Wilko Wheat Beer

[TobysJug]

Hi,

I started this brew on Saturday and am now reassured (having just read the thread in the review forum) that the explosive ferment was less me being a newbie idiot and more some lively yeast, phew!

It was mentioned elsewhere that this kit says not to put sugar in, however I would like to push up the ABV as the reported 3.3% is a bit low...

When would I be adding and how much should I use?

Thanks!

 

[Dutto]

I think it's a bit late to start trying to safely increase the ABV; plus doing it will almost certainly affect the taste and mouthfeel of the finished beer.

If you open up the FV to sprinkle in sugar you risk an infection, incomplete dissolving and clumping; not to mention the chance of a very vigorous fermentation kicking off.

If you make up a sugar syrup and open up the FV to stir it in you will increase the brew volume and apart from the chance of an infection you may also start up a very vigorous fermentation in what may now be an overfilled and overflowing FV.

The sugar syrup option is probably the safest way to go but I have to ask "Why?"

The Wilco Kit hasn't changed since you bought it so why do you now consider 3.3% as being "a bit low"?

Believe me, if it tastes nice and you like it you will find that 3.3% ABV is "just right". :thumb: :thumb:

 

[LarryF]

I've got one of these to do and my plan with it is to add 60g of honey dissolved into boiling water into the wort and to add a hop tea to the wort as well. I added 50g of honey to the Wilko Golden Ale toucan kit and it ended up at 5.7% which is about what I aim for with my beers.
I wouldn't normally use the kit yeast that came with it, this time of year I use Mangrove Jacks Workhorse or Mauribrew 514 Ale yeast as they both have high temperature tolerances and I don't have temp control over the summer. In the winter months I'd either use two or three kit yeasts in a starter (I've got a stock of them building up, they're good for TC or Fruit Punch) or get a packet of the Wilko Gervin yeast for £1.75 which is 11g of Nottingham yeast and it's always done me well.

 

[evolram]

I've just dry hopped mine with 25g cascade and 25g columbus.

 

[Kman]

I don't know if dry hopping a wheat is the way to go, I would want to taste the yeast not the hops

 

[evolram]

Maybe not but they were cheap and I wanted to experiment with dry hopping. I've also dry hopped a turbo cider with citra to see what that's like.

 

[Orval62]

Started this kit two days ago, and had read about the volcanic fermentation. Initially it started off pretty slow, but wow went to the garage this morning and there was one hell of a mess. I had brewed this in a 30 litres Speidel fermenter (lots of head room) with a large airlock, but the fermentation was out of airlock and down the side of the fermenter. If you can brewing the shed or garage.. Looking forward to a good beer though.

 

[terrym]

This is another opportunity to post the link to a Youtube video as recently provided by LarryF.
Hope yours wasn't as bad as this , otherwise enjoy!
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgfubawsrcM[/ame]

 

[Dutto]

SWMBO's immediate comment was "I hope that's in his garage!" and of course it isn't ...

... so maybe she'll cut me a bit of slack the next time I do something daft in ours kitchen! :thumb:

 

[sdt7618]

Holy Molly.... wife would kill me if I did that to the kitchen! even if it was the beers fault!!:-?

 

[Clint]

Floor looks like a bad case of pigeons....

Cheers

Clint

 

[TobysJug]

I think it's a bit late to start trying to safely increase the ABV; plus doing it will almost certainly affect the taste and mouthfeel of the finished beer.

If you open up the FV to sprinkle in sugar you risk an infection, incomplete dissolving and clumping; not to mention the chance of a very vigorous fermentation kicking off.

If you make up a sugar syrup and open up the FV to stir it in you will increase the brew volume and apart from the chance of an infection you may also start up a very vigorous fermentation in what may now be an overfilled and overflowing FV.

The sugar syrup option is probably the safest way to go but I have to ask "Why?"

The Wilco Kit hasn't changed since you bought it so why do you now consider 3.3% as being "a bit low"?

Believe me, if it tastes nice and you like it you will find that 3.3% ABV is "just right". :thumb: :thumb:

Hi, cheers for response.

The kit is supposedly 4.5% ABV, the 3.3% came from further back in the thread where someone's kit had turned out at that, rather than the packet prediction.

Hence I read this all too late, post yeast, and just wanted to make sure my first brew had a good kick. Alas, we shall see!

Been in since Saturday and after the lively start, it has died right down. Thinking of giving it a few more days until barrel/bottle time.

 

[Personal91]

Maybe not but they were cheap and I wanted to experiment with dry hopping. I've also dry hopped a turbo cider with citra to see what that's like.

how did it end up ?

