What To Do?

[joda]

hey guys,
long time reader of the forums and first time poster.
have picked up the following from LHBS and looking for suggestions,

Muntons Pilsner 1.8kg
750g LME
250g Lactose
12gm Saaz finishing hops
500g carapils grain, (uncracked)

I have also managed to get my hands on a sample German Lager liquid yeast from a guy in SYD who may go commercial shortly.

Any suggestions if this all sounds good? understand that i need to crack the grain but how much would you recommend for steeping?
any help appreciated

 

[MObeer]

Are you sure you want to use lactose? This is non-fermentable, horribly tasting sugar. Why would want to make such a sweet beer?

Your hopping also seems to be very low since Saaz in generally low in a-acid. What style are you aiming for, German pilsner?

 

[joda]

Dont really have a choice with the lactose as it is a blend with the LME.
not exactly sure where its heading, just something a little crazy i guess

 

[Steve Lacey]

Dont really have a choice with the lactose as it is a blend with the LME.
not exactly sure where its heading, just something a little crazy i guess

[post="118434"][/post]​

It's probably dextrose, not lactose. Two different animals. Is it called Brew Booster or something like that?

Crack the carapils (have fun with that!), steep it all in 2L of very hot, not boiling, water for 20 or 30 minutes, strain off the contents through a sieve and rinse out any sugars with another couple of liters of hot water. Don't worry if there are lots of fine particles. They will settle out in the fermenter.

Now, boil the three or four liters of liquid you have collected for 20 minutes. Kill the heat and dissolve in the Muntons and the sugars and chuck in the hops, put this in sanitized fermenter and top up to 22 L.

Ferment with your choice of lager yeast at 10-14 deg C. When it is fermented, transfer to another fermenter or keg and add another 12 g of saaz hops in a sanitized hop bag. The keep this in a fridge for four weeks. Or, if you can't do that, then just add the other 12 g of saaz after one week of fermentation and bottle two weeks later and then store the bottles cold.

Shouldn't be too crazy, just a slightly sweet and malty pilsener.

Hope this helps.

 

[joda]

on closer inspection of the label, which is rubbed out a little, it is PCS not Lactose.
So i should be right to use the 500g of grain??
my understanding is that the carapils will add smoothness, sweetness, mouth texture along with keeping the head. is this right?

 

[Steve Lacey]

on closer inspection of the label, which is rubbed out a little, it is PCS not Lactose.
So i should be right to use the 500g of grain??
my understanding is that the carapils will add smoothness, sweetness, mouth texture along with keeping the head. is this right?

[post="118441"][/post]​

What's PCS? I'd check withe the place you bought it to know exactly what you are dealing with. I guess the "S" stands for sugar, P and C have me stumped. Unless it has something to do with the local school.

I think you could use the 500 g, but it might be a tad on the high side. I don't mind if someone wants to contradict me.

 

[joda]

PCS - Powdered Corn Syrup, well thats what i call it

 

[dreamboat]

Could it be DCS???

Dried Corn Sugar



dreamboat

 

[joda]

it actually says corn syrup on the label, can just make it out. i add the "P" and "powdered" as it is what i know it by

 

[Trough Lolly]

PCS = Dextrose...

Steve's recipe suggestion is good - mind you, I think the brew will be a bit light on for hops, but what the heck, it's all about brewing and learning!

Take the carapils back to the HBS and ask them if they'll crack it for you - if they don't crack grain, they're not much of a HBS, IMHO...if they do, then grab some more Saaz hops while you're there.

And as Steve suggested, make sure you add the kit to the boiler AFTER you finish the boil, so you preserve as much of the hops in the kit as possible.

Let us know how it turns out...

Cheers,
TL

 

[timmy]

wow! 500g is a hel of a lot of carapils in a single brew!

seriously 200g will be plenty to help with head retention and body.

 

[Trough Lolly]

Yeah, timmy's right - 200 to 250g is heaps of dextrins for the beer. Perhaps you could still use 500g of grains - 250g of Carapils and, say, 250g of Caramunich or Pale Crystal?

Cheers,
TL