first brew done

[dps]

well just done my first brew well that was fun (NOT)
dont see why people call that beer brewing.when all you do is just add water

 

[StrangeBrew]

First of many I hope... and yes I agree basic kit brewing is hardly the excitement of the year !

But it does get more fun once you start tweaking kits with extra steeped grains.... malts... hops etc...

Then later bypassing kits altogether and brewing your own from Scratch.

:

 

[dps]

i was under the impression you could not add. hops extra malt or grain..
to a kit..

 

[StrangeBrew]

i was under the impression you could not add. hops extra malt or grain..
to a kit..

No you can and many people do tweak kits to enhance the flavours or change the beer characteristic to something more to their liking...

Malt extract can be added in substitution for a a portion of the sugar in a kit to give a maltier taste and more body
Maltodextrin 100 ~200 grams added to a 1 tin + sugar kit will give it more body without changing taste
Malt and speciality grains can be steeped in water at 66C for 30 mins to an hour and the resultant liquid boiled along with (optional) hops and then cooled and added to the kit replacing some of the water. This can radically change the colour and style of a kit.
Hops alone can be boiled in a little water, strained and the resultant liquid added to the kit to change the hop profile.

Lots can be done to tinker with kits...

:

 

[jonnymorris]

...all you do is just add water

It's not quite that straight-forward is it, i.e. you have to manage the fermentation and bottling as well. Admitedly, it's not rocket science but you've got to start somewhere.

 

[nuggitmv]

kit a good to geting to grips with bacis

 

[nuggitmv]

but yes the dark side is more fun lol :twisted:

 

[artiums_enteri]

I have the same thoughts when people come up to me and say, "I made beer with a Mr. Beer kit." my reaction is always the same. "very cool man, did you like the process and end product?" "then step into my office and we can teach you how to make beer." So the obsession for many has begun.

 

[dps]

forgot to say what my og was.
its 1.040 at 24c

 

[dps]

on the lid of my fv there is a lot of brown stuff. do i scape this of and drop it in the fv or not..

 

[StrangeBrew]

on the lid of my fv there is a lot of brown stuff. do i scape this of and drop it in the fv or not..

No leave it alone, same for the ring of brown around the FV just above the beer leave it where it is...

:

 

[dps]

but isn't that yeast..

 

[StrangeBrew]

but isn't that yeast..

No, the crud that sticks to the outside of the fermenter is mainly dead yeast, hop resins and various other unwanted stuff ... scraping it back into the beer can impart harsh after tastes to your beer.

: