How to brew with beer kits

Brewing with a beer kit is a great way for beginners to start brewing beer at home

Beginners can easily make great tasting beer from the get go, and learn the principles of fermentation and sanitization!

Here is a general overview of the steps involved in brewing with a beer kit:

1. Clean and sanitize all equipment: Before you start brewing, it's important to clean and sanitize all equipment that will be used, including fermenter, bottles, and other utensils. This will help prevent contamination and ensure that your beer tastes great.
2. Prepare the ingredients: Beer kits typically come with a can of malt extract and a package of hops and yeast. Follow the instructions on the kit to prepare the ingredients. Some kits may require additional ingredients such as sugar or priming sugar.
3. Make the wort: Add the malt extract to water and bringing it to a boil. You will also add the hops at the appropriate time. [you can actually skip this part and add the malt direct to the fermenting drum and add the required amount of water (usually 20 litres per kit)
4. Cool the wort: After boiling, the wort needs to be cooled to a temperature between 60-70°F (15-21°C) before adding the yeast. This can be done by placing the pot in an ice bath or using a wort chiller.
5. Add yeast: Once the wort has cooled, pitch the yeast in.
6. Ferment the beer: Transfer the wort to a fermenter, and add water to bring it to the desired volume. Seal the fermenter and place it in a cool, dark place. The fermentation process typically takes 3-7 days, depending on the recipe.
7. Transfer to secondary fermenter: Once the primary fermentation is complete, transfer the beer to a secondary fermenter or keg/bottle for conditioning.
8. Bottle or keg: Once the beer has been conditioned for the appropriate amount of time, it's ready to be bottled or kegged. Be sure to use clean, sanitized bottles or keg, and add priming sugar if necessary.

Remember to always follow the instructions provided with your beer kit and always have patience, as brewing good beer takes time. As you become more experienced, you can start experimenting with different hops, yeasts, and other ingredients to create unique and delicious beers.

There are many more elements to consider when making beer, let's cover a few. 

How to properly pitch yeast:

Pitching yeast is the process of adding yeast to wort (unfermented beer) to begin the fermentation process. Here are some best practices for pitching yeast for homebrew beer:

• Start with healthy yeast: Make sure the yeast you are using is fresh and has been stored properly. Old or poorly stored yeast can lead to off flavors in the final beer.
• Rehydrate the yeast: Before pitching, rehydrate the yeast in warm water (around 104-108°F) for about 15-20 minutes. This will help the yeast to activate and start fermenting more quickly.
• Aerate the wort: Before pitching the yeast, make sure to aerate the wort by shaking the fermenter or using an aeration stone. Oxygen is necessary for the yeast to carry out their metabolic processes.
• Pitch the yeast at the right temperature: Yeast perform best at a specific temperature range, depending on the strain. For most ale yeast strains, the optimal temperature range is around 68-72°F. Lager yeast strains perform best at slightly cooler temperatures, around 45-55°F. If the water is too hot, the yeast will die and fermentation with 
• Pitch the right amount of yeast: Pitching the right amount of yeast is important for a successful fermentation. Underpitching can lead to a slow or stuck fermentation, while overpitching can lead to off flavors. A general rule of thumb is to pitch about 1 million cells of yeast per milliliter of wort per degree Plato. If you have a packet yeast and using a 30 litre drum, use all the contents of the packet.
• Temperature of wort is important because Yeast cells are sensitive to temperature, the optimal temperature range is specific for the yeast strain you are using, for example for most ale yeast strains the optimal temperature range is around 68-72°F, if the temperature is too high or low, the yeast will be stressed and ferment less efficiently.

How do I know if my homebrew beer is ready to bottle?

There are a few ways to determine if your homebrew beer is ready to bottle:

• Gravity Reading: One of the most reliable ways to know if your beer is ready to bottle is to take a gravity reading. When the beer has reached its final gravity, it means that fermentation is complete and the beer is ready to bottle.
• Visual Inspection: Take a look at your beer. If the beer has cleared, and there are no bubbles in the airlock, it's likely that the beer is ready to bottle.
• Taste Test: You can also taste your beer to see if it's ready to bottle. If the beer tastes balanced and the flavors are stable, it's likely that the beer is ready to bottle.
• Wait time: You need to wait at least a week after the gravity reading has stabilized before bottling or kegging. This time will allow the beer to age, and the yeast to settle out

How long should beer be conditioned in bottles for?

The length of time that beer should be conditioned in bottles will depend on the style of beer and personal preference. Generally speaking, most beers will benefit from at least a few weeks of bottle conditioning. This time allows the yeast to continue fermenting the beer and carbonating it naturally, improving the beer's flavor, aroma, and carbonation level.

For lighter beers such as lagers or wheat beers, a minimum of two weeks at room temperature and then refrigeration is usually sufficient.

For more complex beers, such as Belgians or sours, bottle conditioning can take several months. These beers require more aging to develop their complex flavors, and they may continue to change over time.

It's also important to note that not all beers need to be bottle-conditioned. Some beers, particularly those that are filtered or pasteurized, are best consumed fresh and should not be aged.

A good rule of thumb is to start sampling your beer after a week or two of conditioning and continue to check on it every week or so. Once it reaches the level of carbonation and flavor that you like, it's ready to be refrigerated and consumed.

It's always a good idea to label your bottles with the brew date and the date you plan to check them, so you don't lose track of time.

What are the best sanitization practices for home brewers?

