I don’t buy them online, as they are local to me, but … http://www.nbrewer.com They sell both extract and allgrain kits.  Look at their PDF catalog rather than their online catalog.  They have recently updated their grains (new vendors, TF-Crisp, etc). Tom Veldhouse

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Where do you guys go for beer kits online.  Thanks in advance for all the help. doug

Response:

Where do you guys go for beer kits online.  Thanks in advance for all the help.

7 Bridges Brewing (http://www.breworganic.com) Organic ingredients, extract, partial, all grain. Cheers! Eyke

Response:

Where do you guys go for beer kits online.  Thanks in advance for all the help. doug

 http://www.morebeer.com http://www.stpats.com Good quality, and actually tell you exactly what is in the kit, ingredient-wise. Some will mix the bittering hops with the extract, and include generic "flavor" and "aroma" hops, without telling you what you actually using…. Cheers, Todd Bissell Eye Chart Brewing Company "Beers So Bitter, Your Eyes Will Cross!" http://www.eyechartbrewing.com

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – @news1.central.cox.net: www.austinhomebrew.com Where do you guys go for beer kits online.  Thanks in advance for all the help. doug I second that…. EvilTwig

I third that… Steve

Response:

@news1.central.cox.net: www.austinhomebrew.com Where do you guys go for beer kits online.  Thanks in advance for all the help. doug

I second that…. EvilTwig

Response:

Where do you guys go for beer kits online.  Thanks in advance for all the help. doug

Response:

www.austinhomebrew.com

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Where do you guys go for beer kits online.  Thanks in advance for all the help. doug

Response:

How hopped is Muntons & Fison’s Hopped DME? Louise:o)

Response:

Well since nobody seemed to know the answer, I did some digging and emailing. What I got is: Muntons Hopped Light DME Typical analyses Color (EBC Units) 7 – 12 Bitterness (EBU’s) 30 – 42 Moisture (when packed) 5.5% Protein 7.5% max. pH 5 – 6 Hops used: British Target Hops I thought I would post the info )

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – How hopped is Muntons & Fison’s Hopped DME? Louise:o)

Response:

                             DRY/SYRUP –  PKG.SIZE –  HBU/CAN – HBU/LB NAME                           EDME LTD. Superbrew Gold Bitter   –        s  -   4  -   12  -  3    "        "   Lager      -     s   –    4  -     8.5 –    2.1    "      Stong Ale     –      s  -    4   –   12 –    3 Dogbolter             –       s –    4   –  9  -   2.25 Arkells Bitter          -      s   –   4   –   15  -   3.75    "    Lager         –        s  -    4   –   15  -   3.75 Superbrew Light        -       s   –   3.3 –   9  -   2.7   "       Dark        -        s  -     3.3  -   9   –    2.7   "       Pale Lager     –       s    -   3.3  -   7.5  -   2.3   "       English Bitter    -    s   –    3.3  -   9  -     2.7   "       Stout          -       s   –    4    -   9   –    2.25 Brewcraft Trad. Bitter    -      s    -   4   –    15   –   3.75 Brewcraft Pilsner Lager    -     s   –    4   –    11  -    2.75 PAINE’S PLC. John Bull Hopped Light     –     s   –    3.3  -   9     –  2.7 John Bull Hopped Amber    -      s     –  3.3   –  10  -    3 John Bull Master Class Bitter  - s    -   4    -   18 –     4.6 John Bull Master Class LAger  -  s   –    4   –    13.5 –   3.4 John Bull American Beer   –      s   –    4    -   4.5  -  1.4 John Bull American Lite   –      s    -   4   –    5.3  -   1.6 BREWING PRODUCTS LTD. Ironmaster LAger     –           s   –    4    -   6   –    1.5   "     Stout          -         s   –    4     –  10    -  2.5   "     Pilsener   –             s  -     4  -     8   –    2   "     Bitter           –       s   –    4    -   12  -    3   "     Brown Ale     –          s    -   4   –    6-7   –  1.5-1.75   "     Pale Ale        -        s   –    4    -   7    -   1.75   "     Belgian Dark     –       s   –    4    -   10   –   2.5   "     Canadian Ale     –       s   –    4      - 10 –     2.5   "     Belgian Light    -       s     –  4   –    9    -   2.25   "     Export Bitter    -       s     –  4    -   10   –   2.5 Telfords Nut Brown Ale     –     s   –    3.3 –    8  -     2.4   "     Pilsner      -           s    -   3.3   –  8    -   2.4   "     Stout          -         s  -     3.3  -   12  -    3.6   "     Porter      -            s   –    3.3   –  7  -     2.1   "     Wheat Beer     –         s   –    3.3   –  9  -     2.7   "     LAger                  -         3.3  -   9    -   2.7   "     Export Ale          -            3.3 –    8.5  -   2.5   "     Trad. Ale             –          3.3  -   10   –   3   "     Extra Pale Ale         –         3.3  -   7   –    2.1 GLENBREW LTD Light Hopped             –       s    -   3.3   –  8.5    - 2.6 Amber Hopped          -          s   –    3.3   –  11  -    3.3 Dark Hopped        -             s  -     3.3   –  8.5 –    2.6 Pilsner                 –        s   –    3.3  -   7   –    2.1 Scotch Bitter        -           s   –    3.3   –  11   –   3.3 Scottish Lager          -        s    -   3.3  -   11   –   3.3 80/-Ale; Heavy          -        s   –    3.3  -   8.5  -   2.6 70/-Ale; SPecial      -          s   –    3.3 –    7    -   2.1 Brewmart Imp. Danish Pilsner –   s  -  3.3  -   11   –   3.3 "       "     Dutch Lager  -     s   –    3.3   –  9    -   2.7 "       "     Spec. Pilsner  -   s    -   3,3   –  12   –   3.6 "       "     Australian    -    s   –    3.3   –  8.5 –    2.6 "       "     Dry         –      s    -  3.3  -   9   –    2.7 SPECIALTY PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL LTD. Light        -             s   –    3.1  -   7.5  -   2.3 Amber     –                s    -   3.1 –    7.5 –    2.3 Dark         –              s   –    3.1   –  7.5 –    2.3 Pilsner         –           s    -   3.1   –  7.5   –  2.3 Octoberfest      -           s  -     3.1  -   7.5 –    2.3 BOck         –               s     –  3.1  -   7.5   –  2.3 MUNTON & FISON PLC Hopped light       –             s   –    3.3  -   7.5  -   2.3 Hopped Amber        -            s     –  3.3   –  12.5 –   3.8 Hopped Dark             –        s      - 3.3  -   12.5  -  3.8 Old Ale                    -     s    -   3.3   –  12.5  -  3.8 LAger              -             s    -   3.3   –  7.5  -   2.3 Premium           –              s     –  3.3   –  12.5  -  3.8 Stout                  -         s  -     3.3   –  13.75  - 4.2 American Light          -        s    -  3.3   –  5.75 –   1.7 Pilsner                 –        s     – 3.3    - 7.5 –    2.3 Canadian Ale           –         s     –  3.3    - 7.5   –  2.3 Spraymalt Hopped Light    -      d       –        n/a –    2.3   "        "      Amber   –      d      -         n/a  -   3.5 TOM CAXTON, LTD Super System Bitter      -       s  -     3.3 –   8     –  2.4  "      "    LAger        -      s  -     3.3  -   8   –    2.4   "     "    Yorkshire    -      s   –    3.3   –  11   –   3.3   "     "    Pilsner    -        s     –  3.3-     9     –  2.7   "     "    Export       –      s     –  3.3  -  11   –  2.4 Standard Bitter       –          s      - 3.3  -   11    -  2.4   "      Lager            -      s    -   3.3  -   8.5 –    2.6

