New Festival Steam Beer

sausagefingers · May 2, 2015

Started this off the other morning and brewed it to the instructions.
OG was 1040 so assuming I can get it down to 1008 as the kit says it will be a very disapointing 4.2 not the claimed 5%
I've been looking forward to trying these new kits but if I'd known then I would have brewed it short, I'm going to end up almost a full 20% down on ABV - bugger!
Anyone else done this kit yet?

Cheers

clibit · May 2, 2015

If you got the water volume right then the OG should be very close to the OG given by the kit instructions - it may be that you didn't get an accurate OG reading. Which seems to happen quite a lot, due to the extract not being thoroughly mixed into the water in the FV. So it may be more like 5%. Need to see what OG readings other people get with that kit. You can always increase the strength by adding malt extract, sugar, or beer enhancer.

matt666 · May 2, 2015

Yes, I've had a low OG before, thought that's not right, given it a stir in the FV and got closer to what I thought.

Slid · May 2, 2015

My view on taking OG and FG readings is as follows:

An hydrometer is basically a guessing stick. I don't bother with hydrometer readings at the start because most of what I put into the FV is known and thus requires no guessing.

The mini-mashes of 1-2kg of grains that have been done lately will deliver a variable amount of fermentable sugars. But they will be variable in so narrow a range that going through the faff of measuring, to tell you essentially nothing you don't already know, seems a bit pointless, as this is the very time it is most vulnerable to infection. I rack almost all my beers to a secondary FV and don't do hydrometers then either.

Usually I do an FG reading, This actually has been useful, as it tells me that:

Brewing at high temperatures gives poor attenuation (low ABV)
Brewing at low temps followed by a slightly higher temp gives much better attenuation (good ABV)
Using a Saison yeast gets sensational attenuation (high ABV)
Being patient and leaving most brews for 2 or even 3 weeks in a FV gets better results all round

I sort of get why an AG brewer feels the need to know the outcomes of the processes, but it is the final gravity that is the real thing you need to know. For most the question is - is it safe to bottle?

clibit · May 2, 2015

Good points there Slid. I feel AG brewers need OG and FG. OG not important for extract brewers, you can calculate the approx OG easily.

Racinsnake · May 3, 2015

Goes like a train though :thumb:mines only been on 10 days and it's down to 1012.
Rob.

sausagefingers · May 3, 2015

Thanks for the replies, just a bit disapointing as most of the kits I've done have been pretty close to the stated ABV and the last 3 Youngs kits have been spot on.
Not to worry, it won't put me off drinking the stuff : cheers:

spook123_uk · May 5, 2015

Mine started out at 1048 ish... It went mental though and was finished in 10 days at 1008! It was down to less than 1015 after 5.
I cold crashed it and then put it in a corney without priming after 2 days crashing then force carb'd for 2 days at 12 PSI in the fridge. I did try to use the straining bag on the inlet of my auto syphon when transferring but it didn't work very well. the flow kept getting loads of air in it so I just took it off and hopefully didn't get too much crud in there.
Less than a week in the keg and following a sneaky test, it's already very drinkable and instantly recognisable as a Steam Beer (very much like the tesco "crafted" Californian steam beer rather than Anchor).
Still a bit cloudy at the mo but it's only been conditioning for 5 days! I'll give it another couple of weeks and it should be bang on I hope.

Rich

clibit · May 6, 2015

If you've put the kit contents into the right amount of water the OG can't be as far out as the 1040 you measured. Kits are not manufactured in such a random manner. So I think your 1040 reading was wrong for some reason, most likely that it wasn't mixed into the water completely evenly.

Racinsnake · May 6, 2015

+1 Clibit
I thought I'd try using a trial jar rather than putting the hydro in my FV.
Mixed up thourghly, as usual (or so I thought). Filled the trial jar - 1028 whaaaaat !!!!! After a lot of indecision I left it alone. The next weekend (hydro in the FV) it was a touch over 1030 and dropping steadily :clap:

spook123_uk · May 8, 2015

Update on my Steam.. Started drinking it last night and it's bang on perfect... Clear as a bell and damn tasty.
It was quick. I did force carb but it has been 3 weeks from beginning the brew to today!: cheers:

Racinsnake · May 8, 2015

:sulk::mrgreen:

sausagefingers · May 10, 2015

Tested yesterday and it's down to 1004 so threw the hops in for a couple of days.
According to the calc that should be 4.8% so not too far off but think it was more good luck than management.
Cheers all

Racinsnake · May 10, 2015

My hops went in on Monday. Planning on kegging tomorrow : cheers:

sqrson · Jun 25, 2015

What temp is it suppose to be fermented? Due to a little mishap with the delivery I have lost the box and instructions.. I take it its some sort of a hybrid yeast that suppose to be fermented at usual 18-20C?

Racinsnake · Jun 26, 2015

sqrson said:
What temp is it suppose to be fermented? Due to a little mishap with the delivery I have lost the box and instructions.. I take it its some sort of a hybrid yeast that suppose to be fermented at usual 18-20C?

Yup!! Good luck in this weather though :razz:

sqrson · Jun 30, 2015

A bit warm isnt it? :) Got a saison on at the moment so putting the heatwave to good use hehe

essexjim · Oct 24, 2016

Anyone find this beer really hoppy (IPA levels)?

I've had a bottle (1 week after bottling) and it's nothing like an Anchor Steam, it's come out like (a very tasty) IPA, not too different from the Razorback IPA kit I've done.

I did use the full pack of hop pellets given for about 4 days.

Personal91 · Oct 24, 2016

clibit said:
If you've put the kit contents into the right amount of water the OG can't be as far out as the 1040 you measured. Kits are not manufactured in such a random manner. So I think your 1040 reading was wrong for some reason, most likely that it wasn't mixed into the water completely evenly.

that and temp of solution when taking your reading - test your hydrometer is in calibration by getting 20oC water and seeing if you get a reading of 1.000

this is for my and many other hydrometers but if yours states otherwise on the box or instructions then please follow that

1.000 is the gravity reading of 'pure water'

MickDundee · Oct 24, 2016

essexjim said:
Anyone find this beer really hoppy (IPA levels)?

I've had a bottle (1 week after bottling) and it's nothing like an Anchor Steam, it's come out like (a very tasty) IPA, not too different from the Razorback IPA kit I've done.

I did use the full pack of hop pellets given for about 4 days.

If it has a dry hop, I don't think it will be based on the Anchor recipe and relies on the malt rather than the hops for its character. Chances are, this kit is their own take on steam beer, or the looser definition "California Common" where they just use a steam beer yeast (a lager yeast that works at high temperatures) and do whatever recipe they think will work.

I've had a couple of attempts at my own version of Anchor Steam, so have done quite a bit of research around it. The claim is that they only use 2-row pale malt, crystal/caramel malts (but they don't specify which ones) and Northern brewer hops, but I've been led to believe they also use a little rye.

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