The best sanitation practices for home brewers include:

1. Cleaning: Before sanitizing, it's essential to thoroughly clean all equipment, including fermenters, hoses, bottles, and kegs, with mild detergent and hot water. This will remove any dirt, grime, and other debris that can harbour bacteria and other contaminants.
2. Sanitizing: After cleaning, it's important to sanitize all equipment to kill any remaining bacteria or other microorganisms that could spoil the beer. There are several sanitizing solutions available specifically for brewing. Star-San is a popular option, which is an acid-based, no-rinse sanitizer that is effective and easy to use.
3. Properly Storing equipment: Equipment should be stored in a clean, dry place to prevent contamination. Avoid storing equipment in damp or humid areas, as this can promote the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms.
4. Use clean, filtered water: Water is an essential ingredient for brewing beer, and it's crucial to use clean, filtered water to avoid contamination. Avoid using tap water, as it may contain chlorine or other chemicals that can affect the taste and quality of your beer.
5. Personal hygiene: As a brewer, you should always practice good personal hygiene, such as washing your hands frequently and avoiding smoking or eating in the brewing area.
6. It's important to note that sanitation is critical throughout the brewing process to ensure that your beer is safe to drink and tastes great. By following these best practices, you can help prevent contamination and ensure that your beer is high-quality.

How does water quality affect beer?

Water quality is an important factor in brewing beer, as it can affect the taste and quality of the final product. Different minerals and chemicals in water can impact the pH levels, color, and flavor of the beer.

Here are a few ways that water quality can affect beer:

• pH: The pH levels of water can affect the fermentation process and the flavor of the beer. Water that is too alkaline can make the beer taste bitter and can also cause haze or other issues with clarity. Water that is too acidic can make the beer taste sour and can also affect the yeast's ability to ferment the beer properly.
• Minerals: Different minerals in water can also affect the beer's flavor. For example, water that is high in calcium can make the beer taste crisp and dry, while water that is high in sulfur can make the beer taste metallic or medicinal.
• Chlorine: Chlorine can also affect the taste of beer, and it is one of the main reason why tap water is not suitable for brewing. Chlorine can cause off-flavors in beer and can also kill the yeast, preventing fermentation.
• Chloramines: Chloramines are a type of disinfectant used by some municipalities to treat water and it is also not suitable for brewing, as it can also cause off-flavors in beer and can also kill the yeast, preventing fermentation.

To ensure the best water quality, it's recommended that home brewers use filtered or distilled water, or they can also use a water treatment system specifically designed for brewing.

It's also important to consider the water source and the mineral content that is appropriate for the beer you're brewing. Water from different regions, can have different mineral content that might complement or clash with specific beer styles.

What are the best hops for brewing beer?

There are many different hop varieties that can be used for brewing beer, and the best hops will depend on the style of beer you're brewing. Here are a few popular hop varieties and the styles of beer they are commonly used for:

1. Cascade: A popular American hop that is known for its strong citrus and floral aromas. It is commonly used in pale ales, IPAs, and other American-style beers.
2. Centennial: Another American hop that is known for its high alpha acid content and strong citrus and floral aromas. It is commonly used in IPAs, pale ales, and other American-style beers.
3. Chinook: A strong, pungent American hop that is known for its high alpha acid content and piney, spicy aromas. It is commonly used in IPAs, pale ales, and other American-style beers.
4. Saaz: A classic Czech hop that is known for its mild, earthy, and spicy aromas. It is commonly used in Pilsners, lagers, and other European-style beers.
5. Hallertau: A classic German hop that is known for its mild, floral, and spicy aromas. It is commonly used in lagers, Pilsners, and other European-style beers.
6. Willamette: An American hop, known for its mild and fruity aroma, it is commonly used in American ales, pale ales, and stouts.
7. Simcoe: Known for its unique aroma, a combination of pine, fruit and earthy notes, is commonly used in IPAs, pale ales, and other American-style beers
8. Mosaic: A newer hop variety, known for its complex aroma, with notes of tropical fruits, berries and earthy notes, is commonly used in IPAs, pale ales, and other American-style beers.

These are just a few examples of popular hop varieties and the styles of beer they are commonly used for. There are many other hop varieties available such as those grown in New Zealand.

What are some common home brewing mistakes new beginners make?

Home brewing can be a fun and rewarding hobby, but it can also be easy to make mistakes, especially for new beginners. Here are some common home brewing mistakes that new beginners make:

• Not cleaning and sanitizing equipment properly: Cleaning and sanitizing equipment is critical to producing high-quality beer, and not doing it properly can lead to contamination and off-flavors.
• Using tap water: Tap water can contain chlorine or other chemicals that can affect the taste and quality of your beer. It's important to use filtered or distilled water to avoid these problems.
• Not controlling fermentation temperature: Fermentation temperature can greatly affect the final beer, and not controlling it properly can lead to off-flavors and other issues.
• Not measuring original gravity and final gravity: Measuring the original gravity and final gravity of the beer is important to monitor the fermentation progress and ensure that the beer is ready to bottle.
• Not being patient: Brewing beer takes time, and rushing the process can lead to problems with fermentation, carbonation, and overall quality.
• Not following the recipe: Using the right ingredients and following the recipe is essential to brewing a good beer. Not following the recipe can lead to off-flavors and other problems.
• Over priming: Over priming is when too much sugar is added to the beer before bottling, leading to bottles exploding or gushing beer when opened.
• Not aging beer long enough: some beer styles require a longer aging period, not letting them age enough can lead to a lack of flavor development or carbonation.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can increase your chances of brewing a high-quality beer. Remember to take your time, follow instructions, and enjoy the process. And always feel free to ask for help or advice from more experienced home brewers.

How to tell if your brew is infected by bacteria

An infected beer can have several signs of bacterial contamination, which include:

• Off-flavors: An infected beer may have sour, rancid, or metallic flavors that are not characteristic of the style of beer.
• Cloudy appearance: An infected beer may appear cloudy or hazy, even after proper clarification.
• Off-aromas: An infected beer may have a strong, sour or vinegar-like aroma, which is not characteristic of the style of beer.
• Unusual head: An infected beer may have a weak or no head, or a head that dissipates quickly.
• Unusual or no carbonation: An infected beer may be either over or under carbonated.
• Unusual sediment: An infected beer may have a thick, slimy, or stringy sediment that does not dissipate over time.