Response:

Thanks, where did you get all this info? Louise:o)

I found this document in the web, the information was obtained from the Zimurgy magazine but unfortunately I didn’t keep the link address! This is the address of an italian breweing shop: http://www.mr-malt.it/mprep.htm in the description of the beer kits can read the bitterness degree (the column "amaro" = bitter)

Response:

Thanks, where did you get all this info? Louise:o)

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –                              DRY/SYRUP –  PKG.SIZE –  HBU/CAN – HBU/LB NAME EDME LTD. Superbrew Gold Bitter   –        s  -   4  -   12  -  3    "        "   Lager      -     s   –    4  -     8.5 –    2.1    "      Stong Ale     –      s  -    4   –   12 –    3 Dogbolter             –       s –    4   –  9  -   2.25 Arkells Bitter          -      s   –   4   –   15  -   3.75    "    Lager         –        s  -    4   –   15  -   3.75 Superbrew Light        -       s   –   3.3 –   9  -   2.7   "       Dark        -        s  -     3.3  -   9   –    2.7   "       Pale Lager     –       s    -   3.3  -   7.5  -   2.3   "       English Bitter    -    s   –    3.3  -   9  -     2.7   "       Stout          -       s   –    4    -   9   –    2.25 Brewcraft Trad. Bitter    -      s    -   4   –    15   –   3.75 Brewcraft Pilsner Lager    -     s   –    4   –    11  -    2.75 PAINE’S PLC. John Bull Hopped Light     –     s   –    3.3  -   9     –  2.7 John Bull Hopped Amber    -      s     –  3.3   –  10  -    3 John Bull Master Class Bitter  - s    -   4    -   18 –     4.6 John Bull Master Class LAger  -  s   –    4   –    13.5 –   3.4 John Bull American Beer   –      s   –    4    -   4.5  -  1.4 John Bull American Lite   –      s    -   4   –    5.3  -   1.6 BREWING PRODUCTS LTD. Ironmaster LAger     –           s   –    4    -   6   –    1.5   "     Stout          -         s   –    4     –  10    -  2.5   "     Pilsener   –             s  -     4  -     8   –    2   "     Bitter           –       s   –    4    -   12  -    3   "     Brown Ale     –          s    -   4   –    6-7   –  1.5-1.75   "     Pale Ale        -        s   –    4    -   7    -   1.75   "     Belgian Dark     –       s   –    4    -   10   –   2.5   "     Canadian Ale     –       s   –    4      - 10 –     2.5   "     Belgian Light    -       s     –  4   –    9    -   2.25   "     Export Bitter    -       s     –  4    -   10   –   2.5 Telfords Nut Brown Ale     –     s   –    3.3 –    8  -     2.4   "     Pilsner      -           s    -   3.3   –  8    -   2.4   "     Stout          -         s  -     3.3  -   12  -    3.6   "     Porter      -            s   –    3.3   –  7  -     2.1   "     Wheat Beer     –         s   –    3.3   –  9  -     2.7   "     LAger                  -         3.3  -   9    -   2.7   "     Export Ale          -            3.3 –    8.5  -   2.5   "     Trad. Ale             –          3.3  -   10   –   3   "     Extra Pale Ale         –         3.3  -   7   –    2.1 GLENBREW LTD Light Hopped             –       s    -   3.3   –  8.5    - 2.6 Amber Hopped          -          s   –    3.3   –  11  -    3.3 Dark Hopped        -             s  -     3.3   –  8.5 –    2.6 Pilsner                 –        s   –    3.3  -   7   –    2.1 Scotch Bitter        -           s   –    3.3   –  11   –   3.3 Scottish Lager          -        s    -   3.3  -   11   –   3.3 80/-Ale; Heavy          -        s   –    3.3  -   8.5  -   2.6 70/-Ale; SPecial      -          s   –    3.3 –    7    -   2.1 Brewmart Imp. Danish Pilsner –   s  -  3.3  -   11   –   3.3 "       "     Dutch Lager  -     s   –    3.3   –  9    -   2.7 "       "     Spec. Pilsner  -   s    -   3,3   –  12   –   3.6 "       "     Australian    -    s   –    3.3   –  8.5 –    2.6 "       "     Dry         –      s    -  3.3  -   9   –    2.7 SPECIALTY PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL LTD. Light        -             s   –    3.1  -   7.5  -   2.3 Amber     –                s    -   3.1 –    7.5 –    2.3 Dark         –              s   –    3.1   –  7.5 –    2.3 Pilsner         –           s    -   3.1   –  7.5   –  2.3 Octoberfest      -           s  -     3.1  -   7.5 –    2.3 BOck         –               s     –  3.1  -   7.5   –  2.3 MUNTON & FISON PLC Hopped light       –             s   –    3.3  -   7.5  -   2.3 Hopped Amber        -            s     –  3.3   –  12.5 –   3.8 Hopped Dark             –        s      - 3.3  -   12.5  -  3.8 Old Ale                    -     s    -   3.3   –  12.5  -  3.8 LAger              -             s    -   3.3   –  7.5  -   2.3 Premium           –              s     –  3.3   –  12.5  -  3.8 Stout                  -         s  -     3.3   –  13.75  - 4.2 American Light          -        s    -  3.3   –  5.75 –   1.7 Pilsner                 –        s     – 3.3    - 7.5 –    2.3 Canadian Ale           –         s     –  3.3    - 7.5   –  2.3 Spraymalt Hopped Light    -      d       –        n/a –    2.3   "        "      Amber   –      d      -         n/a  -   3.5 TOM CAXTON, LTD Super System Bitter      -       s  -     3.3 –   8     –  2.4  "      "    LAger        -      s  -     3.3  -   8   –    2.4   "     "    Yorkshire    -      s   –    3.3   –  11   –   3.3   "     "    Pilsner    -        s     –  3.3-     9     –  2.7   "     "    Export       –      s     –  3.3  -  11   –  2.4 Standard Bitter       –          s      - 3.3  -   11    -  2.4   "      Lager            -      s    -   3.3  -   8.5 –    2.6

