How To Add Bittering Hops
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enoch1973
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Hey losp,
Firstly, yes it possible. Generally the kits are pre-bittered (depends on the kit) so you won't need as many hops as you would if you were doing a full extract brew. I would also recommend the Kit/Extract spreadsheet from this site. It's really helpful for what you're doing.
If you want to add hops to a kit beer you need to do a boil. I've had good results from small 4l boils.
You'll get better utilisation (more bitterness) out of your hops if you do a bigger boil. I am currently doing 9l boils.
As mentioned kits are generally pre-bittered (Coopers Aussie Pale Ale is a great example... has an IBU of around 15)
For a boil with a kit beer I would be looking at around a 20 - 30 minute boil.
As far as the hops go you'll need to decide that yourself as they obviously vary in bitterness and flavour.
Cascade is a good start if you are using a Pale Ale kit.
If you are doing a boil as well you can use either Liquid Malt extract (LME) or Dry Malt.
The boil will consist of: Water, Malt and the hops.
Edit: the spreadsheet tells you the quanity of malt to put in the boil.
Bring the water to the boil and add the malt and hops.
I would recommend a hop bag for boiling as it will stop a lot of crud getting into your brew.
If you're feeling adventurous you could look at steeping some Crytal Grain to add to the boil. There's heaps of info on the site about steeping grain I'm sure. You basicly soak the grain in 70 degree water for 30 minutes and then rinse it with similar temp water.
Once your done with the boil you add it to the fermenter with remaining malt, the kit beer and cold water.
Pitch the yeast once it's around 22c - 25c if your using the kit yeasts.
Hope this helps.
Pete
Firstly, yes it possible. Generally the kits are pre-bittered (depends on the kit) so you won't need as many hops as you would if you were doing a full extract brew. I would also recommend the Kit/Extract spreadsheet from this site. It's really helpful for what you're doing.
If you want to add hops to a kit beer you need to do a boil. I've had good results from small 4l boils.
You'll get better utilisation (more bitterness) out of your hops if you do a bigger boil. I am currently doing 9l boils.
As mentioned kits are generally pre-bittered (Coopers Aussie Pale Ale is a great example... has an IBU of around 15)
For a boil with a kit beer I would be looking at around a 20 - 30 minute boil.
As far as the hops go you'll need to decide that yourself as they obviously vary in bitterness and flavour.
Cascade is a good start if you are using a Pale Ale kit.
If you are doing a boil as well you can use either Liquid Malt extract (LME) or Dry Malt.
The boil will consist of: Water, Malt and the hops.
Edit: the spreadsheet tells you the quanity of malt to put in the boil.
Bring the water to the boil and add the malt and hops.
I would recommend a hop bag for boiling as it will stop a lot of crud getting into your brew.
If you're feeling adventurous you could look at steeping some Crytal Grain to add to the boil. There's heaps of info on the site about steeping grain I'm sure. You basicly soak the grain in 70 degree water for 30 minutes and then rinse it with similar temp water.
Once your done with the boil you add it to the fermenter with remaining malt, the kit beer and cold water.
Pitch the yeast once it's around 22c - 25c if your using the kit yeasts.
Hope this helps.
Pete
joshuahardie
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if you are using an unhopped kit, and have access to a good sized stock pot, you can reconstitute some or all of the can in water, boil it on the stove and add bittering / flavouring / aroma hops as desired.
If you are using a hopped kit, then I would not bother. but if you must add more bittering to a hopped kit, then I would go down the path of making up a water and dry malt extract mix, boiling that in a stock pot, and adding your hops, then add that back to your kit in the fermenter.
If you are using a hopped kit, then I would not bother. but if you must add more bittering to a hopped kit, then I would go down the path of making up a water and dry malt extract mix, boiling that in a stock pot, and adding your hops, then add that back to your kit in the fermenter.
Thanks for the responses guys. I have actually done more AGs then kit brews, and when i have done kit brews i have never added bittering hops.
This time i am doing a pale ale kit with a friend, so i will probably just add some aroma hops, i have some riwaka at home, or i might buy some cascade .cheers, info will definitely be useful in the future.
This time i am doing a pale ale kit with a friend, so i will probably just add some aroma hops, i have some riwaka at home, or i might buy some cascade .cheers, info will definitely be useful in the future.
