Doubling up 1 can kits

[Tony dodds]

I posted a couple of weeks ago about using 2x1can kits in a single 23litre batch. I've brewed 2xwilko hoppy copper bitter to 23litres. The OG was 1.052 and 11 days later its 1.018.
The target gravity on the can is 1.008.
Does anyone have any idea what FG I should expect from using 2 cans? There seems to be very little information about doing this

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Did you use both yeast sachets?

 

[Tony dodds]

Yes I pitched both yeast sachets

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Is the FG stable? I would leave it 3 days and recheck.

 

[terrym]

For an OG of 1.052 my guess for an FG would be about 1.012/1.013 or thereabouts, so if its finished at 1.018 it's stuck. Wilko kits are made by Muntons and they have past history on stuck kit fermentations.
This might be useful, but whether you follow the advice within it is up to you.
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/...s-for-dealing-with-stuck-fermentations.74910/

 

[Tony dodds]

I've dry hopped it today hence taking the gravity reading, I'm hoping to cold crash Friday night and bottle sunday if numbers are stable. Have you any idea what FG I should be shooting for? This is purely an experimental brew as I got both kits for a tenner so if it goes **** up I'm not too much out of pocket.

 

[Tony dodds]

For an OG of 1.052 my guess for an FG would be about 1.012/1.013 or thereabouts, so if its finished at 1.018 it's stuck. Wilko kits are made by Muntons and they have past history on stuck kit fermentations.
This might be useful, but whether you follow the advice within it is up to you.
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/...s-for-dealing-with-stuck-fermentations.74910/

I thought maybe with double the unfermentables I would get somewhere about 1.016. I hope the ******* hasn't stuck! Cheers for the advice mate its very much appreciated

 

[Cheshire Cat]

If it's stuck then you still get a ABV of 4.5%

 

[Tony dodds]

Aye that's sound. I was worried about double bitterness but the single can kit must be like piss water as the sample in the trial jar tasted ok.

 

[chesters-mild]

If I remember most single can kits expect you to add sugar or a kit 'enhancer' (dextrose + spraymalt) anyway, so doubling up seems a good idea. Is it possible that kits do contain a measured amount of unfermentable sugars? for mouthfeel etc.

 

[Slid]

Doubling up one can kits, I used to get 1.010 to 1.012 or so, so I would suggest a little patience here. As the weather has just gone a fair bit cooler, it may just have stalled a bit. Also, I recall that I would add sugar as well, so if you get no joy over the next few days, you could do a quick syrup and add that to try and get it moving.

Bottling something like you have at 1.018 is not going to be a great idea, I'm afraid!

 

[Tony dodds]

It's only 11 days in at the moment. I did add 500g of sugar aswell. I'll see what it's doing on Sunday when its had 2 weeks

 

[terrym]

Is it possible that kits do contain a measured amount of unfermentable sugars? for mouthfeel etc.

Not in the ones I did. It ferments out as all LME as predicted by the calculators. The variable is the yeast, which for the kits I did usually attenuates to between 70-74% with a few exceptions.

 

[Tony dodds]

Not in the ones I did. It ferments out as all LME as predicted by the calculators. The variable is the yeast, which for the kits I did usually attenuates to between 70-74% with a few exceptions.

So what final gravity would you predict?

 

[terrym]

So what final gravity would you predict?

In post 5

 

[froggi]

You're going to get double the bitterness anyway..... Done this before with a variety of kits formats (Coopers, Wilko etc).... all turned out way too bitter for my palate but each to their own!! It probably tasted ok due to the residual sugars at the time the sample was taken - yes I know not that far off FG but still enough to "knock the edge off" IMO!!
I have brewed "longer" for a double kit brew - maybe 35ltrs - to bump things up a bit and hopfully to gain a bit more in the mouthfeel/flavour stakes with varied success
Hope it turns out ok and it's not a stuck ferment

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Why not just buy a two can kit?

 

[terrym]

There are now three threads on this one brew (including this one) with just about every relevant suggestion you could make. Now done to death in my view.
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/using-2x1can-kits.90918https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/doubling-up-hoppy-copper-kit.90911