It's important to note that not all beers will have all these signs of infection, and the severity of the symptoms can vary. Also some of these symptoms can also be caused by other factors such as poor brewing practices or equipment issues (clean your gear people!).

It's important to follow good sanitation practices during the brewing process, and to be vigilant about monitoring your beer for any signs of infection. If you suspect that your beer is infected, it's best to discard it, as it is not safe to drink.

It's always a good idea to take notes and keep records of your brewing process and ingredients, so you can track down what went wrong and make adjustments for future batches.

Can I accidentally make methanol when home brewing beer?

Methanol is a toxic alcohol that can be produced during fermentation if certain conditions are present. It is a byproduct of the fermentation of fruits or grains that contain pectin, and it is not commonly found in beer. However, it is possible to produce methanol when home brewing beer if certain conditions are present.

Methanol can be produced when fermenting with fruits that contain high levels of pectin, such as apples or plums, or when using high levels of certain types of sugars, such as brown sugar. It can also be produced if the fermentation temperature is too high, or if the fermentation is not properly monitored.

To avoid the production of methanol, it's important to use ingredients that are known to be safe for brewing beer and to follow proper brewing techniques. It's also important to use proper sanitation practices, to avoid contamination by bacteria or wild yeast that can produce methanol.

It's also important to note that methanol can be present in very small amounts in some alcoholic beverages, and it is not a cause for concern in these amounts. It is only when consumed in large quantities that it becomes toxic and can cause serious health problems.

However, if you suspect that your beer might have a high level of methanol, it is best to discard it and seek professional advice. It is not safe to drink and should not be consumed.

Is there a risk of leaving beer in the primary fermenter too long?

The length of time that beer can be left in the primary fermenter will depend on the style of beer and the specific fermentation conditions. Generally speaking, most beers will benefit from 3-7 days in the primary fermenter before being transferred to a secondary fermenter or keg/bottle for conditioning.

During the primary fermentation, yeast will consume most of the sugars present and will produce alcohol and carbon dioxide. After 3-7 days, the yeast will start to settle and the beer will become clearer. This is the appropriate time to transfer the beer to a secondary fermenter, where it can continue to age and develop flavor.

However, it's important to note that some beers, particularly those that are high in gravity or have a high adjunct content, may require more time in the primary fermenter. For example, Belgian-style beers or beers that have a high fruit content can require up to 14 days or more in the primary fermenter.

It's also important to monitor the fermentation process and to take gravity readings to ensure that fermentation has been completed before transferring the beer to a secondary fermenter or keg/bottle.

When in doubt, it's best to follow the instructions provided with your recipe or consult with more experienced home brewers.

Can I use carbonation drops with beer kits?

Yes, you can use carbonation drops with beer kits. Carbonation drops, also known as priming sugar, are a convenient way to carbonate your beer after bottling. They are usually made from glucose or dextrose and are added to the bottle before capping. The yeast that remains in the beer will consume the sugar and produce carbon dioxide, which carbonates the beer.

Carbonation drops are a popular choice among home brewers because they are easy to use, and they allow you to control the carbonation level of your beer. However, it's important to use the right amount of carbonation drops based on the style of beer you are brewing and the desired carbonation level. Typically, 5-7 carbonation drops per bottle is a good starting point, but this can vary depending on the recipe and personal preference.

It's also important to note that you have to be careful when using carbonation drops with beer kits, as some of them are already carbonated, and you don't want to over-carbonate the beer. It's best to follow the instructions provided with your beer kit and consult with more experienced home brewers if you have any doubts.

Additionally, it's important to note that carbonation drops are not the only way to carbonate the beer, you can also use other methods such as force carbonation (kegging) or bottle conditioning (using a small amount of sugar added to the bottle for the yeast to ferment and carbonate the beer).

My beer smells a bit like rotten eggs?

If your homebrew beer has a smell like rotten eggs, it is likely caused by a compound called hydrogen sulfide (H2S). This compound can be produced during fermentation by certain types of bacteria or yeast.

Several factors can contribute to the production of hydrogen sulfide in beer, including:

1. High fermentation temperatures: High temperatures can promote the growth of bacteria that produce hydrogen sulfide.
2. Poor sanitation: Bacteria can thrive in dirty or poorly cleaned equipment, leading to the production of hydrogen sulfide.
3. Using contaminated ingredients: Using contaminated grains, fruits, or other ingredients can introduce bacteria that produce hydrogen sulfide into your beer.
4. Yeast strain: Certain yeast strains can also produce hydrogen sulfide during fermentation.
5. Improper aeration: Proper aeration during the fermentation process is important to prevent the production of H2S.

To fix this issue, you should try to identify the cause of the problem and make adjustments accordingly. The first step is to ensure that all your equipment is cleaned and sanitized properly. You should also control fermentation temperature, use high-quality ingredients, and ensure that the yeast is healthy.

It's also a good idea to aerate your beer properly during the fermentation process, by shaking the fermenter to add oxygen to the wort.

If the smell persists, it's best to discard the beer and consult with more experienced home brewers for advice.

Final advice for new brewers using beer kits

Here are some general tips for new beer brewers:

• When starting out, it's best to stick to simple recipes and styles of beer to get a feel for the brewing process. As you gain more experience, you can start experimenting with more complex recipes and styles.
• Follow instructions: Be sure to follow the instructions provided with your beer kit or recipe closely. Small deviations can have a big impact on the final taste profile of your beer.
• Clean and sanitize: Cleanliness and sanitation are critical to producing high-quality beer. Be sure to clean and sanitize all equipment and surfaces before and after brewing.
• Temperature control: Temperature control is important for the fermentation process, so be sure to keep your fermenter in a cool and consistent place during fermentation.
• Take notes: Keep a brewing journal to record your brewing process, ingredients, and results. This will help you track down what went wrong and make adjustments for future batches.
• Be patient: Brewing beer takes time, and rushing the process can lead to problems with fermentation, carbonation, and overall quality.
• Experiment: Don't be afraid to experiment with different hops, yeasts, and ingredients to create unique and delicious beers.
• Join a community: Join a local home brewing club or online community to learn from more experienced brewers and share your experiences.

