When do I add my Beer Kit Enhancer?

[lutonlady]

Hello fellow beer lovers, I'm confused....

When is the best time to add some BKE to a Woodforde's Great Eatern Ale kit? I want this ale to get the best start in its short life, and if I can add some enhancer to help me get a cracking ale, then so be it!

The packet says to add when i'm mixing up the tins & water in the FV. But I've read a few different sources of advice.

I'm also a tad conufsed as to how much to actually put in... I bought a 1 kilo bag of Muntons BKE following something I read on one of these forums and I'm just not sure what on earth do with it?

Another post on 'ere says to use it to condition the barrel instead of sugar berfore I syphon. . . Advice?

I have all the kit ready to rock and roll but I dont want to get going until I'm sure that I needed to add the packet (or some of it? How much?) at the start!

I've tried searching the how to guides and forums, even certain web sites, and am still being a bit blonde.

Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[dandan]

Woodforde's are 3kg kits so they dont need any extras like spraymalts/bke!

BKE are used gram for gram in the place of sugar in kits that need sugar! i.e Gordie's, Brewbuddy, EDME............................................

Tubby Shaw has written a guide to making the most out of beer kits CLICKY

A for the syphoning, once the brew has fermented (10days or so) syphon into your barrel addidng the priming sugar to the barrel (I usually do this before so it gets mixed into the beer as it goes into the barrel, I find it best to disolve the sugar first before adding it to the barrel

 

[lutonlady]

Aaaaaaah I see, so I bought that bag of stuff I dont actually need... Oops! Well thanks for clearing that up - I guess the guy in the shop wasn't likely to say ' you dont really need that love' was he?

So whats the best kind of sugar to use for priming a golden ale like great eastern? Regular silver spoon or any reccomendations for a smoother brew?

And how much for a 40 pint barrel? I am sure I looked this up but I cant find it now. . .

I am assuming that I dissolve the sugar in some of the beer i'm about to put into the barrell, then chuck it all in together? Or is it sugar solution 1st then beer?

Crickey this is getting complicated - and there's my other half begging me to try making 80/ Deuchars &Timmy Taylor lol... Lets not run before we can walk!!

Much appreciated :

 

[corby_brewer]

Aaaaaaah I see, so I bought that bag of stuff I dont actually need... Oops! Well thanks for clearing that up - I guess the guy in the shop wasn't likely to say ' you dont really need that love' was he?

it wont go to waste, you can always use it on your next kit.

as for the amount of sugar to prime with, its about 1/2a teaspoon per pint.

 

[lutonlady]

True - Will make sure it gets used uo 1 way or another.

Now I have the quantity, any suggestions as to the kind? Might have to scoot off and browse other posts...

 

[corby_brewer]

i used silverspoon light brown sugar in my kits, it gives it a nice taste and not to fizzy.

 

[gerrytds]

I am actually wondering if I should use brown sugar instead of the beer enhanser would be a lot cheaper as its an extra 6 euro a brew and as im brewing a lot at the moment any savings would be good.

How does the brown sugar work fot you D

Cheers .......................G

 

[corby_brewer]

it works out good G. try it you wont be disappointed

 

[gerrytds]

Yep sorted then D, Going to start using brown sugar cheap cheap...................G

 

[dandan]

G are you on about using the sugar as priming or as the main fermentable in making the beer!

If your on about using it as the main fermentable in beer, wont it make it more watery compared to the BKE or Spraymalts? saying that I did make a Gordies Yorkhire Bitter using Part BKE, part Molasses and part Dark Brown Sugar! and it was good!!

 

[corby_brewer]

If your on about using it as the main fermentable in beer, wont it make it more watery compared to the BKE or Spraymalts? saying that I did make a Gordies Yorkhire Bitter using Part BKE, part Molasses and part Dark Brown Sugar! and it was good!!

ive used DSM and sugar as the main fermentable and not noticed any diff.

 

[Wez]

Moving this to the correct forum :thumb:

 

[gerrytds]

Think its a trial and error thing i will see how it goes.

Cheers.................G

 

[dandan]

True - Will make sure it gets used uo 1 way or another.

Now I have the quantity, any suggestions as to the kind? Might have to scoot off and browse other posts...

To prime I use Whitworths Granulated Sugar, what Barrel have you got?

Think its a trial and error thing i will see how it goes.

Cheers.................G

Would be quite intresting to see how it goes, I never used just sugar becuase people say it makes it watery!

 

[gerrytds]

I have always used beer inhanser kits but will try a one off with just brown sugar for both fermenting and priming and see what the taste is like when the bottles are done.

All this beer talk i have had to reach into the fridge and have a cold one...... :party:

Will let you know what happens...............G

 

[corby_brewer]

brewing is in my opinion all about trying diff things, if it turns out good thats ok, if it dont then move on and try somthing else. :

ps - kilju no no :sick:

 

[lutonlady]

I just have a basic 5 gal white bottom tap barrel with s30 cap...

Think I'm just going to go with 3 ounces of granulated sugar unless I can find anything better in the meantime, but I do like my ale a bit on the heady side - Wont need to worry for 10 days yet as have only just decided to get it all up and running tomorrow night now I know I can forget adding enhancer.

Thanks everyone

 

[dandan]

I just have a basic 5 gal white bottom tap barrel with s30 cap...

Think I'm just going to go with 3 ounces of granulated sugar unless I can find anything better in the meantime, but I do like my ale a bit on the heady side - Wont need to worry for 10 days yet as have only just decided to get it all up and running tomorrow night now I know I can forget adding enhancer.

Thanks everyone

:thumb: Go to wilkos and get a 50p trukey baster for your barrel!! it will make pouring a lot better!!

CLICKY

brewing is in my opinion all about trying diff things, if it turns out good thats ok, if it dont then move on and try somthing else. :

ps - kilju no no :sick:

learning from experiance!! Ahhhh! experiential learning was part of my degree!
I was advised to not to use sugar on another forum! (that was before I discoverd the best brewing forum on the interweb (THBF) :party:

Soooo whats wrong with the sugar wine?

 

[tubby_shaw]

Soooo whats wrong with the sugar wine?

Just guessing here but I'm going with "It tastes like sh1te :sick: "
:lol:

 

[corby_brewer]

Just guessing here but I'm going with "It tastes like sh1te :sick: "
:lol:

You got it in one T.S. :sick: :nono: :sick: