Busy times from home brew shops

[Victor Churchill]

Lovebrewing in Liverpool has closed both its shops due to demand/backlog and safety. I just put a £71 order into brew2bottle and paid the $5 for next day delivery but for the life of me i cannot get brewing sugar anywhere. So, it's gonna be cane sugar and hope for the best

I'm sure I recall seeing a post somewhere describing a process to convert sucrose table sugar to dextrose for brewing - can't recall the details or where it was :-(

 

[An Ankoù]

I'm sure I recall seeing a post somewhere describing a process to convert sucrose table sugar to dextrose for brewing - can't recall the details or where it was :-(

You can use sucrose either by adding it to the boil for 15 or so minutes or by adding it at the end of the boil and letting the yeast use it's own enzymes to break it down. It does invert to just dextrose (or glucose) but to glucose and fructose, but they both ferment out to exactly the same alcohol. Don't waste your money on brewing sugar unless you want one that is very slightly caramelised for making Belgian beers.

AND DON'T USE LIGHT TABLE SUGAR AS IT CONTAINS UNFERMENTABLE CLAGGY ,'ORRIBLE SWEETNERS.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

THBS still taking orders as I ordered grain and hops this morning

 

[Victor Churchill]

You can use sucrose either by adding it to the boil for 15 or so minutes or by adding it at the end of the boil and letting the yeast use it's own enzymes to break it down.

Ah. I haven't graduated to AG yet, still only doing pimped kits (MYO mostly which I've been adding 1kg brewing sugar and 500g DME)... so no boiling involved.

 

[An Ankoù]

Ah. I haven't graduated to AG yet, still only doing pimped kits (MYO mostly which I've been adding 1kg brewing sugar and 500g DME)... so no boiling involved.

Then just chuck it in and let the let the yeast convert it. Believe me it'll work. The lag time shouldn't be extended since the yeast can get to work on the maltose from the kit while inverting the sucrose.

 

[Victor Churchill]

Then just chuck it in and let the let the yeast convert it. Believe me it'll work. The lag time shouldn't be extended since the yeast can get to work on the maltose from the kit while inverting the sucrose.

Very interesting! Thank you, and I will give that a go on my next brew and let you know how we get on!
Cheers!

 

[chuffer]

Am thinking extract brewing might be the way forward here as will hopefully keep longer than crushed grain and the kits all seem to be sold out.

 

[MyQul]

Am thinking extract brewing might be the way forward here as will hopefully keep longer than crushed grain and the kits all seem to be sold out.

Crushed grain keeps for months and months if stored properly. I bought my last 25kg sack (crushed) last october. I've brewed with it today

 

[Edison]

The crushed grain I've just received from BrewUK has 12 months BB dates. They're individual 1kg packs though. If you bought 25kg sacks ideal storage conditions might be more tricky. Apparently there's little to be gained shelf-life-wise from getting uncrushed compared to crushed grain, but that does seem counterintuitive to me...

 

[MyQul]

If you bought 25kg sacks ideal storage conditions might be more tricky.

Actually it's not. When I buy a 25kg sack or crushed. I just fill zip lock bags up the top (each bag holds about 1.8kg) so there's no air in there. Then put all the bags in a 60L barrel. The grain keeps for months and months

 

[terrym]

Ah. I haven't graduated to AG yet, still only doing pimped kits (MYO mostly which I've been adding 1kg brewing sugar and 500g DME)... so no boiling involved.

If you want to make your own invert sugar (as used by brewers) you can make it from table sugar. Plenty of vids on Youtube including this one which is actually for Golden Syrup but you simply reduce the caramelisation stage at the beginning.

 

[Edison]

Actually it's not. When I buy a 25kg sack or crushed. I just fill zip lock bags up the top (each bag holds about 1.8kg) so there's no air in there. Then put all the bags in a 60L barrel. The grain keeps for months and months

Not thought of that, something I might consider. Only brewing 20l batches every few months would take me a while to get through 25kg, but we are in unprecedented territory!

 

[MyQul]

Not thought of that, something I might consider. Only brewing 20l batches every few months would take me a while to get through 25kg, but we are in unprecedented territory!

Nowadays it takes me a while to get through a sack as I dont drink nearly as much HB as I used to

 

[An Ankoù]

The crushed grain I've just received from BrewUK has 12 months BB dates. They're individual 1kg packs though. If you bought 25kg sacks ideal storage conditions might be more tricky. Apparently there's little to be gained shelf-life-wise from getting uncrushed compared to crushed grain, but that does seem counterintuitive to me...

It does to me, too. I read from one of the maltsters , I think it was Bestmalz, that they recommend you use uncrushed within 2 years and crushed within 6 months. But I've used crushed that's two years old and it's as good as the day it was crushed and no loss of diastatic property. You need to keep it dry as malt - especially crushed- is slightly hygroscopic. The blue 60 L food grade barrels with a tight fitting lid are ideal.

 

[Clint]

...that might change.

 

[MyQul]

If you want to make your own invert sugar (as used by brewers) you can make it from table sugar. Plenty of vids on Youtube including this one which is actually for Golden Syrup but you simply reduce the caramelisation stage at the beginning.

I use GS in my bitters, so I had a go at making some. V.Easy.

 

[Satellitemark]

I noticed that wilkos has sold out of most home brewing supplies online in the last couple of days.
Stock in stores will vary and they say the stores are still open if you want to risk it.

Mark

 

[Satellitemark]

I placed a order with balliihoo on the 23rd as I've just received notice that I'll receive it tomorrow the 26th, so that's not too much of a delay if any, as I opted for standard delivery.
At the time of placing the order I checked out all the usual suspects and they were the only one who had everything I wanted in stock.

Mark

 

[An Ankoù]

I noticed that wilkos has sold out of most home brewing supplies online in the last couple of days.
Stock in stores will vary and they say the stores are still open if you want to risk it.

Mark

Just had a quick look at thehomebrewcompany. Didn't notice anything sold out in the all grain sections. Plenty of kits left although some are selling out. It looks like about one in five lines sold out in the kit department so I'd get an order in quick as I imagine these take more time to produce than chucking some malt in a sack.

 

[obscure]

Most are putting up notices about expected delays in processing orders I.e. up to 5 days for geterbrewed but grain definitely seems to be still available, and kits as well (although a lot of lines seem to be out of stock).

Of course staff shortages due to staff having to isolate or the lockdown tightening could change this.