Remember, brewing beer is an art and a science. It takes practice and patience to master, but with the right techniques, you will have an amazing tasting beer!

Leave a Comment beer kit

⇒ How do I tell if my beer fermented properly? (I really want to drink it)

How to tell if my beer brew has fermented?

Fermentation is the name of the game when making beer.

If you don't have fermentation taking place, you simply don't have beer.

You have just have a 23 liter bucket of watery malt.

Homebrewers can face fermentation stage issues and a common problem is that fermentation has not begun. A typical sign is that there are no bubbles coming through the airlock.

But is no bubbles in the airlock really a sign of a lack of fermentation?

The first thing to bear in mind is that it can take at least 15 hours of your Earth time before the CO2 bubbles start gurgling through the airlock. 

So don't go drowning your sorrows just yet if the bubbles haven't started. If you think that your beer hasn't started brewing there's some problem-solving you can do. 

If you are using a glass fermenter you can look for a dark scum that rings around the water level mark. You can probably see it through the standard white fermenter drum as well.

Or check for signs of foam or the krausen as it is affectionately known. Give it 20 - 48 hours before you start to worry.

If using a plastic drum you might be able to see through to check for the scum. Another trick is to take out the airlock and try and peek through the whole to identify scum or foam.

Also, did you firmly seal your fermenter? If not, the CO2 is possibly passing out via the lid and not the airlock meaning the pressure build-up is not sufficient for gas to pass out the water trap.

We're going to assume your fermenter is in a warm place and not in some shed where the temperatures are approaching zero degrees centigrade. Your yeast will go to sleep if this is the case.

You could also check the gravity by using a hydrometer.

I'll assume you know how to use one.  The beer has usually finished fermenting if the final gravity reading is  1/3 to 1/4 of the original gravity. This, of course, means you took an original reading when you first prepared your beer.

You did do that right?

If you have the same reading 24 hours apart - that's your final reading and an indication that the fermentation is finished. 

Don't bottle your beer just yet, let it mellow for a bit longer.

The longer the better your brew will probably be. If you are a beginner brewer, trust me on this. Let you brew rest up just a little bit longer than you may have the patience for.

Brewing is a game of patience, and those who wait are rewarded with good-tasting, clear beer. 

So why weren't there any bubbles in the airlock? 

That's a fair question to ask.

It could be that there was a leak that allows the CO2 to escape (to teach you to suck rotten eggs, those bubbles in the airlock are carbon dioxide gas, the by-product of fermentation).

You may have not tightened the drum enough or possible not screwed in the tap properly.

It's a good idea to check this is the case before you worry too much.

• If you didn't see any signs of fermentation it could be that it's too cold to brew.
• Is your batch of beer in a warm enough place?
• If you're brewing during summer months, it's probably not too cold.

If you've left your beer in a cold place in the shed, then it may be too cold. If it's too cold to brew in your 'man shed' - say it's the middle of winter, you might want to bring your brew inside the house.

You could consider wrapping it in blankets or old sheets (I do this all the time just because that's what I learned to do at University in the cold, windy town of Palmerston North, NZ. This is a handy trick and will help to keep the chill off your beer. I think this trick works best if the beer is already warm enough to brew. 

Maybe leave it in the laundry if it's a warm place?

When I brew in winter I will often leave the fermenter our the warm kitchen or living room at least overnight so that the fermentation process has a decent chance to start. My wife hates that but still drinks the beer so go figure. 

Some brewers like to use heat pads (try the Mangogrove Jacks one) or panels to keep the beer at a consistently warm temperature. If you do wish to use a pad, you'll need to be able to store your brew close to a power socket so the heat pad can operate.

Yeast issues?

Another more serious reason for beer failing to ferment is yeast failure.

This may occur if the yeast has become dry. This is why you will hear a constant refrain from expert beer users to only use fresh ingredients.

In the case of a beer kit brewer, this means do not purchase old stock as the yeast could be too old (I do suspect however this is a bit of a housewives tale - as stock should rotate fairly regularly). 

However, in our experience, we haven't had this problem with a beer kit yet. 

A key trick is to add (pitch) the yeast at the appropriate temperature - if using a beer kit you will be well off to generally follow the temp instructions - you especially do not want to add the yeast if the solution is too cold as it may be hard for the yeast to get traction - and whatever you do, don't add yeast to boiling water (if that's what you are using to mix everything together) - as that will almost certainly kill the yeast and ruin any chance of your beer successfully fermenting.

So in summary here are some problem-solving tips:

• Check for leaks that allow the CO2 to escape - tighten the fermenter drum
• Look for foamy residue - if you see it, you're OK
• Look for scum residue - if you see it, you're OK
• Make sure the temperature is appropriate for the kind of beer you are making
• Consider using a heat pad to ensure a consistent brewing temperature

Image credit to Quinn Dombrowski via Creative Commons Licence

1 comment beer kit, fermentation, problem solving

↠ Do I have to sanitise all my beer brewing equipment?

Yes, you do bloody have to clean, sanitize and sterilize your beer brewing equipment, right down to the bottle caps and stirring spoon

There are plenty of tricks and cheats you can do to product quality tasting beer but the one thing you can't escape from is the proper cleaning, sanitizing and sterilization of your beer gear.

There's a difference between sanitizing and sterilizing

Sanitizing is a technical term that means a certain allowable amount of microbes to survive on the surface of your equipment.

Sterilizing is like sanitizing, but it removes all the microorganisms (the bugs and germs that will ruin your beer).

Think of washing your hands with hot water and soap as sanitization as it kills a few bugs but not all and is an acceptable means of cleaning your hands.

If you want to kill all the bugs on your hand so the skin is sterile with no bugs on it anywhere, then I suggest you boil your hands in water...

