Better brew honey ipa.

gingerhammer · Dec 28, 2012

Well now,let me tell you about my fifth ever brew.I got a better brew extract kit from the fellas at specialist home brew in swansea.It was an ipa kit.Not content with adding the usual boring stuff I opted to chuck in a 500g bag of muntons light DME,500g of Demerara sugar. And a 450g jar of good old fashioned honey.It fermented like nuts for the first 46 ?hours.then just stayed steady.I though it had stuck,but with hydrometer readings bieng constant I bottled,using brown sugar to bottle.Let me tell you this,it is the best beer I have drank in years.And I have been a drayman for 14 long years now.Get on better brew kits fellas,its the future.

Tricky · Jan 18, 2013

Sounds good. How did the honey flavours turn out? can you taste it?

gingerhammer · Jan 19, 2013

Yes,there is a real sweet smooth taste to it.But its not overpowering.Also it has got great head retention.Im on another better brew kit at the mo,its the czech pilsner.Bottled yesterday,cant wait to try it.

Tricky · Jan 23, 2013

Sounds good. I might try that in my next IPA. The pilsner is good, very good in fact! :drunk:

calumscott · Jan 23, 2013

The BB kits are the nuts. The IPA in particular.

The bitter sadly is a bit dull but the rest, really impressive. :thumb:

That IPA done with a 1.5kg tin of liquid malt instead of the sugar and dry-hopped with 40g of Chinook is a belter of a pint.

gingerhammer · Jan 25, 2013

Might well give that a go mate.Only thing is another can of extract is about 13 sheets,but as the say you get what you pay for.cheers mate.

pierce · Jan 27, 2013

Just ordered the better brew ipa I want to try this brew can you give me a little more info on the brewing proces. This will be my second brew

gingerhammer · Jan 27, 2013

No probs mate,ill do my best.First things first make sure all your gear is spotless,sanitised and rinsed with fresh cold water(I use tap water,as some one said to me before,If you can drink it you can brew with it)I get a basin of really hot water and place the pack of betterbrew in it(dont forget to pull the yeast pack off the bottom!)while its sitting in that boil about 3 litres of water.Boil a kettle.Crack open a beer.Throw the water in your fermenter,cut open your bag of betterbrew and pour in.Now using your pot you boiled the water in,fill up your fermenter to about 20 litres,watch your temperature,but it should be nice and high still.Drink your beer.Now add your fermentables,sugar,dried malt extract,honey or whatever.Now top up to 23 litres.Stir the bejayzuss out of it,you want to see loads of froth.Crack another one.When you temp hits around 23/24/25 add your yeast and stir.Drink your beer.Fit lid and airlock(not really needed,more of a comfort blanket really)Stick it somewhere dark with a temp of 20-24 and watch the magic happen.After about a week check your gravity with a hydrometer,and again the next day.If it has stayed at the same level you can bottle it.1spoon of brown sugar in each bottle should do the job.Leave em some where warmish for a week and they should be done.Chill em and drink em.

pierce · Jan 28, 2013

I will be putting mine in a barrel so should I use 100g of brown sugar

gingerhammer · Jan 29, 2013

Let us know how it turns out.

pierce · Jan 30, 2013

Will do probably start it saturday

RobWalker · Jan 30, 2013

I found honey doesn't add a lot, but a really desirable aftertaste that turns a good beer to a great one. Glad to hear of your success :)

pierce · Feb 4, 2013

started it on sat all went well its fermenting well bubbling through air lock every few seconds. Took o/g measurement of 1.045. It smelt and tasted good so hopefully will have a good beer