Beer brewing perfection?

Question

I just bought a 'brew buddy' larger making kit (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brew-Buddy-Lager-Pints-Starter/dp/B001C4YY4G) and it takes almost a month to make.

in order to ensure I don't waste that long time on crap beer, I was wondering if anyone could give me any tips to ensure it tastes good.

Answer 1

Regardless of what the kit's instructions might say...



- Substitute dried malt extract for the sugar if you can. If you can't...no big deal but try to get some for your next batch.



- Let the wort ferment for two full weeks before bottling. Put the fermentor is a coolish place (low-mid 60s°F or 18°- 20°C) and out of direct sunlight. If the temperature is too cool...the yeast will go dormant. If the temperature is too warm...the yeast will give off too many esters (fruity-flavor).



- Avoid adding oxygen to the wort by not splashing the beer around after fermentation has started or while bottling.



- Let the bottled beer 'condition' at room temperature (around 70°F / 21°C) for two full weeks...then let them sit in the fridge for another two full weeks.



Homebrew made with these type of kits will usually taste best after spending six weeks in the bottle.



Sanitation and patience are two of the more important tips to ensure your beer turns out well.

Answer 2

Lager should ferment cold. Aim for 50 degrees F.



And one month isn't that long a time for home-brew. I make one beer that I won't touch for at least half a year in the bottle. Not a problem for you, though. The stronger and darker the beer, the longer it improves in the bottle.

Answer 3

i love theakstons previous undemanding constructive tasty beer Stella for something cool becks isn't undesirable the quite some Belgian beers are only impressive in certain those brewed by technique of the Trappist clergymen they actual were Trappist after eating a number of those beers some as solid as 16% . as for wich united states of america makes the staggering beer i do not understand the answer to that one as i love maximum beers for various causes

Answer 4

Even with the best treatment, those kits do not produce great or even good beer. It's pretty mediocre since all you add are powders unlike the malted grain extracts in "normal" home brewing...there really is a noticeable difference.



I would use molasses instead of sugar to give the beer more body; let it ferment in a DARK warm area. After the the first week, stir up the stuff to re-oxygenate (boost alcohol content and keeps the yeast from getting stuck).

Answer 5

Homebrewing Abbreviation Slang

Quite a few technical (and wordy) homebrewing terms exist, so to make it easier to read homebrewing recipes and directions, terms have been abbreviated. Here’s a handy guide for homebrewing abbreviations:



Abbreviation What It Stands For

AAU Alpha Acid Unit. A measurement of hop bittering potential.

ABV Alcohol By Volume. One of two methods of expressing alcohol content in beer. (See ABW.)

ABW Alcohol By Weight. One of two methods of expressing alcohol content in beer. (See ABV.)

BJCP Beer Judge Certification Program. National organization for official homebrew judges.

DME Dry Malt Extract. The spray-dried version of liquid malt extract.

DMS Di-Methyl Sulfide. An off flavor and aroma reminiscent of cooked corn.

ESB Extra Special Bitter. A medium-high gravity ale of British origin.

FG Final Gravity. The measurement of gravity taken at the end of fermentation that allows the brewer to compute the alcohol content of beer. (See OG.)

FWH First Wort Hopping. The practice of introducing bittering hops to the beer during the sparging / lautering phase of the mashing procedure.

HBU Homebrew Bitterness Unit. A unit of measurement used by homebrewers to denote the amount of bittering in beer.

HSA Hot Side Aeration. The unintentional exposure of the still-warm wort to oxygen that can lead to problems in your brew, not the least of which is premature staling.

HCU Homebrew Color Unit. A crude method of measuring beer color devised for homebrewers.

IBU International Bittering Unit. An international unit of measurement used by professional brewers to denote the amount of bittering in beer.

IPA India Pale Ale. A highly hopped Pale Ale.

OG Original Gravity. The measurement of gravity taken at the beginning of fermentation that allows the brewer to compute alcohol content of beer. (See FG.)

pH Percent Hydrion (also potential hydrogen). A scale used to measure the acidity and alkalinity of a liquid.

RIS Russian Imperial Stout. High gravity stout brewed for the Russian Imperial Court.

SRM Standard Reference Measure. A measurement of beer color.

TSP Tri-Sodium Phosphate. An effective sudsless, powdered cleanser often used to clean brewery equipment.

Basic Conversions for Homebrewing

In case you need the metric equivalents of basic measurements, keep this simple conversions guide close by when you’re brewing your own beer at home:



Liquid Conversions Mass Conversions

1 teaspoon (tsp.) = 5 milliliters 1 ounce (oz.) = 28 grams

1 tablespoon (Tbsp.) = 15 milliliters 1 pound (lb.) = 0.45 kilogram

1 ounce (oz.) = 29.6 milliliters

1 cup (c.) = 237 milliliters

Answer 6

Where it says "add sugar," forget about sugar; use Munton's "Spray dry malt-extra light." (might be Ceder-X in your neighborhood)

You can make beer with sugar but all-malt tastes better and has better body.

Be sure everything is clean and sanitized before and after each batch. Follow the mixing instructions on the sanitizer, with most sanitizers more is NOT better, too strong and it soaks into the bucket and lingers on into the beer.

You can make a nice beer with the kit. Read and learn as you go, you can keep it simple if you want or progress to designing your own recipes. Take it as far as you like.