Response:

Can anyone tell me which company used to make the above for Boots. Or any of there own brand beers. many thanks in advance Chris

Response:

Can anyone tell me which company used to make the above for Boots. Or any of there own brand beers. many thanks in advance

According to this lot http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/itmidx6.htm the Boots kits are now sold under the Woodfordes label, although I can’t see a stout listed.  The Woodfordes kits are widely available, and they’ve got a web site and email address http://www.woodfordes.co.uk/beers.htm Led

Response:

Try asking on the UK Homebrew email list. www.smartgroups.com Search for uk-homebrew Regards, Dave.

Response:

Woodforde’s beer kits are produced by Munton’s

Response:

rec.crafts.brewing: Try polypins. In case they have a different name over there they are collapsible polythene "cubes" of various capacities , fitted with taps.

It’s what 2.5 gallons of bottled water comes in.  Use the water for brewing (you can get the analysis of most bottled waters on the web), and use the containers to hold the beer. — [Apparent Rennerian 567.7, 95.9] Al – rukbat at optonline dot net

Response:

No , polypins don’t have a safety valve bu they can distend alarmingly before they blow. Unfortunately the only way to relieve the pressure is to pour off a pint,,,,,,or two……or three.  Dreadful!

Response:

Anyone know where these can be had by mailorder / internet in the states? Steven

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – No , polypins don’t have a safety valve bu they can distend alarmingly before they blow. Unfortunately the only way to relieve the pressure is to pour off a pint,,,,,,or two……or three.  Dreadful!

Response:

does anyone know of a source for polypins in the US? Steven

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Try polypins. In case they have a different name over there they are collapsible polythene "cubes" of various capacities , fitted with taps. It’s a bit of a pain getting the last bit out though ! Wait till the beer has completely cleared in the secondary and transfer it to the polypin. Add an ounce of priming sugar per 5 UK or 6.25 US gallons and there you are. It only takes a couple of days and you’re in business.

Response:

Hello. I would like to start all-grain brewing, I have done a few beer kits in the past, but would like to produce something of a better quality. Also, I would like to cask condition the beer rather than bottle it, as I have done in the past. I have read a few books, and think I have a reasonable idea about the brewing process, but I wonder if anyone has any suggestions for suitable equipment. I have seen a 10 Gallon system advertised by ‘Hop and Grape’ in Darlington. Does anyone have any views on this or any other system? Also, I am not sure about how to condition the beer. I thought about using ‘Budget Barrels’ from the same supplier, but the general consensus from web pages seems to be for Cornelius Kegs. given that I don’t want to force carbonate my beer this seems excessive. In fact I would rather not add any CO2 to the cask, but would some sort of blanket pressure system help the beer to keep for longer? — Owain Roberts

Response:

Try polypins. In case they have a different name over there they are collapsible polythene "cubes" of various capacities , fitted with taps. It’s a bit of a pain getting the last bit out though ! Wait till the beer has completely cleared in the secondary and transfer it to the polypin. Add an ounce of priming sugar per 5 UK or 6.25 US gallons and there you are. It only takes a couple of days and you’re in business.

Response:

I have read a few books, and think I have a reasonable idea about the brewing process, but I wonder if anyone has any suggestions for suitable equipment. I have seen a 10 Gallon system advertised by ‘Hop and Grape’ in Darlington. Does anyone have any views on this or any other system?

I can’t comment on the H&G system, not having used one but they seem to have a good reputation. I use a cooler box mash tun and have a Burco tea urn as a boiler though you can use a plastic bucket with a kettle element as an economical alternative. Also, I am not sure about how to condition the beer. I thought about using ‘Budget Barrels’ from the same supplier, but the general consensus from web pages seems to be for Cornelius Kegs. given that I don’t want to force carbonate my beer this seems excessive. In fact I would rather not add any CO2 to the cask, but would some sort of blanket pressure system help the beer to keep for longer?

The budget barrels should be fine. Usually plastic kegs have a valve on the lid so you can give a very short blast of CO2, not to force carbonate but to prevent oxidisation from air glooping up through the tap if there’s not sufficient pressure left in the keg. Polypins are a cheap alternative  but don’t have a safety valve so take care not to over prime. Give H&G a ring or go in a discuss things with them. I’m sure they’d be only too happy to help. — Andy Davison

Response:

Hi, Anyone have any experience with Williams Brewing beer kits?  I’m considering purchasing their Honey Wheat, and I’m curious if anyone has tried and if they were satisfied with the results. Cheers!

Response:

I got a red beer kit from Williams when I got my brewpot as a gift a couple years ago. It was my first batch, but i followed the directions and it turned out pretty good. Thats my only experience though. Erik

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, Anyone have any experience with Williams Brewing beer kits?  I’m considering purchasing their Honey Wheat, and I’m curious if anyone has tried and if they were satisfied with the results. Cheers!

