Two can or replace sugar?

[ericmark]

I would like to improve my beer, not drinking as must now so may as well be better quality. The two can route is easy, however replacing the sugar with honey, Syrup, treacle, cornsugar, or spray dried malt may have better results? The latter works out more expensive than two can which asks the question what is in two can kits?

There is also the "On offer" kit where sold for £10 using two kits instead of sugar route. I bought some lager kits when Morrisons stopped doing beer kits and I put into the bitter kit using half sugar and filled fermentor as full as I could, and yes turned out well, but with rather a high ABV in hind sight I should not have added any sugar and kept to 40 pints.

At £4.50 a bag and the bag is only 0.5 kg so need two that's £9 for sprayed malt which takes the on offer single can kit from Wilko to £19 total and the on offer twin can kit is £16 making the single can kit more expensive.

I have my first kit just bottled using brew enhancer which is cheaper than sprayed malt extract, but by time I have tried all the options it will be at least this time next year.

I got a porter on offer from Wilko at £10 and was considering adding treacle instead of sugar? Reading the advert for Wilko brewing sugar it says:
"Brewing sugar. Recommended as an addition to beer and wine kits for a faster and cleaner fermentation."
Well not looking for speed, and what cleaner means I don't know, standard sugar gives a clear brew if left to settle, what I want is better taste. Now the dried malt states extra body and more rounded, mellow note which it seems refers to taste not speed so seems some reason to use that.

So thoughts please. I think I will pick up treacle today in Mold while at the market, and I have one pack of medium dried malt for my can of Coppers bitter as to if adding one bag and reduce water or one bag and make up with sugar is something I have not decided on.

 

[Sandimas]

The latter works out more expensive than two can which asks the question what is in two can kits?

Two cans of pre-hopped liquid malt extract.

Which is why 2-can kits generally are the best you can get. 1-can kits may seem attractive price-wise but you always have to add 1kg of extra fermentables to them to make them up, so they aren't as cheap as they first seem. I generally use spraymalt or enhancer, only use treacle with the Belgian Brewferm kits.

If you really want to save money with a 1-can kit, get 2kg of pale malt (about 3 quid) and do a mini-mash using standard kitchen equipment, and add that to your kit.

 

[evolram]

Wilkos cerveza was on offer so I double tinned a batch still waiting to see what it turns out like.

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
The colour is variable, but this will be OK for bitters, and only £4.95 plus postage: http://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.uk/light-premium-liquid-malt-extract-15kg-p-2284.html

 

[Slid]

Wilkos cerveza was on offer so I double tinned a batch still waiting to see what it turns out like.

In my experience, the Wilko 1 can Lagers all come out well when doubled up. They are not bad price-wise when they are in a sale, too and take a hop addition as hop tea or dry hop quite well. Almost any hop will be good, but Cascade or Goldings are widely available and will make a real difference.

Of course, they will be more like a Pale Ale than a Lager, but nice enough.

 

[Slid]

Hi!
The colour is variable, but this will be OK for bitters, and only �£4.95 plus postage: http://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.uk/light-premium-liquid-malt-extract-15kg-p-2284.html

I can also endorse this approach from personal experience. But you are moving towards extract brewing and thence to the Dark side of AG!

I would definitely suggest adding hops and steeped grains to kits to see whether the effort seems worth it. From there, the possibilities all open up.

 

[evolram]

In my experience, the Wilko 1 can Lagers all come out well when doubled up. They are not bad price-wise when they are in a sale, too and take a hop addition as hop tea or dry hop quite well. Almost any hop will be good, but Cascade or Goldings are widely available and will make a real difference.

Of course, they will be more like a Pale Ale than a Lager, but nice enough.

I have some Fuggles left over, would they work?

 

[baggybill]

+1 Slid. I've done a few now and pimping a one can kit with some steeping grains and hops is easily/cheaply done and so worth it for the step up in quality of the result. There's a good few videos on YouTube re this, if you need some coaching :drink:

 

[Simonh82]

Treacle has a very strong flavour. It can become quite overwhelming even in dark beer. It's not to say you can't use it but I wouldn't replace a KG of sugar with it.

 

[ericmark]

Thanks, sugar is stock so that's easy approach. Also one dried sprayed malt in stock so 50% sugar and 50% dried sprayed malt seems easy route for the bitter. Reading what you say then likely 50% sugar and 50% treacle for the other. But I have time to think about it.

 

[Godsdog]

I brew one can kits all the time and mostly use either one or two 750 gram squezzey golden syrups 2 if I want a strong brew 1 if I want a session beer,then go down the dry hop route of around the final 5 days of fermentation in the FV.personally I love the citra hop and just use the teabag steeped for half hour in a saucepan at around 68°C not boiled, then throw it all in the FV bag and all in a muslin sock,it really does come out pretty strong citra/ lemony taste which I love