n00b questions

[Crash]

Hi everyone! As the title suggests I'm pretty new at this, made 2-3 batches of extract and actually getting a bit frustrated at how rubbish they are. Going to try a mini-mash of some description this weekend to get some results.

1. One can of extract for 22L seems a bit weak, Most recipes seem to recommend 3-4kg of extract instead of 1.7kg, is this right?

2. One can Coopers Ale + can Macs Pale + 1kg crushed Crystal + 50g fuggles = gud beer?

3. Can I prime the bottles with dry malt, and what difference does it make?

4. Why do most NZ beers taste so bad, Speights/Tui/Lion Red etc? What were they aiming for before making it fizzy and freezing cold?

I'd like to encourage any other n00bs to add questions too!

[MrC]

Hi Crash

I did kit & kilo brewing off and on for years. The results were largely dissapointing with horrible yeasty & cidery flavours. I then discovered HowToBrew and never looked back.

If you follow the HowToBrew techniques, you'll need some additional gear and you'll spend additional time brewing but the results make it well worth the effort.

[denimglen]

1 + 2. I agree with MrC, check out how to brew and follow JP's direction for Extract and grain beers. If you're going to add your own hops and grain there isn't much point (to me anyway) of using pre-hopped kits - better off using unhopped D/LME.

3. Yup, you can prime with DME, apparently it gives a slightly better flavour but I've never bothered trying it. The amount of refined sugar to prime is pretty small and shouldn't give any off flavours, it's also a lot cheaper.

4. I don't know. I'd say it's because to the majority of Kiwi's beer is just another alcohol delivery device. The NZ draught beers are pretty approachable - sweetish, not that bitter, pretty flavourless overall.

Hope that helps,


Glenim.

[jt]

1 & 2 - Yup, go the 3 kg of malt extract, but a kg of crystal would probably be way too much.
How much should you use I hear you say ?
That depends on what you want to make.
200-300gm is a good starting point
Go with DG and Mr Cherry's suggestions, www.howtobrew.com

As for bulk priming with different stuff, there's different calculators about that'll tell you what amount you'll need, worth a look

cheers, jt

[Crash]

Thanks guys.. I have read the online book by JP and fully intend to get into all grain stuff, just not right now.

Man, i need a bigger pot. The kitchen looked like a malt grenade went off and yeah, note for the future... less grain.

The liquid yeast i bought DIDN'T BL00DY WORK so i had to use 2 sachets of the dry stuff stuck to the tin. At least i made a starter.

Was going for a pale ale but it looks way, way too dark for that. As long as it's a big imrovement on previous kits i'll be happy for now.

[Barry]

You bought liquid yeast and it didn't work? That would rip your undies.
Did you make a starter with it? What was the volume and gravity of your starter? And were you controlling fermentation temperature?
If I were you, and seeing as though liquid yeasts are so expensive over here, I would stick to dry. No starter required, no wort oxygenation required, WAY cheaper. You're limited to the kind of styles you can brew of course, but when you're just starting out thats a good thing :) Just get yourself familiar with rehydration - each yeast has it's own specific regime - do it exactly. And make sure you have some temperature control.

And as JT said, 1kg of crystal is too much :)

[jt]

3.7kg pale, 300gm medium crystal, looks a little darker than it really is.

[Crash]

Wow, that looks really good, hope mine looks that nice.

[James P]

Where did you AGers get your brew kettles, or what are you using?

[MrC]

There's a thread on this site started by jt that discusses this topic:
Kettles

Hauraki Home Brew have some 25L still bases for about $135 and wort chillers for about $50.

[Barry]

I DIY'd my kettle and my HLT - cut an old copper hot water cylindar in half, added extra holes for taps etc.
HLT has 2 elements - 3KW and 1KW controlled by a mashmaster HTL controller.
Kettle has one element - 3KW - holds 30+ lt at a good rolling boil.

I have to say, my experience with electricity has been wonderful. It really is the way to go, especially for an HLT.

[Glynn Foster]

I ended up paying an overpriced $120 or so for a DIY chiller because I got the copper tubing from Plumbing Plus, and almost certainly overkilled it in terms of length. $130 or so for a 40L pot from Moore Wilsons which did the job nicely (even though it doesn't have a convenient tap..yet..which makes it a bit of a pain transferring).

[jt]

Those are total volume 28 litres and I manage a 23 litre boil - very watchfully