Sundew tweak

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Even though I'm an AG brewer, I like tweaking kits. I started with adding hops but now I often do a mini-mash too: the beauty is that you can really up the quality without needing any extra equipment as it can be done in kitchen pans, due to the small quanitity of grain. It's also a good way to have a go at mashing / AG if you're new to it.

Today's tweak is Woodforde's Sundew which was on offer in Wilko. Going to brew one of the two cans to 13L with a mini-mash made up of 200g Maris Otter, 200g Wheat Malt and 100g Caramalt. Have some Amarillo to use up so will boil 8g for 15mins and steep 11g for 30mins post-boil (ideally I'd use more but thats all I have left).

Mash is currently on at 66C in a kitchen stock-pot. I put the oven on low then turned it off, and the pot is in there to keep the temp up - done this before and it works.I'll strain that off into another pan when it's finished, do the boil and steep, then add it to the kit and make up to 13L.

I did a Wilko Golden Ale like this a month ago but with Styrian Goldings and it turned out great.
 
The kit certainly needs something,

Did this over 3 batches, 10l as per the instructions, 5l with Willamette dry hop and 5 l with Saaz dry hop. to be fair they are still a bit young but the bog standard one isn't that great.
 
Sounds good, also got one of these in the Tesco sell off a while back which is going to be my next brew.

I've bought some pale crystal which I'm planning to steep and add to the wort, this is based on the other thread where someone suggested the lack of body and this being a good way to improve it. The poster in the thread said to use 100g, this doesn't seem much to me but then I don't want to overpower things. Anyone hazard a guess as to what would happen if I used more, I've got 500g of the stuff!

I've also got 50g of Cascade from CML which I'll use at the end of fermentation either as a dry hop or tea.

As per usual with Munton's kits the yeast will be dumped and replaced with something else.

Review thread here: http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=20534&highlight=sundew
 
I added 100g medium DME ( because I had some to use up ) and a few EKG's. Definitely an improvement (IMO)..
I also used the DME in place of sugar for 2nd carb
I also brewed short, about 21 litres.
 
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likewise I split mine into a 10l batch using one can with 250g LME.Gave an OG of 1052. Im going to dry hop with 40g Falconers flight - never used this hop but we'll give it a go. Didnt trust the kit yeast so have used the wilco gervin one instead. Should be a nice summer beer - heres hoping.
 

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