Gonna Have A Go...homebrand Kit...

[pokolbinguy]

Hey Guys,

Well at the moment the kegs are all dry bar one and there has been very little brewing going on the last 18 months due to uni, work etc and lack of funds has deffinatly not helped at all.

So thought I would give the ol' can of goo a go again seeing it can be in the fermenter in under an hour rather then spending a whole day doing an AG and the results I have had in the past with coopers cans (especially the "Heritage" versions) have been great.

The plan is to use the cans of goo i grabbed from woolies (for $7.55ea) to make two different beers.

First - I was thinking just keeping it simple, Can of goo, some dry hopping in fermenter (Amarillo?...have heaps of this...say 30g?) and then ferment with either US05 or grab some yeast out of a coopers bottle and use that...haven't tried restarting coopers yeast before so could be some fun.

Second - Maybe same idea as above but maybe other hops and maybe boil the wort and do some hop additions...

Any suggestions/comments on my plan(s)??

Cheers, Pok

 

[Lodan]

What kits did you pickup Pokolbinguy and do you have a range of hops sitting around waiting to be used?
Are you throwing in some malt of just doing small batches?

Edit: on the surface a dry hop sounds nice but interested to know more first

 

[pokolbinguy]

Just the normal "Homebrand Draught" kit, was going to get some LDME/dextrose as well...forgot to mention that previously.

Only hops I have is Amarillo pellets...quite a bit of them.

 

[kelbygreen]

prob do 20g @ 20mins and throw the rest in at flame out. I dont think aroma in a kit is overly imporant but you will get some from flame out and 20min plus get the flavour kits are missing. Are you steeping or doing a mini mash or justg plan to do dme and dex? Also the kits you have would be good. Id go for that hop scedual and maybe 1kg malt and .2kg dex or go all malt your choice sure you know how malt and dex work

 

[pokolbinguy]

prob do 20g @ 20mins

When you say @ 20 mins....how long would you do the whole boil for??? Was looking to try and make a good "low input" beer...sort of quicker the better so I can do it as a break from study over the next few weeks but not waste hours.

Also when boiling the kit how much water do you add to the goo to boil, would a stove top boil be big enough, say 10-12 litres??

Cheers, Pok

 

[kelbygreen]

do a 5lt boil add 500g of LDME and soon as boil starts add the 20min addition then at like 2mins to go dump the rest the LDME and dex in even the kit and I would have like 10;ts of cold water in the fermenter and dump it straight in fill to 23lts and make sure its under 23c and pitch us05. if you can do a bigger boil do it I prefer a 10lt boil but if you can only do 5lt its ok just 100g LDME to 1lt of water is about 1040 gravity

 

[rendo]

Polk,

Kelby has nailed it!

Dont boil the kit, no need. Just get 5L and boil 500g of LDME in it. Then start your hop schedule from when it reaches boiling pt. I always have some (15L-20L @ ~12degC) chilled filtered water (brita jug) in a 20L willow cube that I popped in the fermenter fridge the night before. So so handy to whack into the fermenter to mix with the boiled hops/malt mix, so you get the right temp straight away. ...(and sit the pot when done in some cool/iced water for 10mins or so just to take the bulk of the heat out)

You know enough about hops to know what flavour etc you want, so dont need to tell u that. Dont overdo the hops as the kit is already bittered, as u know, my thoughts are... 10g @ 20min, 10@ 5min, then 20g after you have pitched the yeast...I tie this 20g up in a hops sock or ladies (or mens?manticle? jk) stocking. (or dry hop the 20g @ 2-3days into fermentation). This last addition I find makes a big difference to kits.

My 2cents,you have to use some LDME if you want this to be semi-respectable. 1kg is my advice. Add dex only if you want to up the alc%, no more than 500g, u know all the reasons why.

Use a better yeast if you can...US05 is gold...u know that already. Any decent yeast, even 514 is good.

Do the above, ferment at a good temp...17-18deg and i will consider giving you a money back guarantee that it'll make decent beer, not amazing, but pretty good. :icon_chickcheers:

Ferment for 10days approx....none of this short fermentation!! Going to cold crash/gelatine?

Rendo

do a 5lt boil add 500g of LDME and soon as boil starts add the 20min addition then at like 2mins to go dump the rest the LDME and dex in even the kit and I would have like 10;ts of cold water in the fermenter and dump it straight in fill to 23lts and make sure its under 23c and pitch us05. if you can do a bigger boil do it I prefer a 10lt boil but if you can only do 5lt its ok just 100g LDME to 1lt of water is about 1040 gravity

 

[pokolbinguy]

Ferment for 10days approx....none of this short fermentation!! Going to cold crash/gelatine?

