in 200ml of cold water and slowly raise temp so that it reaches around 76C. Exact temp doesn't matter, just don't boil them and it helps to bring it up as slowly as you can.
Strain into stock pot.
Place can in a sink of hot water for 10 minutes to warm.
Bring a small amount of water, say 2L, to the boil in stock pot. (with grain run-offs if these were used)
Open can and pour of a small amount 1/3 into stockpot, or use malt extract.
Place in 15g POR pellets.
Boil for 35mins.
Remove pot from heat and stir in remaining kit and/or malt extract. Drop in 20g Amarillo hops.
Add back to heat and boil for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Stir in 20g Amarillo hops.
Cool using one of the various methods. Place in a sink of iced water, replacing water as it heats. Cool this as much as possible as it easier to cool this and then top up with water.
Top up to desired level, say 22L, in your fermenter using pre-cooled water and more if required.
Cool, if it isn't already, to around 20C for an ale. For a lager I believe you should pitch around this and then drop the temp slowly to
Temperature levels and control are a whole other topic.
Pitch dried yeast, stir for 30 seconds+, lock and you are away.
If using dried yeast I don't feel you need to re-hydrate, although I do with Nottingham
Yeast choice and techniques are a whole other topic that is the same regardless of whether you are using kits or not. I will say that I do believe you should consider purchasing a different yeast from the kits, particularly if you are doing a lager.
Keep cool using available methods, wet shirt, fridge, 100 can cooler etc. etc.
So it's that simple. Boil adding hops at various stages, boil remaining extract, cool and ferment.
Part 3 Whys and wherefores.
First and most important question, why boil.
The reason for boiling is that it aids in protein coagulation, allowing the protein to sediment out (called the hot break), which in turn makes for a clearer beer. You can get a decent hot break with kits that have only been boiled 5 to 10 minutes.
http://www.bodensatz.com/staticpages/index.php?page=20020413075309659
You also provide another method of reducing the potential for infection. Boiling even for 5-10 minutes helps to remove any possible nasties. This is a minor concern really as the kits should be OK but is it possible to be too paranoid about sanitation?
Boiling for 5-10 minutes is the minimum. You can boil for longer but your wort will darken. This isn't an issue for darker beers so you can boil for longer for these if you wish
If you are adding sugar do not boil for the full amount of time. There is no benefit to doing this. In fact, there can be some minor negative effects in doing so. The main reason the extract is boiled is for protein coagulation.. Since sugar is 100% carbohydrate and no protein, we don't have to do this. If you did boil the sugar for the entire length of time, the higher resultant specific gravity of the liquid being boiled would cause the hot break to be not quite as good as it could be. Also, the higher gravity will have a negative effect on hop utilization and could even cause the wort to darken more (called caramelisation), causing a darker beer.
Hops
I am aware that boiling will drive off hop aromas etc from the kit. This is why we add in our own. This gives better flavour and allows control over the hop additions and combinations. It doesn't necessarily need much but fresh hop additions are a great step to getting better flavour in kit brews. The first kit beer I made where I did my own hop additions was a revelation. I didn't do another one without it.
Personally I'm also not a fan of the finishing hop teabags but that's just me. Fresh is best!
Here's my hop guide. Not complete or definitive but I find it useful
Why grains and what to select.
Certain grains require a mash. They don't have enough power to convert to sugar on their own. Specialty grains as they are usually called contain enough sugars and are used to add flavour and colour.
Check out my grain guide for a starter on grains to use where and when and just read. Grumpys and Weyermann are good starter sites for some information, and this one as well
http://www.bodensatz.com/staticpages/index.php?page=Grains
Specialty grains give colour and flavour as I said, so adding them will allow you to utilize the kit more as a base and experiment with creating your own beers. From here it is a short step to replacing the kit with light extract only, and creating the beer yourself. Also the practice of steeping I have outlined above is very close to a mash. Mini-mashing is essentially steeping to a controlled temperature level. It is simple with the same equipment outlined above to do a mini-mash and learn some of the techniques for mashing without going to new equipment.
