New old kit

RichB · Jun 1, 2015

Hi
I just found a kit I got for my brother a few years ago and I'm gonna give it a try.
It's youngs brewbuddy.
The can is way out of date so I'm gonna but wilko cervesa.
I want total success so are there any other secret ingredients I should get before I start. Brands/types of sugar and or yeast? ???
All the hardware is good.
I'd like something different so was thinking of adding a splash of lime and I'd like 5% but as a first timmer not sure how or when to.
All advice welcome
R

clibit · Jun 1, 2015

Total success? Secret ingredients? Grains and hops! And a good yeast.

Spapro · Jun 1, 2015

RichB said:
Hi
I just found a kit I got for my brother a few years ago and I'm gonna give it a try.
It's youngs brewbuddy.
The can is way out of date so I'm gonna but wilko cervesa.
I want total success so are there any other secret ingredients I should get before I start. Brands/types of sugar and or yeast? ???
All the hardware is good.
I'd like something different so was thinking of adding a splash of lime and I'd like 5% but as a first timmer not sure how or when to.
All advice welcome
R

You need to get an initial starting gravity of 1.050 at 20Â°C (measure using a hydrometer before pitching the yeast in to the mixed brew) to achieve an approximate 5% ABV.

Shopping list for Wilkos:
1. The Wilkos Cerveza kit
2. A 500g bag of LIGHT Dried Spray Malt
3. Couple of 1kg bags of brewing sugar.
4. Hydrometer (if you haven't got one in the kit you have)

Make sure all your equipement, stirrer etc is all sterilised to avoid infection.

Mix the Cerveza kit plus the 500g of light dried spray malt, plus 750g of brewing sugar. Mix well with a kettleful of boiled water, then top up to 23litres with cold water. This should get you close to a starting gravity of 1.050

As you are topping up and get close to 23l check the temp - you are aiming for 20Â°C-21Â°C so may need to add a little boiling water to achieve this optimum temp prior to measuring the gravity or pitching the yeast.

Measure using a hydrometer - if you are lower than 1.050 add some more sugar to raise the SG to 1.050.

125g of brew sugar will raise the SG by 2 points - ie from 1.048 to 1.050 as an example.

Good luck with your brew, lots of good advice on this forum.

RichB · Jun 1, 2015

Will normal sugar do. They didn't have brewing and I'm at the supermarket.

clibit · Jun 1, 2015

I wouldn't advise 2kg of sugar, personally. Bit I'm an all grain knob. :p

RichB · Jun 1, 2015

I bought 50th of spray malt light. Will some kind ofl normal or brown posh supermarket sugar be ok.

clibit · Jun 1, 2015

50th? You mean 500g?

If you're gonna get sugar, just get white sugar. Brewing sugar is better, I reckon. But, if you want total success, you don't want 2kg sugar, IMHO. Others may disagree....

Covrich · Jun 1, 2015

clibit said:
Total success? Secret ingredients? Grains and hops! And a good yeast.

You sense the hate and the dark side swelling within him?

OP - I assume when you say original can is way out of date you're going to sling that and get a new can of cerveza. As for best results the more you're willing to do away with sugar and use malt extract the better..

I would also consider doing hops with this to lift it a bit..

clibit · Jun 1, 2015

Agree, splash out on more dried extract, use less sugar, get brew enhancer perhaps, which is 50/50 sugar and extract. Steep some grains. Get some hops.

RichB · Jun 1, 2015

I bought 500gm of spray malt light. Will some kind of normal or brown posh supermarket sugar be ok to add as the rest.
any thoughts the timings of adding lime??

RichB · Jun 1, 2015

I'm after a real crisp fizzy lager....

clibit · Jun 1, 2015

I'm the wrong geezer to be dealing with this, sorry. I'm more the old git clutching a hoppy pint of cloudy ale with bits floating in it.

RichB · Jun 1, 2015

I can't stand that stuff and I have really tried very hard. Many hang overs prove that.
I jus think beer needs to be cold golden and fizzy not warm brown and flat. ...I do appreciate the dark stuff I just want refreshing for summer bbqs and my gf is Spanish. ..

Spapro · Jun 1, 2015

I wasn't suggesting adding 2kg of brewing sugar, merely suggesting picking up a couple of bags of brewing sugar whilst at Wilkos.

Adding 750g of brewing sugar on top of 500g light dried spray malt should just about do it.

Not sure on adding lime, the cerveza kit will have some citrusy overtones already included.

I think most on here just add a little lime cordial to taste when pouring each pint.

RichB · Jun 1, 2015

I agree.
I don't want to risk my 1st cook...
will I need brewing sugar or will white/ brown from supermarket be ok.
sorry iv come over all Walter White....
great advice btw

Covrich · Jun 1, 2015

Never done it but I think this kit comes with an Ale yeast as do most lager kits bar a few.. Because of that you might not get quite the crispness you want. You could replace the yeast with a lager yeast which you'll have to buy and bare in mind you will have to ferment at a lower temp 12Âºc I think so that might be tricky this time of year..

I only mention this because you said you want it to be a complete success so was thinking thatfor a lager try lager yeast.

Someone may well correct me and say that the yeast that comes with it is perfectly fine.

Covrich · Jun 1, 2015

RichB said:
I agree.
I don't want to risk my 1st cook...
will I need brewing sugar or will white/ brown from supermarket be ok.
sorry iv come over all Walter White....
great advice btw

If you're going to use normal sugar use normal white sugar.. I might be wrong as I have never used it but I think brown sugar imparts a bit of a flavour actually??

clibit · Jun 1, 2015

RichB said:
I can't stand that stuff and I have really tried very hard. Many hang overs prove that.
I jus think beer needs to be cold golden and fizzy not warm brown and flat. ...I do appreciate the dark stuff I just want refreshing for summer bbqs and my gf is Spanish. ..

You can get cold, golden, fizzy ales that taste much better than most lagers. IMO.

In fact, they are taking over....

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/may/30/golden-ales-flavour-of-summer

Spapro · Jun 1, 2015

Read a great post on here about how normal cane sugar is more complex than brewing sugar so doesn't all get fermented by most yeasts.

As Covrich says brown sugar does impart some flavours.

This Coopers Beer enhancer 1 from tesco direct will do the trick - Free click and collect to your nearest tesco store - at Â£4.10 currently its a decent price:
http://www.tesco.com/direct/coopers-beer-brew-enhancer-1/213-6375.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=213-6375

Chippy_Tea · Jun 1, 2015

RichB said:
I just think beer needs to be cold golden and fizzy not warm brown and flat. ...I do appreciate the dark stuff I just want refreshing for summer bbqs and my gf is Spanish. ..

Well that's the touch paper well and truly lit, time to -

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New old kit

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