Thanks for all the feedback there rendo. Ferment plan was to either use US-05 or maybe get some yeast out of a coopers bottle for ***** and giggles, ferment at about 18 deg for 7 days or so then cool to 4 days for 7 days and dry hop then keg. Just the usual no frills keep it neat and tidy ferment. No gelatine, I find that secondary at 4 deg for 7 days gives pretty clear beer, well clear enough. Could give my filter another go but to be honest I cant be bothered. Getting that thing sorted is a another job all together and will play with that some other time.

Pok

 

[rendo]

Pok,

All too easy...going to be a reasonable beer for sure

post back here once its drinking and let us know what you did and the verdict mate!

Cheers
Rendo

Thanks for all the feedback there rendo. Ferment plan was to either use US-05 or maybe get some yeast out of a coopers bottle for ***** and giggles, ferment at about 18 deg for 7 days or so then cool to 4 days for 7 days and dry hop then keg. Just the usual no frills keep it neat and tidy ferment. No gelatine, I find that secondary at 4 deg for 7 days gives pretty clear beer, well clear enough. Could give my filter another go but to be honest I cant be bothered. Getting that thing sorted is a another job all together and will play with that some other time.

Pok

 

[argon]

I'm definitely interested to see how this will turn out. Perhaps one of the big things about making kits is good yeast health and good temp control. I know when I started out in kits I didn't even think about those things at all. Applying experience to a beginner method may be the key.

I reckon get a big healthy starter if a top quality yeast and ferment at a good low consistent temps and you'll more than likely knock out a reasonable beer.

Good luck with it and remember to post results.
Cheers

 

[argon]

I'm definitely interested to see how this will turn out. Perhaps one of the big things about making kits is good yeast health and good temp control. I know when I started out in kits I didn't even think about those things at all. Applying experience to a beginner method may be the key.

I reckon get a big healthy starter of a top quality yeast and ferment at a good low consistent temps and you'll more than likely knock out a reasonable beer.

Good luck with it and remember to post results.
Cheers

 

[pokolbinguy]

Just found 60gms of Hallertau pellets in my freezer....any suggestions on how I might be able to use these or would they not suit??

Pok

 

[pokolbinguy]

Just found 60gms of Hallertau pellets in my freezer....any suggestions on how I might be able to use these or would they not suit??

Pok

Any comments on the Hallertau guys? I am going to knock up this beer tonight and not sure whether or not to use the Hallertau or not. I have only used it once in a wheat beer and while the beer was good not sure if it will suit being paired with Amarillo in a lighter more just 'drinking' style of beer.

Was thinking 10g Amarillo @ 20min, 10g Amarillo @ 5min, then 20g Amarillo dry hop in secondary.

Cheers, Pok

 

[DJR]

Hallertau will add a herbal/flowery note to the amarillo, saves it going like rockmelon punch

I say go for it - have done some "herbal" apa's recently with some noble hops, quite nice and a bit more balanced. Don't overdo it though i reckon about 35% Hallertau and 65% amarillo will be the goods. Don't dry hop with it though, just boil hops only - can get grassy.

I often wonder whether a kit beer done properly nowadays will be passable round here - then i think for the effort might as well do it AG.

 

[pokolbinguy]

I say go for it - have done some "herbal" apa's recently with some noble hops, quite nice and a bit more balanced. Don't overdo it though i reckon about 35% Hallertau and 65% amarillo will be the goods. Don't dry hop with it though, just boil hops only - can get grassy.

So say 3.5g Hallertau +6.5g Amarillo @ 20min, 3.5g Hallertau +6.5g Amarillo @ 5min, then 20g Amarillo dry hop in secondary ???

 

[DJR]

So say 3.5g Hallertau +6.5g Amarillo @ 20min, 3.5g Hallertau +6.5g Amarillo @ 5min, then 20g Amarillo dry hop in secondary ???

Plugging 9% A/A Amarillo and 5% A/A Hallertau in 5L with 500g DME, i get about 47 IBU's in that 5L batch - which divided by 4.5 to take it up to 22.5L is about an extra 10 IBU's.

The kit will be about 20-25IBU's already, so it might be a bit much for an easy drinker. If you avoid the 20m addition and do 2x as much at 10m, ie. 13g/7g you'd be 36IBU's or about an extra 8 IBU's on the batch.

That would probably be better. Every time, back in the day, i tried adding extra boil hops to a kit the results were pretty bitter - with not really that much added in!

