Help on Next Brew Batches

[mattyh77]

Hey all, (first post here, but a larker) need some help with my next brew batches. FV is empty till I get back from holidays with fam, just trying to plan the next few brews, I have 3 packs waiting.

I have the Coopers Dec ROTM (Pacific Summer Ale), which I cant wait to do. This will be my first attempt at boiling hops.

I have a Mangrove Jack Craft Series IPA pouch and 1kg of light DME. I want to make this into a black IPA. Can I just substitute the Light DME for a Dark LME?, maybe add 500g of the Light LME? Would the kit yeast be sufficient. I'm also looking to go down the slippery slope of steeping some grain (preferable to the LME). So what grain could I use to make the pouch into a black IPA? dark crystal malt? sorry still learning names of this stuff.
I'm guessing I might want to do this first as it will be longer to condition than the others?

I was also given a Coopers Mexican Cerevza, with a LHBS 1kg blend (500g dextrose, 250g Matlodextrin, 250g Light DME). How could I improve this? Grains? hops?

I have 60g of cascade hops left over to place in any of them.

I'm still very new at this and trying to learn fast. I'll probably bottle the Cerveza, Keg the IPA, and Keg the Pacific Summer Ale. ( I only have 2 kegs at this stage, hopefully get some more after holidays, I have a TC Bookmaker Pale Ale conditioning in one now, will force carb when I get back)

Cheers in advance, and will be reading a lot more on here.

Matt H

 

[kz412]

Been a while since I've done kits, but my 2 cents:
For the Black IPA I'd be looking at keeping the kit as is, and steeping ~200g of Carafa III for colour. Add 50g of Chocolate malt or Roast Barley if you like your black IPA's to have a bit of roastiness to them. Chucking all 60g of Cascade in to dry hop for a few days certainly wouldn't harm it either.

 

[mattyh77]

Been a while since I've done kits, but my 2 cents:
For the Black IPA I'd be looking at keeping the kit as is, and steeping ~200g of Carafa III for colour. Add 50g of Chocolate malt or Roast Barley if you like your black IPA's to have a bit of roastiness to them. Chucking all 60g of Cascade in to dry hop for a few days certainly wouldn't harm it either.

Cheers for that.

Just to get my head around the steeping part, is that place the Carafa and Chocolate in 70 deg water for 30mins, then strain. I'm guessing with 250g is about 2.5L of water.
Then do I need to boil it for 30 mins? maybe place the hops in at flameout then chill in water bath?

Cheers

Matt H