For the most part, the typical homebrewers don't need to sterilize, only sanitize. The chemicals commonly used for homebrew brewing are made to sanitize.

Now we've got those definitions clear, there are several methods that you can try to 'sterilize' your gear.

We'll note a couple in detail:

You can drown everything in bleach

A cheap and cost effective way to get your gear free of bugs is to drown your gear in bleach.

But what is bleach?

Bleach is usually a solution of chemicals such as sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide and they act as an oxidizing agent. They are great for all kinds of things such as removing bad smells, making your whites whiter and your brights brighter and for home brewing.

A popular American brand of bleach is Chlorox but there are hundreds of brands of bleach you could use.

As with all these sterilizing methods, you simply soak your equipment in the solution for a good length of time. A quick dip of ten minutes is the bare minimum.

We try and do several hours of soaking if possible.

The trick with bleach is to remember that you need to rinse everything off with clean water after. This is done to ensure that no yucky flavours leftover from the bleach makes it into your batch of beer. 

Use sodium percarbonate as a sanitizing agent

Using sodium percarbonate is our preferred method as it works well, no rinsing is required and it's very easy to order in bulk online.

And it does not smell like chlorine does.

If you've ever tried to buy sodium percarbonate from a specialist beer brewery shop, you'll know that you can get a small bottle or container of it that will cost you a small fortune.

If you can buy it in bulk from an online supplier, you'll do well to nab some as using it will effectively bring down your cost per brew. 

To use sodium percarbonate you simply add it to water. I like to add hot or ever boiling water to the drum so as to get the action of the chemical happening pretty quickly. The boiling water also helps kill off any nasty bugs hiding about as well. 

A home brand with sodium percarbonate.

Here's another trick, this chemical is basically what you might know as Tide or Napisan or any product that's brand name tries to use the word 'oxy' as in oxygen cleaning or oxidization agent.

Chances are you already have some in your home laundry so feel free to use that. I have done so several times with no problems whatsoever.

Non scented house brands are awesome.

Other methods of sanitization and sterilization

• Applying heat - use your oven for a good dry heat.
• Boiling in water with your camping stove or burner
• Use an autoclave or pressure cooker (this seems like a bit of overkill though)
• An ordinary house dishwasher machine can be used for sanitation but remember it's not likely to clean the inside of the bottles as well as you might wish, rather you are using the heat of the dishwasher to kill any microbes. 

The key goal here is to make sure that your equipment is nice and clean and that it has a few microbes on it is possible. You can use whatever means you like to achieve this but you have to do it and you must be consistent.

You cannot take a break from it. If you want a good tasting beer that's not contaminated then you just have to take the plunge. 

If you are looking for a product to CLEAN your brewing equipment then we suggest you consider using PBW:

PBW stands for Powdered Brewery Wash

PBW cleaning product by Five Star is widely used in many commercial breweries but countless homebrewers across the land have cottoned on to how they can use it for cleaning their own brewing equipment.

If you've ever used a 5 gallon stainless steel boil pot you'll know how crusty the remnants on the bottom of the pot can be. A quick round with PBW will sort them out easily. All you have to do when cleaning with hot water, is add just a little bit of PBW, mix it up, and let it sit in the pot. All of that burned-on garbage lifts right off. Ideally, a good burner will not cause this problem!

PBW is also excellent for cleaning the inside of your beer bottles, it can really clean out the beer's sediment. 

The main ingredient is about 30% Sodium Metasilicate. Its chemical formula is Na2SiO3 and it's what kicks grease and beer smegma to the curb. If you want to be brave and buy the main ingredient in bulk, there's plenty of value on offer on Amazon.

Image credit Anna L Martin as per Creative Commons License

Leave a Comment beer brewing, beer kit, home brew, steralisation, tricks and tips

Do I need to boil a malt extract kit can?

Boiling malt extract kits for better beer - should I?

The short answer is that as far as I can really tell, the main reason to boil a wort extract is so that you can keep boiling the wort so you, extra speciality grains and that you can add your hops and thus boil the hops to the timings of your recipe and thus extract the kind of hops bitterness you are going for.

Read on for the long version and in and outs of doing so.... 

Using a beer kit is kind of like doing an all-grain brew without the mashing and steeping of the grains - that's all be done for you with the kit.

For if brewing is not one massive scientific experiment that's quite fun, what is it?

I've made probably just shy of a hundred malt extra kit brews without boiling the wort. The way I see it is that I'm following a pretty simple cake recipe - I just pack everything together, pitch some hops (dry hopping) and let the fermentation begin. 

I'm a simple man, I make simple beer.

Sometimes I go crazy and add some golden syrup...  

Sure, this is a pretty basic position to achieve the most simplest of brews, however, like a pick-a-path book, there are many options which may yet convince you to boil the extract malt and then have a bit it of a play.

If you want a more nuanced beer, one that hits the right flavour notes, then boiling your malt extract and turning it into a hot wort, might be the way to go for you. 

Here's the why:

Adding hops into the wort (unfermented beer) produce a bitterness that is used to balance out the malt's sweetness and of course also to provide the hoppy fruity flavours and smells & aromas that make beers like unique, brilliant and most of all, a genuine drinking experience

At the most basic level, if you don’t boil hops into a kit beer, you’re just making the beer style indicated on the kit. And that beer could be totally drinkable, and chances are it will be. There's nothing wrong with taking a Coopers lager kit, adding some DME, yeast and you're away.

It's the same as if you don’t boil hops into an all-grain beer, you’re not going to like the result.

But what if like Fleetwood Mac, you want to go your own way?

Some choices in a pick-a-path are better than others right?

This is a grand generalisation but here's an excellent guide, especially for noob beginners:

How to boil a malt kit to make great beer

We're going to assume you are down with the basics of brewing beer. 

You appreciate that your gear and fermentation device need to be cleaned and sanitized. You've got a big enough kettle drum to do the boil in and you've got a gas burner that has the balls to do the job, because when it comes to boiling wort, heat is neat.