 

[rendo]

Sounds MARVELLOUS Pok....GO TEAM HALLERTAU!!

Maybe even change the dry hop to 5g of hallertau and 15g amarillo....either way, its just your personal choice of flavour

rendo

So say 3.5g Hallertau +6.5g Amarillo @ 20min, 3.5g Hallertau +6.5g Amarillo @ 5min, then 20g Amarillo dry hop in secondary ???

 

[pokolbinguy]

Rightio its in the fermenter

1 x homebrand Draught can of goo
1kg x LDME
0.2kg x Dex
16gms x Amarillo - 10mins
9gms x Hallertau - 10 mins
US-05

20gms x Amarillo - dry hop in secondary...might change this but have weighed it out and put to the side in a "tea bag" ready to go. Can always put some Hallertau in the dry hop if I change my mind.

Shall see how this goes...aslong as its drinkable!!

Pok

 

[rendo]

Argon, you are spot on. Here is an example. I have just cracked the first bottle of the first FWK (fresh wort kit) that I have ever done. It was a "Norwest Pale Ale". I was expecting big things as its the first "full AG" i have ever done, I just didnt make it but simply fermented it. Anyway, it is a GREAT beer and I cant take anything away from it. Top work Brewers Selection & thanks Dave!

However, some of the partials/extract, even some of my kits are far better than this drop. Sure alot comes down to personal taste etc, but I guess what I am saying (not that I am a beer judge) is that I treat my extract & kits well and it produces great beer. My last kit was great, just like the last 10+ since my brewing methods improved. IMO of course

1.7kg tin Coopers Canadian Blonde (as fresh as possible, exp was Mar 2012...this is key)
23L of FILTERED water (i believe the filtered water makes an amazing difference to a clean taste..I should do a side by side one day)
800g of LDME (i find the kits need 700-1kg of extra malt..this improves them outta sight, body, taste, just yummmm)
300g wheat malt powder (head rentention and something to the flavour I cant put my finger on yet, slight dryness?)
250g of carapils (steeped for 30odd mins.great head rentention/lacing then used this and some of the LDME above for the hop boil)
(you can add dex if you want...no more than 500g....but just leave it out if u arent after higher alc%)
10g Cascade @ 30mins
10g Saaz @ 30mins
10g Cascade @ 15mins
10g Saaz @ 15mins
10g* Cascade @ 0mins (more so dry hopped)
10g* Saaz @ 0mins (more so dry hopped)

*I put these 10g+10g = 20g of hops into a hop sock and put them into the fermenter after I pitched the yeast...pretty much a 'dry hop'

Yeast
Made a 2L starter of WLP830 German Lager Yeast.
Fermented at 11degC for 2-3 weeks....cold conditioned for another 2 or so weeks.
Have a temp controlled fermentation also has done wonders for my beer. I couldnt believe the change it made, my first brew outta the fridge leaps and bounds ahead of anything I did before, no turning back.

The only draw back is the maturation time in the bottle. After 2months it was great, after 3months it was stellar!!!!

I have just made the same brew with US05. 2 weeks after bottling its GREAT! Its amazing the difference in beer by using two very different yeasts. Incredible, both a great, not right to say which one is better, personal taste. I choose....them both One for each nostril.

So...after that LOOOOONG rant...my point is, get a fresh kit (not a FWK) but a fresh goop kit (FGK...haha) and treat it really well and u will make great beer.

However that being said, I am making just as nice beer with partials/grain/extract, I know I am going to be Full AG one day.....I am just taking my sweet time because there doesnt seem to be any rush.

Rendo

I'm definitely interested to see how this will turn out. Perhaps one of the big things about making kits is good yeast health and good temp control. I know when I started out in kits I didn't even think about those things at all. Applying experience to a beginner method may be the key.

I reckon get a big healthy starter of a top quality yeast and ferment at a good low consistent temps and you'll more than likely knock out a reasonable beer.

Good luck with it and remember to post results.
Cheers

 

[rendo]

Sweet.....dont forget to report back and let us all know Pok!

I'll drink it if you dont!

Rightio its in the fermenter

1 x homebrand Draught can of goo
1kg x LDME
0.2kg x Dex
16gms x Amarillo - 10mins
9gms x Hallertau - 10 mins
US-05

20gms x Amarillo - dry hop in secondary...might change this but have weighed it out and put to the side in a "tea bag" ready to go. Can always put some Hallertau in the dry hop if I change my mind.

Shall see how this goes...aslong as its drinkable!!

Pok