Using 50% of the beer kit? Mesuring the alcohol?

[Rukula]

Hey, long time no question. I just finished my first brew from a beer kit, and it came out way better than expected! This isn't the last time i do this, but the one problem i had, was the amount i got from the kit. For me, 25 liters was way too much, and i only had about 12 0,5 liter bottles to test the brew in, so now i have a half empty bucket of flat beer that i need to throw away.

I'm thinking about buying 25 bottles for the next project, but now to the question. The beer kits i have acces to in my local store is pre-hopped malt extract, With this kit i get a small "bag" of yeast another one with similar size which is a "Special enzyme for dry beers" (no idea what it does to the finished product... Help?)

If i were to only use 50% of the can, and 50% of the water needed etc, shall i still pour in all the yeast and that enzyme? Shall i use half the amount of sugar as well?

The other question i have, is about measuring the alcohol level. I have this long glass thing, that looks allot like my hygrometer for measuring the gravity of the beer. (Like this: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/images/IMG_7882.jpg )

I didn't use the hygrometer to find out when to bottle my beer, so i waited for the airlock to stop bobbling, and the foam to go away (basically letting it take its time instead of just waiting only 4 days) so i don't really know how to use the hygrometer either . Shall i measure the alcohol level at the same time? or can i do that after its bottled and when its cold and fizzy?

Sorry for all these stupid questions, but hey, this was my first time. :thumb:

 

[Chris]

I would say if you're going to brew just half of the kit then use half of the ingredients but still use a sachet of the yeast, it's cheap enough to buy anyway. I would worry about how you're going to store the rest of the can with it now being open, it could get contaminated.

Asda & Tesco always have offers on their 3 for £1 1L PET bottles they fill with sprakling fruit flavoured water. I know, I bought loads, emptied the contents & sterilised them, I still use them now, 2 years on :lol: .

Personally, I wouldn't faff about, just brew the whole kit, bottle it & store it, then consume as needed :drink: .

 

[Rukula]

I would worry about how you're going to store the rest of the can with it now being open, it could get contaminated.

That's no problem, the thing is that 15 liters of un-used beer is hard to throw away, and its way easier to just pour the rest of the can out in the sink, if you know what I'm saying. It saves me allot of work when i want to make half the amount.

Thanks for the tips mate! :

 

[Wolverine]

this is just silly are you really talking about buying a beer kit and throwing half away? why not just use the whole can and not add sugar if it's a one can kit.
Or if it's a two can kit just open one can.

 

[screamlead]

Bit daft chucking half away. Theres loads of tips and trix on this forum have a search and a good read. Theres even one on how to use the hydrometer too.
Get your self to the recycling places and bottle banks and get loads more bottles and some caps and a capper. They dont cost much and you will have beer you can sup 2-3 months down the line.
Sacreledge man dont bin it - drink it! :thumb:

 

[klaus]

When I first started kit brewing the job of bottling 40 pints was just too much for me ....
So as I normally buy top-end kits, I just use one can, halve everything, also buy another yeast sachet.
I have also used this approach for one can kits, measured out half, and as I couldn't be sure when I would do the other half put that in the freezer. This worked out also fine, just needed to melt the frozen malt block.
Don't throw away good beer! I have often miscalculated and din't have enough bottles and in the panic grabbed some discarded PET bottles, sometimes didn't even sterilise but none has ever gone bad....
Good luck!

 

[jinxy72]

id do what wolverine said ... buy a 2 can kit and just use 1 :thumb: .... if using one can though ud prob need some sugar added ... or better still .... get yourself some more bottles :!: :!:

 

[Rukula]

Hehe, this seem to confuse people. I started brewing beer, because i wanted to try it out, and because beer in Norway is insanely expensive.

A six pack of 0,5 beer costs about 150 - 200 Norwegian kroner.
And a beer kit costs 100, so if i make 6 bottles, i have already saved money.

So throwing half the beer kit away doesn't really matter.
Buying a two can kit is definitely an option, thanks for that!

I will buy some bore bottles some day tho!

 

[Wolverine]

Wow that is about 15 quid for 6 beers that sucks.
And I bet I can tell the style of beer . fizzy pale lager
still no excuse to throw beer away though bottles cost nothing.
I still cant see the sense in throwing away half of your beer kit
why wait a month for 20 bottles when you can have 40 for no extra work or money?