Response:

Hi, Anyone have any experience with Williams Brewing beer kits?  I’m considering purchasing their Honey Wheat, and I’m curious if anyone has tried and if they were satisfied with the results.

Williams kits are foolproof with proper sanitation.  When I did extract, I purchased many of them, all with good results.  The are a little more expensive than other suppliers, but you do not steep the malts which will save a little time on brew day.  If you desire a preset kit without steeping grain, they are probably the best.  If you decide you want to do extract with specialty grain then look at www.grapeandgranary.com there prices are the best I found when I was doing extract kit brewing. Cheers, Mike

Response:

Hi, Anyone have any experience with Williams Brewing beer kits?  I’m considering purchasing their Honey Wheat, and I’m curious if anyone has tried and if they were satisfied with the results.

My wife bought a bunch of equipment for me from them at Xmas along with an English Bitter kit. I wanted something more like a strong ESB or English IPA, so I hot-rodded the recipe (less water for more ABV, more hops) and it turned out very nice. Even my all-grain brewing co-worker was impressed. It has him considering returning to extract brewing when he doesn’t have the time to do an all-grain batch. My second batch is fermenting away as I type and it’s a tweaked version of my hot-rodded English Bitter kit. Hope this helps, Garry

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Okay. I’m a hop head. More to the point, I’m a cascade hop head. I’m relatively new to homebrewing (less than a year and 10 batches to my name), but I’m ready to venture away from beer kits and on to more specialized recipes. Being a confessed cascade hop head is there anyone out there who could provide me with an extract/specialty grain pale ale or IPA recipe that really depicts the aroma/flavor/nose tweeking abilities of cascade hops? Any and all help will be much appreciated. Regards, Chris Spearen

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Give this a try…  You get a nice blend of different hops but the cascades really come through in a big way (especially from the dry hop) 6pounds of Light malt syrup 2.5 pounds of light DME 8oz of 20 L crystal malt Bittering hops  Galena – 12%Alpha  1oz 45min boil Aroma Hops      Tettnanger 15min .25oz                   Fuggles   10min   .25oz                   Cascades  at end of boil  1/2oz                   Cascades   Dry Hop in secondary  .25oz I do this in all grain, but the extract conversion should be pretty close. Shooting for an OG of  1.055 – 1.060 and about 50 IBU I have had good results with White Labs "California Ale" and with EDME dry yeast. ek – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Okay. I’m a hop head. More to the point, I’m a cascade hop head. I’m relatively new to homebrewing (less than a year and 10 batches to my name), but I’m ready to venture away from beer kits and on to more specialized recipes. Being a confessed cascade hop head is there anyone out there who could provide me with an extract/specialty grain pale ale or IPA recipe that really depicts the aroma/flavor/nose tweeking abilities of cascade hops? Any and all help will be much appreciated. Regards, Chris Spearen

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In my humble opinion, cascade hops carry nicely through all by themselves.  I’ve tasted pale ales, pilsners and amber ales containing significant proportions of cascade flavour and aroma hops – any beer is an excuse for cascade to show off. (BTW I don’t really condone calling a light lager a pilsner if it contains cascade hops.  I’m a traditiona Saaz & Hallertau kind of lager guy.) My favourite use is in Pale Ales of the Sierra Nevada type.  The grain bill is very simple and the hops are the star. I notice that "ek" has posted a recipe – very similar to the one I have been using (except an all grain version). Try it – you’ll like it. Chris – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Okay. I’m a hop head. More to the point, I’m a cascade hop head. I’m relatively new to homebrewing (less than a year and 10 batches to my name), but I’m ready to venture away from beer kits and on to more specialized recipes. Being a confessed cascade hop head is there anyone out there who could provide me with an extract/specialty grain pale ale or IPA recipe that really depicts the aroma/flavor/nose tweeking abilities of cascade hops? Any and all help will be much appreciated. Regards, Chris Spearen

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Sounds like an interesting brew, ek…the only thing I’d add would be some toasted malt…anywhere froma 1/2 to a full pound, depending on your tastes (for myself, I use 1 1/4#) Chris, if toasting sounds good and you’ve never done it, try it this way. Preheat your oven to 350F. On a CLEAN cookie sheet/jelly roll pan, spread out your UNMILLED 2 row pale malt. Put the pan of malt into the oven. In about five minutes, you’ll start to smell it…keep an eye on it, you’re looking for a light to medium toasty color…shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes. Remove from sheet and let cool, then put into a tupperware or similar container and let it sit for at least a day before cracking in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin. The longer you let it rest, the toastier it’ll taste. Luck Mike

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Give this a try…  You get a nice blend of different hops but the cascades really come through in a big way (especially from the dry hop) 6pounds of Light malt syrup 2.5 pounds of light DME 8oz of 20 L crystal malt Bittering hops  Galena – 12%Alpha  1oz 45min boil Aroma Hops   Tettnanger 15min .25oz                   Fuggles   10min   .25oz                   Cascades  at end of boil  1/2oz                   Cascades   Dry Hop in secondary  .25oz I do this in all grain, but the extract conversion should be pretty close. Shooting for an OG of  1.055 – 1.060 and about 50 IBU I have had good results with White Labs "California Ale" and with EDME dry yeast. ek Okay. I’m a hop head. More to the point, I’m a cascade hop head. I’m relatively new to homebrewing (less than a year and 10 batches to my name), but I’m ready to venture away from beer kits and on to more specialized recipes. Being a confessed cascade hop head is there anyone out there who could provide me with an extract/specialty grain pale ale or IPA recipe that really depicts the aroma/flavor/nose tweeking abilities of cascade hops? Any and all help will be much appreciated. Regards, Chris Spearen

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   I am not a real big fan of cascades, but I brewed a sweet stout a couple of years ago and used cascade hops. It turned out awesome. Steve

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   I am not a real big fan of cascades, but I brewed a sweet stout a couple of years ago and used cascade hops. It turned out awesome.

