How short to brew?

kentmark · Oct 30, 2012

Have got a spare Youngs ubrew kit that I want to have a bit of a play with for a Crimbo brew. I've been reading other threads about the addition of spices at a secondary fermentation stage, so have some ideas on that.

The kit states using 22.5 litres of water to make it. I've brewed one of these kits to 20 litres before and it came out a lot nicer than brewing as per the instructions, a nice fuller flavour without being overpowering.

I was wondering if dropping the amount of water a little more would give a little more depth (and maybe strength?), but is there a good rule of thumb of how low to go without getting too concentated?

Cheers guys : cheers:

RobWalker · Oct 30, 2012

The great thing is because it's all relative, the bitterness, abv and sweetness all balance out the shorter you brew. So potentially, you could brew to 11L for an 8% brew that will still have plenty of balance!

what is it, a lager? most cheap kits use isometrized hop extract and a boring malt profile, so you've basically got a blank canvas to experiment with...

calumscott · Oct 30, 2012

What Rob said...

You probably want to mess around with hops (boil some up in the water you'll use, chuck some in as a dry hop as fermentation progresses), maybe some dark grains steeped (chocolate malt? chololate's always good at chrimbo...), as you say some christmas pudding spices might be nice.

You've also got the possibilities of exotic sugars, dark muscovado, treacle, mollasses, dark candi sugar etc which can bring alsorts of winey, belgian, fruity, banana sorts of flavours which would be good in a festive brew...

You don't want to go too strong though as you're running short on conditioning time. I would say keep it to 6% ABV or there abouts and it should be drinkable in time.

:thumb:

RobWalker · Oct 30, 2012

Ah - missed the part about adding spices - here is my christmas beer recipe I make every year. I hope it will give you some inspiration, it's a brown ale that tastes like ginger biscuits : cheers:

bear in mind this is a 9L batch!

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=26217&hilit=ginger+nut+christmas

kentmark · Oct 30, 2012

Cheers guys. Yes, its a lager kit. I would prefer a bitter kit but the lager kits were stupidly cheap so stocked up!

My thinking was do a Crimbo brew, nothing too fancy but a little christmassy. Enough quantity for a good few over the christmas break but not worried about a full 40pints that the kit will do.

Cheers for the recepie will have a read through that. Currently thinking brew to 16 litres, will use some spices etc in a secondary fv (will have a read through the recipie for some inspiration :thumb: ). Hopefully get it on now should be spot on for christmas!!

RobWalker · Oct 30, 2012

bear in mind that the higher the abv, the longer it will take to get good. i brew mine in may, hahah...this time of year you're probably better off with a 5%er.