Wilkinsons Golden Ale

[Fireball13801]

I've just started my second golden ale, and because the last one came out with a low ABV (3.7%) I decided to brew it a little short, however the OG was 1050 - is this too high? If it gets too strong can I add more water before bottling?

 

[simcoe soup]

In my experience of this kit, it will come out between 4.8 & 5% (1014-1012 fg). Sounds ok to me :thumb:

 

[Fireball13801]

Perfect, thanks for your help.
Being new to this brewing malarkey I just wanted to check, as I am running out of my first batch and didn't want to have to ditch this one if it turned to treacle! :lol:

 

[cubensis]

Hi, I also have this kit on the go, and i too have tried it from the trial jar and am looking forward to it. I had it in a pressure barrel but it wouldn't carbonate so ended up bottling it so potentially not the best batch, or maybe better? Not sure.

Anyway i wanted to ask about making the beer stronger, without adding sugar.

I like a beer around 5 - 6%, would buying 3 kits and doing two brews with three cans in each give around 6%? Also has anyone ever done this with any kit?

Alternatively, and more cheaply would adding a kilogram of DME from Wilkinsons do the same thing for cheaper?

Cheers!

 

[Fireball13801]

I believe the easiest way to make your golden ale stronger is to brew it "short" I.e. with less water than the instructions. I have used 20 litres of water instead of 24. This has given an OG of 1050, so if I can get it down to 1012 I'll have a 5% brew. If you wanted to go stronger you could be more patient and get a lower FG, use even less water, or add more sugar/DME at the start ( you should find more info on this if you use the search function on this site). Good luck. :thumb:

 

[cubensis]

I believe the easiest way to make your golden ale stronger is to brew it "short" I.e. with less water than the instructions. I have used 20 litres of water instead of 24. This has given an OG of 1050, so if I can get it down to 1012 I'll have a 5% brew. If you wanted to go stronger you could be more patient and get a lower FG, use even less water, or add more sugar/DME at the start ( you should find more info on this if you use the search function on this site). Good luck. :thumb:

Hi, thanks for the reply, yea I generally do a 20 litre short brew. I think next time i'll add 500g of DME. Cheers.

 

[buzzharvey22]

I made this as my 2nd ever kitand wanted to just make it by the book when im still getting used to brewing. But i had problems with my hydrometer, and my OG was very low, i panicked and added a big chunk of table sugar, probably around 600 grams. Of course, it was fine, but i had a problem with the hydrometer so i got a dodgy reading. Bought a new hydrometer and bottled the beer at an FG of 1.010 after 9 days.

I was a bit gutted because i was worried that the extra sugar may have affected the taste a little. I had a little sample after just 5 days in the bottle and it looked a beautiful colour, taste was pretty nice too, quite bitter but citrusy and refreshing. So it looks as though the sugar isnt going to have a nagative effect on the beer :-) Dont really know what the ABV is going to be, i guess somewhere in the 5% region, as it said expected 4% on the box. And should be quite nice and pleasant in around a months time!!

 

[Monte Cristo]

Happened to be passing Wilkinson's on Sunday, remembered the good reviews for their home brews, so fought my way through the Lambert and Butler clutching horde to purchase my very own - 'Wilco Golden Ale' for the princely sum of £16!.
Have just made it now, sg 1043 and i have brewed short to 21.5 litres- doesn't actually tell you on the box what the sg should be but never mind smells absolutely champion already and haven't even put the yeast in yet!

 

[redhousebrewing]

Just started my Golden Ale off today - made up to 22 litres with 500g beer enhancer - hoping for good things, even better if we have some summer evenings to sit out and enjoy a pint :drink:

Stuart

 

[Kinleycat]

Sampling my first golden ale this evening and while it lacks the colour and body so far of the Wherry ( the Wherry has three months start on it); it tastes & smells very Wherry-ish!!
Nice drop thus far. :thumb:

 

[Roonster]

I've made and drank now two kits of the golden ale. Made exactly as per the instructions with no added sugar. Alcohol content turned out at 4.7. Left the bottles in the fridge for about 2 months before drinking. The colour is a little darker than what I expected but the beer has turned out superbly well. I gave a lot of bottles away to friends and some of them thought that this was beer bought at the supermarket. I prefer it to woodfordes wherry and its slightly cheaper.