Steve, You wouldn’t have a copy of the recipe that you used for that stout that you cold post or send me would you?  I have been trying to formulate a recipe in an attempt to clone Rogue’s Shakespear stout and yours sounds like it might give me some more options.  I have searched a number of archives and know that Rogue’s website lists the ingredients, but the hop amounts, schedule and grain %’s are eluding me.  I’ve made some good stouts, but not like Shakespear.   Any one else have any pointers on it, I’d gladly take them! Thanks Rick

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Try this: 8 lb Dry Malt Extract 8oz 40

Yeah – once my Mr. Beer extract kits run out, I probably won’t use their ingredients again.   My last batch of Mr. Beer style beer will be: 1 can Mr. Beer High Country Canadian Draft 1 lb Extra Light DME 3/4 lb Northwestern Gold LME 1/2 ounce Cascade for bittering 1/4 ounce Saaz aroma 1/4 ounce Saaz flavor Nottingham dry yeast I call it my get rid of everything that you have Ale…..we’ll see how it turns out. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Yep…I purchased one 5 gal. carboy for the primary and will use the Mr. Beer Fermentor for a secondary until I get a 6.5 gal. carboy. The Mr. Beer kit is just too expensive for me 20.50 for 4 gal. vs. 21.00 dollars for 5 gal. extract / partial kit. Still learning how to do this.  I gently squeezed out the excess runnings on the advice of a local long time brewer who got me into this. mdh My first batch of Mr. Beer was staright Cowboy Lager + Booster – and it wasn’t that good at all.  However, I did manage to use the Mr. Beer kits + DME and maybe some extra hops to make some VERY good beer (of course added yeast also). Are you still using your Mr. Beer as a fermenter?  Or did you purchase (as you mentioned) a couple of carboys? You aslo said "squeezed excess runnings into wort".  Is this a good thing?  I heard it releases excess tannins and may give a "seeped too long tea" taste to the beer. Finally, got through all the MR. BEER SWILL.  Lesson learned. I really should have paid attention to you guys.  Every one i tried had a definate cider taste. Live and learn. I am definately ready to move on. So, went down to the LHBS and had a batch made up for 2.5 gallons.  Hey, one step at a time. (those 6.5 gal. carboys and 30 qt. brew pots are expensive.  SWMBO says I have to build my beer junk one month at a time.) Let the adventure begin. I asked the lhbs for a wheat kit.  The Galena Hops were my addition and left over from an attempt to make Mr. Beer palatable. Grain Bill: .25 lbs. Munich Light Malt 2.5 lbs. Munton Spraymalt Wheat Dry Extract Hops: .12 oz Galena (bitterring) boil 30 min. .5 oz Chinook (flavor) Boil 10 min. .5 oz. Spalt (aroma) Boil 1 min. Yeast:  White Labs California Ale Yeast Water:  3.25 Gal. Drinking Water from Wal-Mart (God Bless America)  Local water is high in sulfur. Steeped .25 lbs of grain in 10 cups of 150* +/- 3* water for 30 minutes removed grain bag and squeezed excess runnings into wort. Brought wort to a boil and remove from heat. Added 2.5 lbs of muntons spraymalt plain wheat dry extract dissolved then returned to boil. Total planned boil time 60 min. Brought wort to a boil and boiled through the break for a total of 30 min. Added bittering hops, .12 oz. of galena for 30 min. After 50 min. of boil added .5 oz of chinook for flavor. Added .5 oz of spalt for aroma with one minute left in the boil. Placed boil pot in sink of cold ice water and chilled to 80* F in less than 11 min. Brought volume up to 1.5 gallons. Added 1 gallon of water to fermentor. Filtered the wort through a stainless steel sifter and racked into the 5 gal. carboy. Sealed and shook carboy for 5 minutes / pitched yeast. SG is 1.046 and sitting at 66*F. Bubbles started  9 3/4 hours later. YAHOO!!! Planning on racking to secondary in 5 / 6 days. Bottle planned for two weeks using 3.9 oz. Muntons SprayMalt Wheat DME. Carbonation in bottle for two weeks.

Response:

Finally, got through all the MR. BEER SWILL.  Lesson learned. I really should have paid attention to you guys.  Every one i tried had a definate cider taste. Live and learn. I am definately ready to move on. So, went down to the LHBS and had a batch made up for 2.5 gallons.  Hey, one step at a time. (those 6.5 gal. carboys and 30 qt. brew pots are expensive.  SWMBO says I have to build my beer junk one month at a time.) Let the adventure begin. I asked the lhbs for a wheat kit.  The Galena Hops were my addition and left over from an attempt to make Mr. Beer palatable. Grain Bill: .25 lbs. Munich Light Malt 2.5 lbs. Munton Spraymalt Wheat Dry Extract Hops: .12 oz Galena (bitterring) boil 30 min. .5 oz Chinook (flavor) Boil 10 min. .5 oz. Spalt (aroma) Boil 1 min. Yeast:  White Labs California Ale Yeast Water:  3.25 Gal. Drinking Water from Wal-Mart (God Bless America)  Local water is high in sulfur. Steeped .25 lbs of grain in 10 cups of 150* +/- 3* water for 30 minutes removed grain bag and squeezed excess runnings into wort. Brought wort to a boil and remove from heat. Added 2.5 lbs of muntons spraymalt plain wheat dry extract dissolved then returned to boil. Total planned boil time 60 min. Brought wort to a boil and boiled through the break for a total of 30 min.  Added bittering hops, .12 oz. of galena for 30 min. After 50 min. of boil added .5 oz of chinook for flavor. Added .5 oz of spalt for aroma with one minute left in the boil. Placed boil pot in sink of cold ice water and chilled to 80* F in less than 11 min. Brought volume up to 1.5 gallons. Added 1 gallon of water to fermentor. Filtered the wort through a stainless steel sifter and racked into the 5 gal. carboy. Sealed and shook carboy for 5 minutes / pitched yeast. SG is 1.046 and sitting at 66*F. Bubbles started  9 3/4 hours later. YAHOO!!! Planning on racking to secondary in 5 / 6 days. Bottle planned for two weeks using 3.9 oz. Muntons SprayMalt Wheat DME. Carbonation in bottle for two weeks.

