Extract Kits

[BrucetheFish]

Hi

Total newcomer here, I've been advised to start off my brewing adventure with extract kits.

Just really looking for some recommendations on the websites/places to buy from.

Cheers

 

[terrym]

Do you mean kits with cans or sachets of hopped malt extract, some of which may need additional sugars of some sort, or extract brewing kits where you buy malt extract and hops which then require a boil.
If its the former it would help if you told us what sort of beer you like. Kits cover anything from lager to stouts although at the present time some kits are in short supply, and some suppliers are struggling to cope with demand.

 

[Sandimas]

I started with the BrewUK ones, you'll need a 12L or 15L stock pot as you need to do a boil with hops, but not much more hassle than a standard kit and way better beer
https://www.brewuk.co.uk/beerkits/craftybrews/brewextract.html
There are other companies that do them, I just had this one bookmarked.

 

[BrucetheFish]

I normally buy APA / IPA. We have a local brewery Brewboard who sell some good one's

I've got a 16l stockpot.

That type of extract range looks like maybe a good starting point.

 

[dad_of_jon]

Hi

Total newcomer here, I've been advised to start off my brewing adventure with extract kits.

Just really looking for some recommendations on the websites/places to buy from.

Cheers

if you can't find any 'kits' in stock perhaps make your own 'kit' - 2.5 -3.0 kg dried malt extract, a 50 or 100g packet of hops and a sachet of yeast. the yeast and the hops will depend on what you want to make. if you want to make a dark beer substitute the dried malt extract for dark malt extract. either buy bottled water at 17p for 2 litres or use tap water and treat with a campden tablet. Here or the internet will help you with recipes. Wilkos have a homebrew section but my local was cleaned out and only had 2 bags of dried malt extract. I do a lot of extract brewing with the odd addition of grains. ask if you need any more assistance

 

[terrym]

This might be useful.
A Simple Guide to Extract Brewing

 

[BrucetheFish]

Thanks both, appreciated. I feel progress already.

 

[Sandimas]

That type of extract range looks like maybe a good starting point.

Oh it's much more than that, you'll be producing pub-quality beer.

I've moved to AG now, which means I can brew a much greater range of beers than Extract at cheaper cost, but in quality terms those Extract recipe kits are very good.

 

[BrucetheFish]

Just looking around for the equipment I need.

I've been reading some articles and also watched a few videos. I have a stockpot, thermometer.

Looking for a fermentation vessel, if anybody has any recommendations !

 

[BrucetheFish]

I read a book called Brew a Batch - Beginners guide to home brewed beer by an aussie fella. Quite a good book.

He had two beginners extract recipes for Pale Ale and a Brown Ale. so i tried the Pale Ale which was 3kg LME and 45g cascade hops.

It was based on using a 16l stock pot and filling it 3/4 full with water for making the wort, so should of been 12 litres of water.... only later did i realise that i didnt have a 16l stockpot mine is 20l so i had filled it 3/4 full with 15 litres of water.

So when the wort was cooled and the recipe said to top up with 12 litres in the fermenter to take it to around 20-21 lites in there.

But i only had to add around 8 litres of water to the fermenter.

Can i ask what effect this may have on my brew ? I don't fully understand the wort volume to additional water ratio...

I added the yeast at 5pm on Saturday night and 9pm tonight it the airlock was bubbling away nice and loud... so things do seem to be happening !

 

[Scottyburto]

I don't think it'll make any difference at this point. If I've read you correctly u will have just heated more water, therefore longer to boil and long to cool. Unless someone more informed can correct me!

 

[BrucetheFish]

Thanks, so I was thinking that my wort from my boil would be less diluted.

Will my final beer be stronger because of this ?

 

[Sandimas]

Presume you did an hour boil of the Cascade hops? If the recipe was sized for a 12l boil and you did 15L boil, you'll get better hop utilisation so more bitterness.

 

[BrucetheFish]

Yes the cascade was a one hour boil.

It’s still bubbling along so fingers crossed it will be ok !

Out of interest is there any rule to the ratio of wort from boil and how much water you add afterwards to get the final amount in the fermenting bucket ?

 

[BrucetheFish]

Hi

I just opened a bottle of my first home brew - one week after bottling and it tastes good but the gas level was quite low after the initial head disappeared. I know you really should wait for around 2 weeks.

Can I ask with time is the gas level likely to improve or have i underdone the sugar ?

Pic attached.

 

[dwhite60]

Hi

I just opened a bottle of my first home brew - one week after bottling and it tastes good but the gas level was quite low after the initial head disappeared. I know you really should wait for around 2 weeks.

Can I ask with time is the gas level likely to improve or have i underdone the sugar ?

Pic attached.

One week is not long enough to get full carbonation especially if the were kept somewhere cool. I let mine go already three weeks. I keep them somewhere around 20C.

How did you prime your beer? What did you use and how much?

 

[BrucetheFish]

After reading an American pale ale O2 should be 2.2 to 2.9 I used a priming calculator - image attached, using dextrose

 

[Ale House Rock]

After reading an American pale ale O2 should be 2.2 to 2.9 I used a priming calculator - image attached, using dextrose

130g of glucose should be plenty. Assuming you mixed it in evenly and carefully, just give it some time. Your beer needs to condition as well as carbonate and both of these will contribute to the appearance and taste of your beer.

 

[BrucetheFish]

Excellent, a couple more weeks then.

Just did my second brew yesterday, progressed to partial mash and different hops at various times, hoping it will be another level on the taste side.

Cheers