I have been using kits for over 20 years. In fact since they first appeared in the supermarket shelves.
I have the simplest method that always gives me great beer.
I fill a saucepan with 2 litres of water and place the kit can, label removed and washed into the saucepan to warm up. Whilst the can is warming I tip 1 kg of Dextrose into my fermenter(30 litre type, plenty of room for foam when fermenting). I open the can and tip the contents into the fermenter using the heated water to remove the last drop of contents.
When the water reaches the boil I tip that in and swirl it around to mix a bit. I then add a further 23 liters of water some over to allow for testing and evaperation. I only use the yeast supplied.
In winter I use a tropical fish heater. This process takes 30 mins including sanitation I do whilst the water is heating up.
I ferment for a week and transfer to a secondary for 2 weeks and then dump into my 6 litre Pete bottles with a added 1/4 cup of cane sugar, ready in 3 weeks plus. I did try adding Corn syrup and steeped grains but found that lost me clarity and did nothing to improve the flavour.
I now accept that the brewers who formulate the kits to a style are experts and they make a kit true to its style. I do like to build up stocks as beer is definatly better from 3 months upward. Having had beer that was over 2 years old I find that the hop taste mellows as does the beer itself. This is in bottles though I would not expect the Pete bottles would last as long as that.
Brewing for me is not a hobby but a great way to have several types available of beer that satisfies my pallet at a cost this pensioner can afford. I have not heard a complaint from friends. I do admit possibly at the risk of not having my free brew they may not give a totally true opinion. Still it is always good to compare homebrew with an equivalant commercial one at the same time and temperature. Best test ever. If the beer you brew stands up to that test then why change your method, which is why I stick to the expertly created kits without trying to change things.
I have the simplest method that always gives me great beer.
I fill a saucepan with 2 litres of water and place the kit can, label removed and washed into the saucepan to warm up. Whilst the can is warming I tip 1 kg of Dextrose into my fermenter(30 litre type, plenty of room for foam when fermenting). I open the can and tip the contents into the fermenter using the heated water to remove the last drop of contents.
When the water reaches the boil I tip that in and swirl it around to mix a bit. I then add a further 23 liters of water some over to allow for testing and evaperation. I only use the yeast supplied.
In winter I use a tropical fish heater. This process takes 30 mins including sanitation I do whilst the water is heating up.
I ferment for a week and transfer to a secondary for 2 weeks and then dump into my 6 litre Pete bottles with a added 1/4 cup of cane sugar, ready in 3 weeks plus. I did try adding Corn syrup and steeped grains but found that lost me clarity and did nothing to improve the flavour.
I now accept that the brewers who formulate the kits to a style are experts and they make a kit true to its style. I do like to build up stocks as beer is definatly better from 3 months upward. Having had beer that was over 2 years old I find that the hop taste mellows as does the beer itself. This is in bottles though I would not expect the Pete bottles would last as long as that.
Brewing for me is not a hobby but a great way to have several types available of beer that satisfies my pallet at a cost this pensioner can afford. I have not heard a complaint from friends. I do admit possibly at the risk of not having my free brew they may not give a totally true opinion. Still it is always good to compare homebrew with an equivalant commercial one at the same time and temperature. Best test ever. If the beer you brew stands up to that test then why change your method, which is why I stick to the expertly created kits without trying to change things.