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Yep…I purchased one 5 gal. carboy for the primary and will use the Mr. Beer Fermentor for a secondary until I get a 6.5 gal. carboy. The Mr. Beer kit is just too expensive for me 20.50 for 4 gal. vs. 21.00 dollars for 5 gal. extract / partial kit. Still learning how to do this.  I gently squeezed out the excess runnings on the advice of a local long time brewer who got me into this. mdh

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My first batch of Mr. Beer was staright Cowboy Lager + Booster – and it wasn’t that good at all.  However, I did manage to use the Mr. Beer kits + DME and maybe some extra hops to make some VERY good beer (of course added yeast also). Are you still using your Mr. Beer as a fermenter?  Or did you purchase (as you mentioned) a couple of carboys? You aslo said "squeezed excess runnings into wort".  Is this a good thing?  I heard it releases excess tannins and may give a "seeped too long tea" taste to the beer. Finally, got through all the MR. BEER SWILL.  Lesson learned. I really should have paid attention to you guys.  Every one i tried had a definate cider taste. Live and learn. I am definately ready to move on. So, went down to the LHBS and had a batch made up for 2.5 gallons.  Hey, one step at a time. (those 6.5 gal. carboys and 30 qt. brew pots are expensive.  SWMBO says I have to build my beer junk one month at a time.) Let the adventure begin. I asked the lhbs for a wheat kit.  The Galena Hops were my addition and left over from an attempt to make Mr. Beer palatable. Grain Bill: .25 lbs. Munich Light Malt 2.5 lbs. Munton Spraymalt Wheat Dry Extract Hops: .12 oz Galena (bitterring) boil 30 min. .5 oz Chinook (flavor) Boil 10 min. .5 oz. Spalt (aroma) Boil 1 min. Yeast:  White Labs California Ale Yeast Water:  3.25 Gal. Drinking Water from Wal-Mart (God Bless America)  Local water is high in sulfur. Steeped .25 lbs of grain in 10 cups of 150* +/- 3* water for 30 minutes removed grain bag and squeezed excess runnings into wort. Brought wort to a boil and remove from heat. Added 2.5 lbs of muntons spraymalt plain wheat dry extract dissolved then returned to boil. Total planned boil time 60 min. Brought wort to a boil and boiled through the break for a total of 30 min. Added bittering hops, .12 oz. of galena for 30 min. After 50 min. of boil added .5 oz of chinook for flavor. Added .5 oz of spalt for aroma with one minute left in the boil. Placed boil pot in sink of cold ice water and chilled to 80* F in less than 11 min. Brought volume up to 1.5 gallons. Added 1 gallon of water to fermentor. Filtered the wort through a stainless steel sifter and racked into the 5 gal. carboy. Sealed and shook carboy for 5 minutes / pitched yeast. SG is 1.046 and sitting at 66*F. Bubbles started  9 3/4 hours later. YAHOO!!! Planning on racking to secondary in 5 / 6 days. Bottle planned for two weeks using 3.9 oz. Muntons SprayMalt Wheat DME. Carbonation in bottle for two weeks.

Response:

My first batch of Mr. Beer was staright Cowboy Lager + Booster – and it wasn’t that good at all.  However, I did manage to use the Mr. Beer kits + DME and maybe some extra hops to make some VERY good beer (of course added yeast also). Are you still using your Mr. Beer as a fermenter?  Or did you purchase (as you mentioned) a couple of carboys? You aslo said "squeezed excess runnings into wort".  Is this a good thing?  I heard it releases excess tannins and may give a "seeped too long tea" taste to the beer. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Finally, got through all the MR. BEER SWILL.  Lesson learned. I really should have paid attention to you guys.  Every one i tried had a definate cider taste. Live and learn. I am definately ready to move on. So, went down to the LHBS and had a batch made up for 2.5 gallons.  Hey, one step at a time. (those 6.5 gal. carboys and 30 qt. brew pots are expensive.  SWMBO says I have to build my beer junk one month at a time.) Let the adventure begin. I asked the lhbs for a wheat kit.  The Galena Hops were my addition and left over from an attempt to make Mr. Beer palatable. Grain Bill: .25 lbs. Munich Light Malt 2.5 lbs. Munton Spraymalt Wheat Dry Extract Hops: .12 oz Galena (bitterring) boil 30 min. .5 oz Chinook (flavor) Boil 10 min. .5 oz. Spalt (aroma) Boil 1 min. Yeast:  White Labs California Ale Yeast Water:  3.25 Gal. Drinking Water from Wal-Mart (God Bless America)  Local water is high in sulfur. Steeped .25 lbs of grain in 10 cups of 150* +/- 3* water for 30 minutes removed grain bag and squeezed excess runnings into wort. Brought wort to a boil and remove from heat. Added 2.5 lbs of muntons spraymalt plain wheat dry extract dissolved then returned to boil. Total planned boil time 60 min. Brought wort to a boil and boiled through the break for a total of 30 min. Added bittering hops, .12 oz. of galena for 30 min. After 50 min. of boil added .5 oz of chinook for flavor. Added .5 oz of spalt for aroma with one minute left in the boil. Placed boil pot in sink of cold ice water and chilled to 80* F in less than 11 min. Brought volume up to 1.5 gallons. Added 1 gallon of water to fermentor. Filtered the wort through a stainless steel sifter and racked into the 5 gal. carboy. Sealed and shook carboy for 5 minutes / pitched yeast. SG is 1.046 and sitting at 66*F. Bubbles started  9 3/4 hours later. YAHOO!!! Planning on racking to secondary in 5 / 6 days. Bottle planned for two weeks using 3.9 oz. Muntons SprayMalt Wheat DME. Carbonation in bottle for two weeks.

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Brewhouse kits are probably the best kit beers on the market.  I find them a bit sweet, but otherwise they’re v. good.  They’re even better if you use a quality yeast appropriate to the style of the kit. — Drew Avis ~ http://www.strangebrew.ca I think a good way to get into a movie is to show up where they’re making the movie, then stick a big cactus plant onto you buttocks and start yowling and running around. Everyone would think it was funny, and the head movie guy would say, "Hey, let’s put him in the movie."

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Has anyone tried these beer kits? anyone recommendations?

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Has anyone tried these beer kits? anyone recommendations?