In its most basic form, extract brewing involves dissolving your chosen malt extract in about eight litres of hot water to give you wort. In some cases, you'll need to add sugar or dextrose too (or a beer enhancer), depending on the recipe. 

Bring to the boil, add your favourite hops and continue to boil the wort for as long as your recipe specifies to develop the bitterness. You'll need a vigorous boil but try not to let too much liquid boil off -as three things that you do not want to happen can - your wort wort may darken, the sugars could caramalise, and the hops won't deliver the bitterness you want imparted into you beer. 

Once that's all done, you need to cool the wort as fast as you can.

There's all kinds of ways to do that - from putting the kettle into an ice bath through to using a wort chiller. You then transfer to the fermentation drum, top up to about 23L with cold & clean water, pitch the yeast and then continue with normal practices such as storage at a proper fermentation temperature.

Now that above is the most basic guidance, the timing of adding hops to impart bitterness is a bit like that Roy Orbison song, She's a Mystery To Me... 

For the more curious, here's some handy tips to think about: 

Be wary of over boiling the malt

You must remember to stir the wort as you add the malt extract to avoid scorching it on the bottom of the pot. 

Extract is denser than water, so it will naturally sink to the bottom of the kettle and be exposed to that 60 - 70 centigrade heat you've got going. 

A hot kettle will not take long to caramelize and then burn to a sticky, ashy mess. Keep a close eye in it and stir often, at least until the malt has become one with the water. 

You do not need to add the malt extract in all at once. You could do a half and first, wait 10 minutes and then add, or if you wish to be quite cautious you could add a third, add a third and finish with the last third over a 10 - 14 minute period. 

Here's a handy trick, use a wire coat hanger across the kettle and use as a line to hand the malt kits on:

Image credit: Matt Boucher

From wort to boiling hops for bitterness

Most recipes call for a 60 minute boil with several hop additions along the way.

Some brewers advocate a shorter boil to save time and propane, especially if the recipe only calls for late addition hops or whirlpool hopping. That can work out fine, but it’s best to boil for a minimum of 20 minutes to sanitize the wort and get a decent hot break to clear proteins (especially if doing an all grain brew rather than a kit). 

Here's a quick guide on how to boil a malt kit and hop timings.

In general:

• hops added at the start of the boil will contribute a lot of bitterness but little flavour
• hops added with 20 – 30 minutes remaining will add a bit of bitterness and a bit of flavour
• hops added in the last 0 – 10 minutes of the boil will add quite a bit of flavour but little bitterness

Here's the step by step:

• Prepare and sanitise all equipment as you would with a kit beer.
• Bring 6-7 litres of water to the boil in a kettle or pot.
• Add the malt extract, stirring in immediately and taking care not to allow any to sit on the bottom of the pot and burn as discussed above.
• Get all of this to a gently rolling boil and add 10 grams of your chosen hops. Start a countdown timer for 20 minutes.
• With 10 minutes remaining, add 15 grams of extra hops
• With 5 minutes remaining, add 15 grams of extra hops
• With 1 minute remaining, add the final 10 grams of hops (stick with it, you're on the road to make the best-bittered beer you ever have!)
• When the time is up, remove the pot from the heat and cool it as fast as possible. On this small scale, it may be possible to do this by placing in a sink or bath of running cold water or using a wort chiller is probably ideal. 
• When cooled to 25 – 30°C, pour the beer-to-be into your sanitised fermenter or drum.
• Stir and splash the cooled wort to expose it to as much air as possible. You're trying to add Oxygen - at this point of the process, it's really helpful. 
• You can now top-up the fermenter with cold water to around the 23 litre mark, if that's what's recommended on the kit instructions. 
• Pitch yeast and proceed as you would with a kit beer and then expertly store in a place that's warm.
• Follow out beer brewing guide if you need any further intel.

Adding grains to the extracted wort

If you a feeling really adventurous, it's time to consider adding some grains to your brewing process. 'Specialty grains' as they are known in the parlance will add different flavors and colourings to your beer. It's really easy to incorporate them into your boil - the simple trick is to steep them in your hot water before you do the steps described just above:

Put your grains in a steeping bag and let it sit in your pot of water at about 70 degrees for half an hour. Then pull out the bag, crack open your malt extract and get brewing.

If you're just getting in to rock and roll, you may wish to be circumspect with your first choice of grains. Some grains, especially the paler malts, generally need to be properly to be mashed to get any decent flavour from them. 

Handy grains to try steeping are black malt, caraamber malt, chocolate malt, and roasted barley.

If you do this, you are well on your way to brewing a beer that's worthy of being entered in your local beer brewing competition!

What is the difference between extract brewing and all grain brewing?

The key difference between all-grain and extract brewing is that an all-malt wort made from grains is almost always more fermentable than an all-malt wort made from extract. 

It's just the way it is due to how extract kits are made. 

The early beer kits of thirty years ago solved this problem by combining the malt extract with sugar — which is completely fermentable — to yield reasonably dry beers, and this is why homebrew was often looked down in the 70s and 80s (and beyond) because brews could be so very dry. Back in those days not every town had a brew shop you could run down to for some enhancer or dry malt extract. 

The increased availability of the sugar known as dextrose over the last 20 years has changed the kit game considerably.  

One way to look at it is that an extract kit has had the maker decided the beer style for you already, whereas, with grains, the world is your oyster. You can experiment or have a go with recipes that brewers have found tried and true. 

Those such recipes are often shared between good keen blokes and lasses on forums. Some 'google fu' may help you out! 

If you're interested in a Steinlager clone....

Leave a Comment all grain, beer kit, how to brew with a beer kit

>> What are the best beer kits to use for brewing?

There is a great range of beer kits to use for home brewing

The best thing about beer kit selection is that it all depends on what kind of beer you want to make. 

So the choice is up to you.

No one wants to screw up their beer, they just want a great tasting beer that they can share with their mates.

