20 Pint brews...

[Jeff Crowther]

New to brewing and gave a stupid question. Can you make two twenty pint batches from a 40 pint premium kit or from a 1.8kg one? Not sure if both cans of extract are hopped or if the 1.8kg on would be overly bitter....

 

[GerritT]

New to brewing and gave a stupid question. Can you make two twenty pint batches from a 40 pint premium kit or from a 1.8kg one? Not sure if both cans of extract are hopped or if the 1.8kg on would be overly bitter....

Hm, not sure, it doesn't say anything on the tins? It's a kit with two cans? Got a brand?

Welcome anyway, join the club! :cheers7:

 

[Jeff Crowther]

It was really a general question. No real brand in mind, just don't want to make 40 pints to be honest...

 

[Drunkula]

I've split premium kits a few times and the cans were always the same so yes, 20 pints is fine.

 

[Jeff Crowther]

Thank you for the welcome...

 

[Jeff Crowther]

I've split premium kits a few times and the cans were always the same so yes, 20 pints is fine.

Thanks for your reply. I will give it a whirl...

 

[marshbrewer]

However, making a 20 pint brew from a single can 40 pint kit would result in an increase in bitterness, as it is intended to be made up to 40 pints with non bittered malts / sugars normally, if you see what I mean. Obviously, that doesn't apply to 2 can kits.

 

[GerritT]

And maybe going extract will avoid those issues.

 

[Llamaman]

And maybe going extract will avoid those issues.

Indeed, but that would involve a boil and wort cooling which might all seem a bit overwhelming for someone just starting out.

For what it's worth, I've just restarted brewing and the second half of my Festival Razorback is brewing away and the first half is conditioning.

One thing the OP might not have considered - you'll probably need some extra yeast. In theory you could split the yeast sachet, but it's a small volume to split so you may get inconsistent results. An alternative is to reuse the yeast 'cake' from first half to the second if brewing immediately - it's what I did and it took off like a rocket (note to self - don't repitch the whole cake next time).

 

[Duxuk]

If you brew one can with all the yeast it will multiply in the brew so you'll then have plenty of yeast for the other can. Some wash yeast but if I bottle just before my next brew I often scoop some yeasty trub from the FV and store it in the fridge for day or a few days. When I add it to the next brew it goes off like a rocket!

 

[GerritT]

Or save the yeast for later and pitch Safale. Trustworthy but it adds to the price.

 

[Gerryjo]

Out of curiosity as I've never brewed two can kits and I'm wondering if both cans come pre-hopped,hops come separate for steeping/boiling or is it one can of pre-hopped LME and a can of ordinary LME.
Are both cans the same type I.e. light/medium/dark or one each of either to make the kit as it's designed for forty pints and not twenty?
Curious....

Sent from my ALE-L21 using Tapatalk

 

[Llamaman]

Out of curiosity as I've never brewed two can kits and I'm wondering if both cans come pre-hopped,hops come separate for steeping/boiling or is it one can of pre-hopped LME and a can of ordinary LME.
Are both cans the same type I.e. light/medium/dark or one each of either to make the kit as it's designed for forty pints and not twenty?
Curious....

Sent from my ALE-L21 using Tapatalk

Both cans are the same and are hopped. Some kits also include a dry hop sachet.

(This comment applies to normal kits, not the extract DIY kits also available which require a boil.)

 

[Sandimas]

I often do a 2-can kit one at a time to 20 pints, often adding in some different dry hops to give it a bit of a boost.

 

[Llamaman]

I often scoop some yeasty trub from the FV and store it in the fridge for day or a few days. When I add it to the next brew it goes off like a rocket!

I discovered this with my second brew. Added the whole yeast cake from the first and BOOM! 8 hours after pitching it had outgrown my 12L batch in a 15l+ bucket, and was oozing out from under lid. It's been behaving itself since and I'm hoping it didn't go off too quick that I get poor attenuation. Will find out in a week or so when I bottle (although I may have a little sip when I pop the dry hop in...)

 

[Duxuk]

I use a dessert spoon and take about 5 spoonfuls of trub, often trying to avoid any dry hops. This is for a 23l brew. Unscientific, I know. But then brewing is an art as well as a science!

 

[LarryF]

Firstly, I always ditch the kit yeast...into the jar I use for making bread. I always like to have a selection of yeasts as the different yeasts will bring different flavours to your beers. To make it economical I look to use the first yeast dry and then get another 3 brews out of it after that. I bottle and brew on the same day so I'll normally have a couple of spare sanitized, primed bottles left over when I've finished bottling. I just fill two bottles 1/3 full with trub, screw the lids on and put them to one side. When everything's been cleaned and the new wort is ready just fill the bottle with wort give it a good shake and tip it in the FV. I always do two bottles and never once needed the second bottle and it always goes off like a rocket.