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: Has anyone tried these beer kits? anyone recommendations?   I’m doing my second WortWorks Bohemian Pilsner.  It won’t turn out like a Pilsner, I know.. reasons: 1)  It’s too dark, more like Newcastle Brown Ale. 2)  You get ale yeast in the kit.   I mean, it does make a good brew, but it may not turn out like the packaging states. Dennis — ‘68 Nova SS – 327 – Torque, it’s not just for breakfast anymore ‘92 Beretta GT – 3.1L – 3T40 – 15×7 Crosslace – 225/50R15 – K&N ‘92 Ranger Custom – 2.3L – 4.11 Rear – Overdrive – Bench Seat Our Homepage: http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~umporte0

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I am about to gear up and try the yeast freezing experiment again.  I wondered if anyone had any experience/success with it. A friend said that glycerol at 17% solutions worked, and he froze at -50 F I consulted my Mark’s handbook and it says a 47% by volume solution would prevent freezing to -10F. I also read you can freeze them at -80 F in a 15% glycerol solution http://bioinformatics.duke.edu/yeast/Info%20and%20Protocols/Freezing_… tm I have no way to keep them less than -10 to -15 F.  So any help is appreciated. Cheers, Mike

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Mike Not sure exactly what you’re doing, but I have a simple method I use to keep yeast slurry for re-pitching a couple of months down the track. It’s OK for the yeast mixture to actually freeze, so you don’t need quite as much glycerol as is required to prevent freezing of the water.  The mechanism of protection (as much as I understand it) is that the glycerol cushions the lipid walls and prevents local freezing of the cell.  So the final frozen mixture has a "frozen smoothie" texture. My freezer gets down to about -4F, which is about the standard these days for keeping food.  It won’t give you the sort of "forever" storage that microbiologists like to use, but it’s OK for at least 3 months, maybe more. About 10% by volume glycerol keeps my yeast viable at this temperature.  Go to higher levels if you want. Chris – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am about to gear up and try the yeast freezing experiment again.  I wondered if anyone had any experience/success with it. A friend said that glycerol at 17% solutions worked, and he froze at -50 F I consulted my Mark’s handbook and it says a 47% by volume solution would prevent freezing to -10F. I also read you can freeze them at -80 F in a 15% glycerol solution http://bioinformatics.duke.edu/yeast/Info%20and%20Protocols/Freezing_… tm I have no way to keep them less than -10 to -15 F.  So any help is appreciated. Cheers, Mike

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I have an old (1980) brewing book "Beer Kits and Brewing" by Dave Line where Dave suggests adding 1 tablet of saccharin per gallon of wort prior to bottling to "smooth out the roughness without imparting a detectable sweetness." I’ve never tried this, mostly because I can’t buy saccharin, it’s not sold in Canada. My questions are: 1. Has anyone tried this, and if so what is your experience? 2. Would aspartame (legal in Canada) work as well? Thanks in advance. Robert

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I’ve had a lot of success freezing using 10-15% glycerol.  I use a deep freeze (-20C, no idea what that is in Fahrenheit), and the samples stay good for years.  Glycerol prevents the formation of ice crystals which normally would lacerate the walls of the yeast.  I work in a lab and we frequently freeze bacterial samples at -80 or colder (liquid nitrogen) using 15%.  Anymore then 15% will start having toxic effects that may affect the viability of the cells. Hope this helps Bryan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am about to gear up and try the yeast freezing experiment again.  I wondered if anyone had any experience/success with it. A friend said that glycerol at 17% solutions worked, and he froze at -50 F I consulted my Mark’s handbook and it says a 47% by volume solution would prevent freezing to -10F. I also read you can freeze them at -80 F in a 15% glycerol solution http://bioinformatics.duke.edu/yeast/Info%20and%20Protocols/Freezing_… tm I have no way to keep them less than -10 to -15 F.  So any help is appreciated. Cheers, Mike

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Where would a normal human being find glycerol? —  Dan Listermann Check out our E-tail site at http://www.listermann.com Take a look at the anti-telemarketer forum.  It is my new hobby!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve had a lot of success freezing using 10-15% glycerol.  I use a deep freeze (-20C, no idea what that is in Fahrenheit), and the samples stay good for years.  Glycerol prevents the formation of ice crystals which normally would lacerate the walls of the yeast.  I work in a lab and we frequently freeze bacterial samples at -80 or colder (liquid nitrogen) using 15%.  Anymore then 15% will start having toxic effects that may affect the viability of the cells. Hope this helps Bryan I am about to gear up and try the yeast freezing experiment again.  I wondered if anyone had any experience/success with it. A friend said that glycerol at 17% solutions worked, and he froze at -50 F I consulted my Mark’s handbook and it says a 47% by volume solution would prevent freezing to -10F. I also read you can freeze them at -80 F in a 15% glycerol solution

http://bioinformatics.duke.edu/yeast/Info%20and%20Protocols/Freezing_… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – tm I have no way to keep them less than -10 to -15 F.  So any help is appreciated. Cheers, Mike

Response:

I’ve had a lot of success freezing using 10-15% glycerol.  I use a deep freeze (-20C, no idea what that is in Fahrenheit), and the samples stay good for years.  Glycerol prevents the formation of ice crystals which normally would lacerate the walls of the yeast.  I work in a lab and we frequently freeze bacterial samples at -80 or colder (liquid nitrogen) using 15%.  Anymore then 15% will start having toxic effects that may affect the viability of the cells. Hope this helps Bryan

        I work in a fission yeast lab and we use 30% glycerol solutions for freezing at -80C.  I do they same for my brewing yeast with good results.  The problem with freezing at home is some people have freezers with defrost cycles.  That won’t be good for the yeast. Warren Place

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15% glycerin in water should be about right. Do a search on "yeast glycerin freeze" and you’ll get lots of hits. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Cool!  What was the solution for freezing yeast? I was pretty sure, but I looked it up: http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/g4774.htm They’re the same thing. Fred Stone The wine conditioner we sell is Brew King’s.  It is sucrose and sorbic acid. We have something called "Finishing Formula" which is glycerin, but no glycerol. Drug store. Some winemaking shops call it "wine conditioner". Where would a normal human being find glycerol? —  Dan Listermann