Or drink it all themselves while watching the Footy. 

But you gotta make that choice.

So.

Are you after a hearty ale or a light lager? 

Maybe ever something more fancy like a 'saison' which seems to be all the rage at the moment?

There are many kinds of beer kits from all kinds of sellers. They are all intended to be used to make great tasting beer so let’s review a selection of the best beer kits and see if we can find the best one for you.

Things to consider first when buying a beer kit

What kind of beer do you want to brew?

Beer kits are made to cover just about every beer style that there is. 

If you are a beginner brewer we would recommend that you go for a more darker beer like an ale or stout (we love nut brown ales with some fuggle hops ourselves). 

This is because it's more likely you will get a better tasting beer, especially as most first time brewers will not be patient enough to wait for their lagers to properly age!! 

Speaking of lager...

Is the kit reasonably fresh?

If it’s been sitting under the kitchen sink for three years the ingredients may not be in an optimum state and the condition of the yeast will certainly be questionable.

You want your beer kit to be in the best state so as they say, fresh is best. When making your purchase feel free to inquire with the seller or check the batch data.

If it’s old, show the kit the door.

If you are buying from a popular beer specialty store or online site, chances are you will be buying a product of an appropriate age and there should be no reason for you to wonder.

One handy trick brewers often do is discard the yeast pack that comes with the beer kit and instead they add their own fresh yeast they have sourced elsewhere, the Safale yeast is a popular choice with homebrewers.

Many brewers believe that the yeast in beer kits are not as good as specialty yeasts. We say each to their own, and if you can afford it, go for it.

Lager beer kits

Lagers can be a challenge to make as they need lower temperatures during fermentation to achieve the desired result.

Since lagers  are generally light in body it is very easy to tell a lager that has been fermented at too warm a temperature as they may taste too fruity or spicy due to too much ester production.

So what are some good beer kits to use to make a lager?

Getting the malt ready

The very first lager I ever made was a Black Rock Lager with beer enhancer and Dr. Rudi Hops. I have no idea who Doctor Rudi is but he sure helped make a good beer! 

I’ve used plenty of Black Rock Kits and they are just the best for basic home brewing and produce very drinkable beers. 

You could think of these kits as being your 'standard' kit - nothing to fancy but you can be confident they will help you produce good beer.

You’ll also find that Cooper’s DIY Lager is well worth a crack – we do recommend you add some hops of course! We did a great brew of a Cooper's larger with the combination of both Moteuka and Saaz hops. 

Cooper’s kits have been reviewed by drinkers as being “a great beer to start with for new brewers and veterans alike. The flavor is very smooth, has a creamy head and ends with a slight bitterness.”

Another popular choice in the American home brewers market is the Munton’s Premium Lager Kit, which has a 5 star review on Amazon

What are the popular ale kits? Is IPA the way to go?

Some of the tastiest beverages around are ales. There’s something about them that just makes you feel good when drinking them (other than the obvious alcohol effect!).

They are hearty to drink, and pair well with many food dishes.

A well-crafted ale can explore all kinds of taste sensations and they are certainly a great session beer where you can just get on them.

Also, the best ale kits are pretty forgiving to brewing mistakes and they are also able to be brewed at warmer temperatures than those pesky and pernickety lagers ;).

So what are the best ale kits?

We are going to focus on the IPA, the good old Indian Pale Ale.

A style of apparently that was apparently invented by the British during their efforts to colonize India, the IPA is a hoppy style beer from the pale ale family.

There are three kinds of IPA’s American-style, English-style, and Double or Imperial. All have good things going for them, especially Mr Beer’s Diablo IPA.

It is a very popular beer kit. It has been described as being “a very nice dark ale with subtle hints of winter spices, and takes kindly to many different yeasts.”

Get your thrills from your pils (kits)

Let’s have a think about Pilsner beer kits.

Hand tip - use a hydrometer to check the gravity

The pilsner style is arguably the most successful beer style in the world with some counts suggesting that 9 out of 20 beers comes from the pils family or a style derived from it.

Take that with a grain of malt, but there’s no doubt as to the popularity of a good pils (if you ever get the chance, try the Three Boys Pils, it’s one of our personal favourites).

The pilsner has a long history coming out of Germany. The modern pilsner has a very light, clear colour from pale to golden yellow. It will usually have distinct hop aroma and flavour.

Pilsner beers have become nearly synonymous with the four so called 'noble hops'. These are varieties of hop called Terrnanger, Spalt, Hallertauer and Saaz.

So what are the best pilsner beer kits? 

Here's a handy selection of the popular sellers on Amazon:

Stout beers are... strong!

You may always want to try a stout.

Stouts are not for the shy beer drinker, they are a full on ‘meal’ in a glass. A dark beer, they are often 7 or 8 percent ABV and have been around as a beer style since the late 1600s.

The stout, like most beer families, comes in a variety of styles. Milk stouts, Irish, Porters and oatmeal are popular versions.

The most well-known Irish stout is the Guinness Draft, the mostly drunk beer around the world on Saint Patrick's day!

There’s even a method of brewing stout that uses oysters but we recommend the home brewer stay away from adding some of Bluff’s finest export to their brews!

Stouts will often use East Kent Goldings hops but the classic Fuggle hop is used, as are several others.

So what are the best stouts to homebrew from a kit?

Here's a handy selection of popular options from Amazon.



So there you go, there are plenty of quality beer kits to choose from. What to choose depends on what kind of beer you want and how much you want to spend!

We would recommend you go with popular beer kits when you are starting out.

This way you can have some confidence that many brewers have been there before and voted with their wallets as to the quality and taste of the kits.

Always bear in mind that having a good kit is not a guarantee of success – attention to good brewing technique and adhering to the mantra of sanitizing your equipment are also fundamental to the chances of brewing a tasty beverage! A good choice of hops will go a long way too - our Riwaka hops experiment was a great success.