 

[Fireball13801]

I bottled my second batch of this kit at the weekend. Because I'd brewed it short the alcohol content came out at 4.6%. Most have been bottled with brewing sugar, but I have used honey, agave syrup & maple syrup for a few. They seem to be carbonating ok, so now the patience bit! Could be difficult as I am down to my last 3 bottles of the previous golden ale

 

[buzzharvey22]

i only bottled this 3 weeks ago and i am very much enjoying it. nice creamy foamy head, but the beer itself isnt aggresivly fizzy. extremely easy to drink. Proper session beer. Will make another batch of this so that i always have something to drink, then il try out a wherry and a few other things!!

Very enjoyable for about 42p a pint

 

[Kinleycat]

Had a couple out of the keg tonight and Wow this is great!!!
Full of flavour and for a £10 bargain basement one can kit this is top drawer.
Going to get a couple more tomorrow, in my opinion for half the price it's as flavoursome as Wherry but lighter
It's the closest I've come so far to brewing the blondes I like, slightly darker but the flavour is bang on!!!

 

[Monte Cristo]

Had a couple out of the keg tonight and Wow this is great!!!
Full of flavour and for a £10 bargain basement one can kit this is top drawer.
Going to get a couple more tomorrow, in my opinion for half the price it's as flavoursome as Wherry but lighter
It's the closest I've come so far to brewing the blondes I like, slightly darker but the flavour is bang on!!!

Either you have been robbed or i have, I paid £16 and got a two can kit!
Bottled mine last night it hit the 1014 fg as stated on the box and was a little darker than i expected but it is still early days i suppose and not that it matters, had a quick glass and was very impressed should mature nicely.

 

[Kinleycat]

Had a couple out of the keg tonight and Wow this is great!!!
Full of flavour and for a £10 bargain basement one can kit this is top drawer.
Going to get a couple more tomorrow, in my opinion for half the price it's as flavoursome as Wherry but lighter
It's the closest I've come so far to brewing the blondes I like, slightly darker but the flavour is bang on!!!

Either you have been robbed or i have, I paid £16 and got a two can kit!
Bottled mine last night it hit the 1014 fg as stated on the box and was a little darker than i expected but it is still early days i suppose and not that it matters, had a quick glass and was very impressed should mature nicely.

My mistake you're right it was a two can kit, I was getting mixed up with the Hoppy Copper and Stout kits I had bought!!!
This is still a thunderously good kit though and worth the price!! :thumb:

 

[Mothy1965]

I brewed this kit 16 days ago and moved the keg into the garage tonight, 2 days after adding the spray malt. I also bottled a few just as giveaways as quite a few mates are interested after the success of my Wherry (hic). I can't wait to try this one!
Seriously thinking about buying a 3rd barrel to keep a constant supply of ale on the go.
Just got to decide what to brew next.

 

[Monte Cristo]

Just Cracked the first bottle of my Golden ale and what a corker, good head, lovely aroma and tastes absolutely splendid.
That Wilko sale better still be on tomorrow!!

 

[Kinleycat]

Just Cracked the first bottle of my Golden ale and what a corker, good head, lovely aroma and tastes absolutely splendid.
That Wilko sale better still be on tomorrow!!

They had a few on the shelves in the Wakefield store on Thursday. :thumb:

 

[buzzharvey22]

this has got so much better with time. my 2nd ever kit and iv fallen in love with it. bought 2 with it being on special at wilkos, and gonna always have one on the go as the stock beer, and then brew something along side it to have a bit of fun with.

need to find an airlock from somewhere though as all 6 are on my wines and wow's so i cant get a 2nd beer on for another week or so. Could just pop to wilko's and buy another couple i guess. I like living 500 yards from a Wilko's :-)