Splitting a Kit?

[aamcle]

Evening.

What kits would you recommend for splitting in to 2 x 11l batches?

I'm finding AG a bit of an effort at the moment and 23l all at once takes so long to get through the beer fades.

The idea is that I use half the wort from a kit to make beer and put the other half in the freezer for later possibly changing yeasts and hops,

This should give me a better choice of beers without too much extra work.

Of course this depends on getting good kits were both cans have the same ingredients inside.

Id appreciate your thoughts and suggestions.

atb aamcle

 

[DavidDetroit]

I always recommend just buying ingredients based on a kit recipe or whatever. Kits, depending on how fast they get sold, could be less fresh than buying from your local supplier.
I just find a kit seller online that lists their recipe and buy individual ingredients. I have not found it to be cheaper though.

 

[Paul Roberts]

Brewferm do some Belgium beer extract kits thst are 9 - 12 litres

 

[Rento]

Try the Coopers Mr Beer craft Kits. They are under a tenner and do 8.5l (or 10l as i do them) and very good 1 can no addition kits.

 

[aamcle]

Rento that could be just what I want, thanks,

 

[Pavros]

You could try Woodforde's Wherry which is a 2 can kit but make up 1 can at a time (and try different dry hops etc).

Most 2 can kits have the same cans in them but some have 2 different cans. I assume 1 is hopped (with double the bitterness) and 1 unhopped. There was an old thread on here about it but I can't find it now to link. You have to make sure you are buying a kit with 2 cans or pouches and not 1 big pouch.

The Brewferm kits are excellent if you like Belgian beers but take 3 months or more to condition.

 

[Llamaman]

Brewferm do some Belgium beer extract kits thst are 9 - 12 litres

Yes, the Bruin and Christmas beers I was quite happy with. The Gallia was disappointing.

 

[Llamaman]

Try the Coopers Mr Beer craft Kits. They are under a tenner and do 8.5l (or 10l as i do them) and very good 1 can no addition kits.

I bought a Coopers kit primarily to get the fermenter (for sale in the classifieds ) and it came with an amber ale. There are recipes on the Coopers website to pimp their kits and I went for the "Bewitched Amber Ale" and it turned out to be one the best brews I ever did (in my brief second period of homebrew). IIRC it conditioned pretty quickly too.

 

[Paul Roberts]

Yes, the Bruin and Christmas beers I was quite happy with. The Gallia was disappointing.

Ive just done the cherry ale, expensive but it smelt so good can't wait for this to be conditioned

 

[crowcrow]

My first couple of brews I split a tin - the first one in just poured half in, and covered the tin with cling film and kept in the fridge. The next I split in 3 in the same way. Risks infection that was but was very simple.

 

[Rodcx500z]

CML do ag kits in various sizes and get er brewed have a recipe builder so can order 11L or whatever size you need comes ready crushed and all you need to do an ag brew, hope this helps you

 

[obscure]

My first couple of brews I split a tin - the first one in just poured half in, and covered the tin with cling film and kept in the fridge. The next I split in 3 in the same way. Risks infection that was but was very simple.

I wonder how high the risk of infection actually is given how high the sugar content (and how low,the water content) combined with the hops I suspect an infection would struggle to take hold in malt extract especially if it’s stored in a refrigerator and covered.

 

[Llamaman]

I wonder how high the risk of infection actually is given how high the sugar content (and how low,the water content) combined with the hops I suspect an infection would struggle to take hold in malt extract especially if it’s stored in a refrigerator and covered.

I suspect it's quite hard unless you stick a mucky finger in or sneeze on it.
I used to put the can in very hot water to loosen it up (which would have helped sterilise the outside of the can), then used a spritz of StarSan on the can opener. I would also transfer the remaining extract to a Star-San'd tupperware tub (takes up less room in the fridge, plus less room for air).
Never had any obvious infection problems doing this. In any case, you end up pouring boiling water on the extract when you make the kit up, so any minor infection would most likely be killed before you improve the conditions for it to spread during fermentation (dilution and warmer temperature).

 

[Llamaman]

To answer the OP's original question, the Cooper's stout is always a safe option. And stout forms a good base for 'pimping' with various things (fermentable sugars, lactose, vanilla, cacao nibs, coffee...). LOADS of ideas on the huge thread this kit has.

 

[devexwarrior]

Not wishing to start a new thread but by way of varying this one...has anyone 'doubled' up a budget kit by using two tins of the same stuff to mimic a two-can premium kit? I once mixed a Wilko Newkie and a Wilko Stout together (mindful that neither was particularly pleasant on their own) that I'd bought at clearance. The result was 'interesting'. Alright, the result was bloody awful and not even I could drink it and I'll drink most things except Rum (makes me 'strange') and Ratzeputz (a vile German invention)