Leave a Comment ale beer kits, beer brewing, beer kit, home brew

Two instructions on the beer kit can you can safely ignore

Rules are meant to be broken and so are the beer making instructions that you will find on a beer kit.

Think of an ordinary cake recipe.

If you follow its instructions to the letter, you'd likely get an OK tasting cake.

But a cake making expert will see that same cake recipe and see room for improvement and change things up and make a great tasting cake.

And it's the same with the instructions that come with an extract beer kit. If you make your beer following the can's instructions, you will simply make beer.

When a beer making expert sees those same instructions, they see opportunity to basically ignore those instructions and apply some tried and true beer making methods instead!

Let's have a look some of the things that standard set of instructions might say something like.

Bottle when the specific gravity is the same after two readings

If you are a first time brewer, you could be forgiven if you were wondering what specific gravity means. It's the reading taken with a hydrometer that demonstrates that alcohol is displacing water. If you have two readings the same a day a part, no more displacement is occurring and thus, fermentation is finished.

Right?

No.

While the yeast may have stopped making alcohol, the yeast is still doing it's job.

It is cleaning up what we will call the 'left overs'. Here's the instructions your beer kit does not give you.

Let your beer 'chill out' in the drum a bit longer.

While the bubbles may have stopped coming out the airlock, some pretty handy chemical reactions are still occurring and they will help make your beer taste even better.

Bottling too early (such as immediately post having two consecutive identical specific gravity readings) deprives your beer of this vital part of the secret to making good beer.

Don't drink your beer after a week, no matter what the instructions say

And here's the second reason to ignore your beer kit's instructions. They often suggest you can drink your beer after a week!

What?

Have you ever actually done this?

I have and I can tell you that a beer that has been conditioned for only a week is the roughest beer to drink around.

What happens when you bottle beer is that a secondary fermentation takes place.

This is when the beer is carbonated for the second time, the difference being, the carbon dioxide is trapped inside the beer bottle. 

While that is happening, the yeast is once again cleaning up the beer for you. Let the beer sit for a minimum of three weeks so that it is at its best for drinking.

So there are two reasons to ignore the beer kit's instructions and they basically come down to time. There is no need to rush your beer making experience. Let the beer sit for a week after fermentation has obviously finished and then let your beer condition even longer than what the instructions suggest. 

You can of course always choose to ignore the advice in my step by step guide to brewing beer!

Leave a Comment advice about beer brewing, beer kit, beer kits, home brew

Review of William Warn's 'Bohemian' Pilsner beer kit

I decided to try the Williams Warn Bohemian Pilsner at the suggestion of a keen home brewer.

Williams Warn’s version of a traditional Bohemian Pilsner is touted as having “a rich, complex maltiness and a crisp finish”.

So that’s the challenge for this home brewer, can I produce this beer as described?

What is a bohemian pilsner?

There are basically two kinds of pilsners, the German and Bohemian. The difference between the two is often the  geographicsource of their ingredients.

Bohemian brews are said to have a more malty character that the German version and so I guess that's why WilliamsWarn is mentioning it in their product description.

Let’s talk about the actual kit

The kit includes a 3.75 pound can of pre-hopped Premium Bohemian Pilsner liquid malt extract, designed by Ian Williams and crafted at Lion Brewery in New Zealand. 

Lion Nathan is of course famous for producing it’s own world conquering beer, Steinlager.

I combined the beer kit with WilliamsWarn’s own DME pack which I think from memory was 1250 grams or about 3 pounds.

The yeast was the Fermentis Saflager W34/70 lager yeast which is a popular brewing yeast for lagers that originated from where else but Germany.  

Brewing the Warns William kit

The brewing was a pretty standard affair following the usual beer brewing practices, the only thing of note was I added some cascade hops. I should more properly use a noble hops such as sazz but the cascade was all I had!

I suspect this combination may give me a potentially fruity taste which could contradict the intended crisp taste that’s sought but we’ll see.

Let’s talk about the yeast

The first thing I noticed about the yeast packet was that it had approximately twice the amount of yeast of any other beer kit that I’ve ever used.

So I was not surprised when less than two hours after pitching the yeast I walked back into the man shed and heard the barrel happily bubbling away quite strongly.

I looked into the yeast a bit further and learned that the Williams Warn claims 'When you pitch these yeasts into your wort, you’ll see activity within hours.'

So their claims were true and that totally gives me confidence that this beer kit comes from a brewer who actually knows what they are talking about.

Good stuff.

The brew carried on bubbling very strongly  for three full days at a pretty good rate and then it slowly wound down.

Into the bottle goes the brown liquid

Bottling day came 6 days later.

The beer smelt and tasted good. 

I bottled into a variety of 750 and 500 mls bottles.  

I also tried to use as little sugar as possible as I’m quite conscious that I’ve had a few too many gushers of late.

That’s just a waste of beer and money eh?

So what's the verdict on the beer?

I conditioned for two weeks and hand a wee taste test. The pilsner proved to be quite a tasty drop. It had a nicely balanced body and left a great after taste.

Despite the addition of cascade hops, their effect was quite minimal. I perhaps should added more?

Being a pilsner it was drunk nice and cold, which is just what you need for some summer drinking. 

It also gave good head, which is always pleasing... 

How did the beer compare to Williams Warn's description? Did it have “a rich, complex maltiness and a crisp finish” as touted by the brand?

Kind of!

The beer certainly did have a malt taste that I would not expect of a pilsner but that could be the effect of too many years drinking mass produced pilsners.

As for a crisp finish, I would not describe my brew as having one, none-the-less it was a very drinkable beer. 

And what of the beer's look?

Indeed, I made a fine, deep golden beer.

I would happily brew this beer again! It's probably quite a good kit to boil and then do a hops boil with.

If you want more than my word for this beer kit, check out the reviews for it on Amazon.

Leave a Comment beer kit, beer kit review, bohemian pilsner, cascade, hops, how to brew with a beer kit, williamswarn