First brew! Question about spraymalt/DME

[Davidmilce]

Hi all!
About to start my first ever brew using my brewing kit christmas present. I have got a can of Coopers English Bitter to start out with.
The can reccomends the addition of 500g DME but posts I have read on here seem to suggest the addition of 1Kg.
How much do I need to buy????
Also is the DME added at the start of the process along with the contents of the can?
Many thanks
Dave

 

[calumscott]

Hi David,

Check out my First Brew how to in the how to section (and a good few others!), everything you will need to get your first brew underway should be there! :thumb:

I haven't done that kit, but 500g seems light to me - was there a sugar component too? If there is, then use the 500g + whatever it says in sugar then omit the sugar. In other words, combine the weights of sugar and DME and use that amount of DME as the only extras. It'll be a better beer for it.

 

[memit]

I've made this kit pretty much how it says in the tin, with just 500g of DME, added the same time as the contents of the can. The original gravity came out at 1035 and I think it said to expect about 1042, suggesting that 500g wasn't enough.

 

[Davidmilce]

Thanks for the reply!
Have read your first brew article and found it very useful.
The can says "500g Coopers light dry malt" and the instructions refer to "other fermentable sugars" with no amounts mentioned.
What do you think????
Thanks
Dave
:wha:

 

[calumscott]

Yeah, that seems pretty weak to me. Most one can kits look for a kilo of extra fermentibles.

I would go with the kilo of DME, it'll be a bit stronger but it'll have good body. :thumb:

 

[mmaguy41]

It does suggest using just the 500g for this kit, if you chose to do that it would just be a little on the low side abv wise. If you would prefer a decent strength beer 1kg of dme or brewenhancer would be better but either way would produce a nice beer so its down to your personal preference.