Kit beer

[clives-online]

Hi
When doing a beer kit.

Do you have to boil all 20 litres, or can you boil 10 litres, and add 10 litres at room temperature??

Thanks
Clive

 

[damienair]

Which type of kit? If it’s a one or two can kit you just add the malt extract and fermentables to the fermentation bucket and add 3-4 litres of hot water to dissolve the extract, mix well and then top up to 23 litres with cold water. I make sure the temp is at around 22 degrees before pitching the yeast.
For a full extract kit I steep the grains for 30 mins in 3-4 litres of water at 67 degrees. I then lift the grains out into a strainer and I rinse the grains out with another 3-4 litres of water at around 70 degrees. I then bring the wort to a rolling boil for an hour and add hops as per instructions. After an hour I add the dry malt extract, cool the wort in a cold bath before adding it to the fermentation bucket and I top it up to 23 litres with cold water making sure temp is at 22 degrees before pitching the yeast.
I use a 9 litre stock pot. A 15 litre stock pot would be better.

 

[klaus]

As said you boil a small amount of water (2 - 4 litres depending on kit).
Essentially all the "normal" boiling has been done in manufacturing the kit.
The boiled water is only there to make dissolving the kit contents easier.

 

[Bzee]

I boil it all so that chlorine and oxygen are removed and so that I can fill my fermenter with boiling water and thus not use any sterilisers I only make cider kits as im AG for beer. It's probably a bit ott

 

[MashBag]

Steam clean the car before you collect the cans.
Redecorate the kitchen.
Bag everyone in a 50 mile radius in NBC suits.
Pressure wash all roads leading to your house.
Only then can you make a start by sterilising the can opener in an open flame...

Boil the kettle.
Use to wash the lids and the cans into the fermenter. Use the rest to adjust temp. Done.

 

[Graz]

I seem to remember years ago that some kit beers did suggest that you boiled the whole volume of the kit. Presumably just because of some sort of paranoia about contamination. Now my Dad taught me how to make beer kits and his view was don't bother. Hence I've never boiled a kit.

I've not seen it on the instructions for any of the kits I do these days.

My method, boil a kettle full of water, pour the malt from the kit into your fermenter, use the boiled water to fill the pouches / cans from the kit to dissolve whatever malt is left, add this to the fermenter and the rest of the kettle of water if there is any left. Give it all a good stir to dissolve all the malt. Boil another kettle, probably doesn't need to be full.

Now add cold (tap) water until getting near the kit volume, give it a good stir, check the temperature, too low add some more boiled water, too high, continue adding cold to the required volume.

 

[MashBag]

paranoia about contamination.

You won't find any of that round here.

 

[Bzee]

Water straight from the tap does not have a good taste round my parts mainly due to chlorine which is put in the water for its reactive properties. Beer is about 95% water so use good water. Vent or boil of the chlorine. boiling reduces dissolved oxygen. which is also a reactive chemical andforgive me for stating the obvs could oxidise stuff

 

[Wherrypuzzled]

I seem to remember years ago that some kit beers did suggest that you boiled the whole volume of the kit. Presumably just because of some sort of paranoia about contamination. Now my Dad taught me how to make beer kits and his view was don't bother. Hence I've never boiled a kit.

I've not seen it on the instructions for any of the kits I do these days.

My method, boil a kettle full of water, pour the malt from the kit into your fermenter, use the boiled water to fill the pouches / cans from the kit to dissolve whatever malt is left, add this to the fermenter and the rest of the kettle of water if there is any left. Give it all a good stir to dissolve all the malt. Boil another kettle, probably doesn't need to be full.

Now add cold (tap) water until getting near the kit volume, give it a good stir, check the temperature, too low add some more boiled water, too high, continue adding cold to the required volume.

What a complete numpty (I am)

50 years I've been doing Kits mainly St Peter's Ruby at the moment. I am always up early and get brewed as early as possible doing almost the same as you

Boil kettle , pour Cans into FV then pour Kettle into one can till nearly full. Stir with plastic spoon to dissolve then pour that into Can 2 then into FV when dissolved

There my method differs to yours and where I'm kicking myself. I usually boil another kettle and put that in FV to ensure contents dissolved completely , top up with cold water and then wait most of day for Temp to go down to 20/22 C to pitch

Note to self . DONT put in as much boiling water and Temp won't be as high esp in Summer

Put in less and so when you reach 18 litres you can adjust temp using the 2nd kettle

This will also come in extremely useful in cooler Temps when I've been waiting hours for temp to climb high enough to pitch.

Note to self . Do same as above but use kettle contents to RAISE temperature to around 20-21 them pitch almost immediately. Easy when you think about it (which I never have obviously) .Every day is a school day so thanks. I've picked up loads of quirks in all that time but have never even thought of this. It will be useful going forward

 

[MashBag]

Water straight from the tap does not have a good taste round my parts

I normally taste it in a glass