Home brewing kits ....

I'm currently brewing cider, just juiced the apples from outside, chucked in the plastic demi-john, added yeast.

Now waiting its still bubbling. Apple juice tasted great before so I hope it works out.
 
What sugars do you people use for kits? I'm planning on making the step to dextrose as I'm seriously lacking body in my latest brew and suspect it's a sugar issue. Getting some spraymalt tomorrow to try and fix it though but the next batch I'd like to use a different sugar. I normally just use super market caster or granulated sugar...
 
What sugars do you people use for kits? I'm planning on making the step to dextrose as I'm seriously lacking body in my latest brew and suspect it's a sugar issue. Getting some spraymalt tomorrow to try and fix it though but the next batch I'd like to use a different sugar. I normally just use super market caster or granulated sugar...

Depends on the kit TBH. Trappist beers I use candi sugar, most others spraymalt and as a minimum or a beer enhancer kit (50% spray malt, 50% dextrose).
 
Just ordered our kit for Christmas. Brupaks Colne valley :D

Anyone recommend a really dark ale kit, looks like guiness but tastes more like a bitter?
 
Going to be doing today: 5 gallons of Apfelwein, but with an experimental sugar plan and 5 gallons of Aceface's raspberry wheat beer.
Also, spraymalting my IPA to try and force some body into it and going to repitch some yeast in.
Going to be a busy day!
 
I has yeast, let the brewing commence.

Expect some questions in an hour or so about gravity, alcohol % and sugar.

pict0833.jpg


Half the ingredients as I don't have a huge huge stock pot
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1st half strained left most of the roots and leaves in the pan
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well that's a shame it is very week indeed. should have tasted it before topping it up to 5 gallons. But more ingredients in than an old recipe said. Come this far already. will have to get some more of the main ingredient from America and add it in before bottling.

Or do I add the roots and stuff back in and strain it before bottling, would that work?

I also can;t find my belt heater.
 
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Looking good Acid!
We took forever in Tesco getting ingredients but the night of brewing is a go. So far just fixing the IPA, then it's a nice simple apfelwein (not too strong tonight) before getting the experimentations underway...
 
Acid, it may change with age. Most brews will get a lot more body through the brewing process and change considerably.
My most memorable one was a dirt cheap lemon and limeade sort of affair. Very strong, but after fermenting it was undrinkable. We racked it and hoped that would sort it. It did not, we bottled. Tasted it after a few weeks of ageing, some bottles were drinkable (though you'd only want to if you wanted to get smashed). Fast forward 4 months or so and we had ran out of booze but my pal remembered about that stuff. It turned out quite pleasant in the end. Not amazing by any stretch of the imagination, but easily drinkable and miles ahead of what it was when we made it.
Don't despair yet.
 
Thanks, we shall see, I'll probably order some more just in case and can throw it in. All part of the adventure of trial and error before hitting the sweet spot.

any way 3kilos of dextrose took it to 1.040, so just waiting for it to cool a bit before adding yeast.
really need to find that heater as well, i can't think where it could possibly be.

recipe was
5 oz Sarsaparilla
5 oz Sassafras
1 1/4oz licorice
5oz Wintergreen leaves
7.5 pounds sugar
5 gallons water.

Changed it to
5 oz Sarsaparilla
8 oz Sassafras extract (this may be part of the problem how strong is an extract compared to original, had to get this from america)
1 1/4oz licorice
5oz Wintergreen leaves
3 kilos sugar
5 gallons water.
 
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