roadhouse1387
New Member
Im still quite new to the hobby and so far have completed about 8 or 9 kits, sticking more or less to the standard instructions. I have though been reading and learning as i go on and have tried various beginner things recommended by those of you out there who are far more experienced than me such as using different sugars, spray malts in various quantities etc, and with more success than failures up to now. so, im all for having a go, its all about learning after all.
so, I had got hold of this geordie winter warmer kit hoping it would be similar to a beer i remember from years ago called 'firecracker' although i cant remember which brewery it came from, i do remember it had fantastic spicy type aftertaste, a bit like mulled wine. I was fairly disapointed to read then about the fairly negative reviews this kit was receiving, so i set about trying to 'spice' it up as a learning exercise more than anything else. I was aiming for about 6.5 to 7% ABV with a spicy type taste.
So, this is what i have done..
I boiled 1kg of medium DME along with some schwartz 'mulled wine' , well , spiced tea bags would be the only way to describe them added three teaspoons of the contents about 10 mins into a short boil (total 25 mins), then another teaspoon about 3 mins before the end.
I then put this in the FV along with 500g of brown sugar dissolved in water and added the contents of the kit can.
Then added, 250g of Golden Syrup and 250g of black treacle, then filled the FV to 19 ltrs, so a little short.
I had managed to get hold of some Wilko Gervin ale yeast which i gather is danstar nottingham yeast repackaged at 11 grams.( I thought i had better use something a bit more efficient/more quantity than the kit yeast given the increase in fermentables in the FV now.)
i measured the OG to be 1062
I rehydrated the yeast in 110ml and pitched at 24deg.
It went nuts for 5 days solid, cloged up the airlock and blew the top of the FV
It has slowed down now and i have just taken a hydrometer reading and its sitting at 1008, which according to most online calculators is about 7.1%.
:-o.. result ! i have hit my target, although i have to confess more by good luck and guesswork than the application of science.
It smells subtly cinnamony and spicy and a little malty which is promising. Of course, the proof will be in the pudding in 4 or 5 weeks time, it may taste like horses **** yet..!
now, this rather long story has a short question attached, I was trying to research a method of building up a recipe, or a set of basic 'rules of thumb' which you could use to alter kits with reasonably predictable results. For example, 250g of 'x' will increase abv by 'y' and leave 'this' type of taste.
Im not sure there is a method but im guessing there are some members out there who are reading this and saying 'yeah, with all that stuff in there, i would have expected about 7%' question is .. How do you know ?
Anyway, I will report on how it tastes when its ready. Or at that strength, you may read about it in the papers first :drunk:
Cheers !
so, I had got hold of this geordie winter warmer kit hoping it would be similar to a beer i remember from years ago called 'firecracker' although i cant remember which brewery it came from, i do remember it had fantastic spicy type aftertaste, a bit like mulled wine. I was fairly disapointed to read then about the fairly negative reviews this kit was receiving, so i set about trying to 'spice' it up as a learning exercise more than anything else. I was aiming for about 6.5 to 7% ABV with a spicy type taste.
So, this is what i have done..
I boiled 1kg of medium DME along with some schwartz 'mulled wine' , well , spiced tea bags would be the only way to describe them added three teaspoons of the contents about 10 mins into a short boil (total 25 mins), then another teaspoon about 3 mins before the end.
I then put this in the FV along with 500g of brown sugar dissolved in water and added the contents of the kit can.
Then added, 250g of Golden Syrup and 250g of black treacle, then filled the FV to 19 ltrs, so a little short.
I had managed to get hold of some Wilko Gervin ale yeast which i gather is danstar nottingham yeast repackaged at 11 grams.( I thought i had better use something a bit more efficient/more quantity than the kit yeast given the increase in fermentables in the FV now.)
i measured the OG to be 1062
I rehydrated the yeast in 110ml and pitched at 24deg.
It went nuts for 5 days solid, cloged up the airlock and blew the top of the FV
It has slowed down now and i have just taken a hydrometer reading and its sitting at 1008, which according to most online calculators is about 7.1%.
:-o.. result ! i have hit my target, although i have to confess more by good luck and guesswork than the application of science.
It smells subtly cinnamony and spicy and a little malty which is promising. Of course, the proof will be in the pudding in 4 or 5 weeks time, it may taste like horses **** yet..!
now, this rather long story has a short question attached, I was trying to research a method of building up a recipe, or a set of basic 'rules of thumb' which you could use to alter kits with reasonably predictable results. For example, 250g of 'x' will increase abv by 'y' and leave 'this' type of taste.
Im not sure there is a method but im guessing there are some members out there who are reading this and saying 'yeah, with all that stuff in there, i would have expected about 7%' question is .. How do you know ?
Anyway, I will report on how it tastes when its ready. Or at that strength, you may read about it in the papers first :drunk:
Cheers !
