Beer Kit Brewing is easy!

[apokalypse]

I just picked up a brewing kit with my roommate, all told it cost around $100 for everything we'd need to make 23L of Edme Red Ale ($23 for the beer ingredients and $77 for the beer kit!). Details to follow.
"Pine cones go in here, party liquors comes out here and proceed to here. [points to mouth]" - Early Cuyler

[apokalypse]

So we picked up a simple beer kit containing a carboy (23L), a primary fermenter pail (29L), hydrometer, thermometer, stir stick, clamp, siphon hosing, test jar, and an airlock & stopper. Also picked up a kg of corn sugar and a 4lb can of Edme Red Ale. We just finished making the wort and filling up the primary fermenter pail with cold water, and are waiting for the temperature to drop to 20°C to get an accurate reading with the hydrometer. Once we get simple brewing technique down, we'll start doing more advanced recipes and brewing to taste

[Hippie3]

pix ?

[apokalypse]

Originally Posted by Hippie3

pix ?

I'll post some right after we add the yeast, should be in the next hour or two.

[abaca]

. . . . and now you're hooked!

[apokalypse]

Hooked? Hehe, I've brewed beer for kegs before for parties, but this is much much more intimate




This is everything that we got with the kit - the little jars contain citric acid, calcium carbonate, and a chlorine detergent powder used for sterilizing.



4lb canister of Edme Red Ale - looks delicious!



We brought 2L of water to a boil, and added in the canister of malt



and 1kg of corn sugar!



Stirred constantly and let it gently boil for 15 minutes.


We then transferred it into the primary fermenter pail. The pail was originally filled with 9L of cold water. Once the wort was poured in, we topped it off with cold water to the 23L line.



It's at about 30°C right now. We moved it into the laundry sink filled with cold water to try to cool it faster. You can see the thermometer bobbing in it hehe.
Once it drops to 20°C I'll take pictures of using the hydrometer to measure the specific gravity, and adding the yeast.

[apokalypse]

Alright, so the temperature FINALLY reached 20°C and I took an accurate reading with the hydrometer.



Looking at the upper meniscus, we see that the specific gravity is 1.038 which coincides with an alcohol by volume of 5%. The cool thing is that it came with a chart and simple example calculations that showed how we could increase the alcoholic content by simply adding a certain amount of sugar per L to the wort (I'll do this for fun next time - and make it twice as strong ).



Last step for today is to add (pitch) the yeast. It is a top-fermenting yeast, which makes sense, because we are making an ale. I'm going to check on it tomorrow evening before the brewing store closes, just in case it isn't fermenting by then, so we can pick up some more yeast. More updates to follow in the coming days, so don't go anywhere :up:

[Hippie3]

used to brew beer, years ago. now rarely drink it.
good luck!

[abaca]

IMHO I would use more extract to boost the alcohol. Sugar will boost the abv but will also dilute the body, make it thinner. Also I thought that hydrometer readings were taken at the liquid level and not the meniscus but maybe that's with a proof hydrometer. Guess it doesn't make a difference as long as you're consistent as it's the difference in the two hydrometer readings that tells the abv.

[apokalypse]

It's really hard to see it, but the liquid does rise up the hydrometer to 1.038. It was floating at about 1.040 if you looked straight across the top of the meniscus, and then the liquid touching the hydrometer rose up to 1.038. I just followed the instructions on the paper that came with the hydrometer showing an eye looking at where the liquid contacts the hydrometer.

Also, I've read that some people think the beer is pretty bitter. Wouldn't adding more sugar in this case thin it out while increasing alcohol content?

[abaca]

Wouldn't adding more sugar in this case thin it out while increasing alcohol content?

Indeed it would but if the volume is the same the bitterness won't change. Bitterness comes from hops and how long they are boiled. The longer the boil the more bitterness, shorter boiling gives more aroma. Malt extract comes in hopped and unhopped varieties. IMO ales don't need to be thinned unless it's really high OG, like 1.100+. So you could increase the alcohol and keep it bold by adding an unhopped pale ale extract.

[apokalypse]

Bought a wheat beer and some plain light malt extract for another $20.. moved the red ale into a carboy, cleaned the pail and put the wheat beer in it lots of brewing here!

[abaca]

Hope you have enough bottles! Or do you plan to keg them? If you need to buy bottles I suggest the swing tops. They have much thicker glass than the crimp cap kind. Plus it nice to pour a true pint.

[apokalypse]

Yeah I think we're gonna go on a Grolsch drinking spree

[240punk]

Is it worth the money? How much beer will it make?
I drink beer a lot but never even considered brewing it.

[apokalypse]

If you neglect the cost of capital (by brewing a lot of beer ), it works out to around $1/L of beer. This might not be anything special in the US, but in Canada you're gonna spend at least $4/L for tallboy cans (473mL-500mL) or $3.50/L if you go with the cheapest cases available.

[apokalypse]

Tried some of the red a week after it was bottled (just after bottling the wheat, still have an irish to bottle after next weekend). It carbonated somewhat, not as well as it will be by next week. Also tastes a bit malty, but overall it's alright!

[Hippie3]

practice makes for perfection