– Fred Stone aa # 1369 BAAWA Brewmaster

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A guy here in Sweden has been experimenting with freezing yeast in sugar solution. And very successfully so, apparently…

Yeast can also be stored for long periods in plain distilled water (and at room temperature.)  IIRC from a thread on the UK homebrewing list a couple of years ago – fill a small vial, test tube etc. with distilled water, sterilize in pressure cooker, cool, transfer a small amount of yeast, cap and you’re done.  It’s important not to put too much yeast in, only enough to cause a slight haze to the water.  This is really an alternative to slants.  Of course you need to step it up a few times once you’re ready to brew. Geoff

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I have an old (1980) brewing book "Beer Kits and Brewing" by Dave Line where Dave suggests adding 1 tablet of saccharin per gallon of wort prior to bottling to "smooth out the roughness without imparting a detectable sweetness." I’ve never tried this, mostly because I can’t buy saccharin, it’s not sold in Canada. My questions are: 1. Has anyone tried this, and if so what is your experience? 2. Would aspartame (legal in Canada) work as well? Robert

        Tried sucralose in a sweet stout once.  Worked very well.  I recommend it over aspartame because its sweetness doesn’t fade with time. www.sucralose.com is where I got it but they may sell it in a store near you. Warren Place

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Cool!  What was the solution for freezing yeast? —  Dan Listermann Check out our E-tail site at http://www.listermann.com Take a look at the anti-telemarketer forum.  It is my new hobby!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was pretty sure, but I looked it up: http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/g4774.htm They’re the same thing. Fred Stone The wine conditioner we sell is Brew King’s.  It is sucrose and sorbic acid. We have something called "Finishing Formula" which is glycerin, but no glycerol. Drug store. Some winemaking shops call it "wine conditioner". Where would a normal human being find glycerol? —  Dan Listermann

Response:

Most drug stores sell glycerol, over the counter.  I’d recommend buying a small bottle (no more then 100 ml), as you don’t need much, and it can go bad.  A wort/glycerol solution can be sterilized by boiling without affecting the glycerol.  Here’s what I usually do: 1) Fill a 15 ml test tube 2/3rds full with a heavily hopped wort, SG ~ 1.045. Add a loop (or drop) of your yeast (best to take this right from the smack pack or starter).  Plug the tube with a sterile cotton ball, or cap.  Let ferment 1 day, the place in the fridge for a second day. 2) Use a sterilized eye dropper or pipette to draw off the fluid, but leave the yeast pellet behind.  Resuspend the yeast cells in a small volume (1 ml) of heavily hopped wort (S.G. 1.025) supplemented with 15% glycerol.  Immediately transfer to a deep freeze.  If you have them 1.5 ml eppindorf tubes are great for this. 3) To use the yeast thaw in a fridge, resuspend the any pellet that may have formed, then add to a 100 ml volume of heavily hopped wort (1.030-1.045).  Once this has reached krausen (sp?) you can pitch it into a larger sized starter, and use as usual.  If you are going to reculture the yeast take a sample from the starter and freeze as in 1&2. Hope this helps Bryan Heit – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Where would a normal human being find glycerol? —  Dan Listermann Check out our E-tail site at http://www.listermann.com

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Where would a normal human being find glycerol? —  Dan Listermann

I did some research on this last summer… I was concerned about toxicity and just what the heck, if anything, glycerol would do to my beer (or me). As it turns out the stuff is pretty much non-toxic though you wouldn’t want to drink it straight. Although I never bothered to look, supposedly it can be found at your local pharmacy. Look near skin care products and such…. Hope this helps, Cheers, Matt Jarvis Eugene, Oregon USA The BrewDomain www.BrewDomain.com

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Hi Mike A guy here in Sweden has been experimenting with freezing yeast in sugar solution. And very successfully so, apparently. Here’s what he did: 1 volume of sugar with 2 volumes water was boiled a couple of minutes and then cooled After this a thick yeast slurry from a previous batch was added (from a bottle where the yeast had been allowed to settle hard). The volume of yeast slurry was the same as the volume of the sugar-water solution. This mixture was put in the freezer for eight months, then it was revived by letting it thaw in room temperature for about 3 hours. It was then added to a starter (about a liter).  Activity after one hour. He brewed his regular pilsner with the revived yeast and the fermentation and the taste was exactly as usual. I’m going to try this myself next time I want to save a yeast. /peter

yeast freezing experiment again.

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I was pretty sure, but I looked it up: http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/g4774.htm They’re the same thing. Fred Stone – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The wine conditioner we sell is Brew King’s.  It is sucrose and sorbic acid. We have something called "Finishing Formula" which is glycerin, but no glycerol. Drug store. Some winemaking shops call it "wine conditioner". Where would a normal human being find glycerol? —  Dan Listermann

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The wine conditioner we sell is Brew King’s.  It is sucrose and sorbic acid. We have something called "Finishing Formula" which is glycerin, but no glycerol. —  Dan Listermann Check out our E-tail site at http://www.listermann.com Take a look at the anti-telemarketer forum.  It is my new hobby!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Drug store. Some winemaking shops call it "wine conditioner". Where would a normal human being find glycerol? —  Dan Listermann

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Drug store. Some winemaking shops call it "wine conditioner". – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Where would a normal human being find glycerol? —  Dan Listermann

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Hi there, I am on my 4th brew, (still haven’t opened the first one though!!!) and have read a lot about hot break and cold break. Is this process applicable to the syrup beer kits that come in tins? The instructions say nothing of boiling at all, and the local home brew shop guy said not to even bother heating the water, as it all will dissolve at room temp and "make a better brew" (his words). I did the last one as per John Palmer’s web site (www.howtobrew.com) and the wort seemed to separate after cooling. Do you just tip the whole lot into the fermenter or discard any parts? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Cheers, Josh

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I did the last one as per John Palmer’s web site (www.howtobrew.com) and the wort seemed to separate after cooling. Do you just tip the whole lot into the fermenter or discard any parts? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I normally just pitch yeast onto the cooled wort… I don’t know of any advantage to be gained by straining or filtering unfermented wort. ]]]Z[[[

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