 

[Orval62]

Mine was bad but not as bad as the YouTube video above. Can't explain why the fermentation was so vigorous, as it's in a cool garage. Hopefully the end product is good. Maybe this is why Wilkos are selling them off cheap.

 

[evolram]

how did it end up ?

Don't know yet will be bottling it this week.

 

[user 16611]

I have one of these and plan to brew it soon. Tales of explosive fermentation are scaring me! Would keeping the temperature down help prevent this? (My shed is about 12-14 degrees right now)
Or would Gervin Ale yeast from Wilko be a bit less vigorous - without killing the intended character too much?


I'm also considering adding some light spray malt or perhaps some honey to push the ABV up a touch. I'd love to go to 'weizenbock' levels, but around 4 - 4.5 % would be fine!

Has anyone tried anything like this?

Thanks!

 

[terrym]

If you are wary about fermenting this kit because of 'explosive' fermentations you could split the kit, which comes in two 1.5kg cans.
Do one can in your FV but brewed to 12.5 litres or less, and use the kit yeast. That way everything should stay in the FV.
Brew the other half later or in a second FV (to 12.5 litres) and use an ale yeast or try another wheat beer yeast to compare.
My understanding is that wheat beers are brewed at ale fermentation temperatures (say 19-20*C) or even higher if you want to get a hint of banana in your finished product.

 

[LarryF]

Don't know yet will be bottling it this week.

Post a thread on it Evo, I'd love to know how dry hopping TC came out, amounts, how long etc. It's a brilliant idea.........well, it will be if it works, such is the way of the world.

 

[Dutto]

Hi, cheers for response.

The kit is supposedly 4.5% ABV, the 3.3% came from further back in the thread where someone's kit had turned out at that, rather than the packet prediction.

Hence I read this all too late, post yeast, and just wanted to make sure my first brew had a good kick. Alas, we shall see!

Been in since Saturday and after the lively start, it has died right down. Thinking of giving it a few more days until barrel/bottle time.

Whoa there!! It's better for your brew to have a good taste that have a good kick.

The brew will only have had seven days by Saturday so there is absolutely no rush to move on to the next stage.

For most beers the Golden Rule is "2-2-2" which means:

o 2 weeks fermenting in the FV at fermentation temperature to give the yeast time do do its job properly.

o 2 weeks carbonation in a nice warm and dark place to allow the yeast to work on the carbonation sugar and develop the CO2 for a decent head.

o 2 weeks conditioning somewhere nice and cool to allow the beer to clear as the yeast settles out and for the CO2 in solution to develop fully so that you get the tiny bubbles that make for a good head on a pint. (This period is critical in Wheat Beer because it is notoriously reluctant to clear.)

It sounds a long time but it is well worth the wait. :thumb:

I thing the alternative is a lot worse. i.e. A person drinks a new beer and because it tastes **** decides that home-brewed beer is not for them.

Please take your time. As Del Boy used to say "You know it makes sense!" :thumb: :thumb:


PS

Maybe it's time to start your next brew so that you can reach "Critical Mass". In my case this is about 40 litres ready to go. With this amount I can take up to a fortnight to decide what I want to brew next knowing that I won't run out of beer during the 2-2-2 period.

 

[TobysJug]

Whoa there!! It's better for your brew to have a good taste that have a good kick.

The brew will only have had seven days by Saturday so there is absolutely no rush to move on to the next stage.

For most beers the Golden Rule is "2-2-2" which means:

o 2 weeks fermenting in the FV at fermentation temperature to give the yeast time do do its job properly.

o 2 weeks carbonation in a nice warm and dark place to allow the yeast to work on the carbonation sugar and develop the CO2 for a decent head.

o 2 weeks conditioning somewhere nice and cool to allow the beer to clear as the yeast settles out and for the CO2 in solution to develop fully so that you get the tiny bubbles that make for a good head on a pint. (This period is critical in Wheat Beer because it is notoriously reluctant to clear.)

It sounds a long time but it is well worth the wait. :thumb:

I thing the alternative is a lot worse. i.e. A person drinks a new beer and because it tastes **** decides that home-brewed beer is not for them.

Please take your time. As Del Boy used to say "You know it makes sense!" :thumb: :thumb:


PS

Maybe it's time to start your next brew so that you can reach "Critical Mass". In my case this is about 40 litres ready to go. With this amount I can take up to a fortnight to decide what I want to brew next knowing that I won't run out of beer during the 2-2-2 period.

Thanks for the comprehensive advice.

After spending around a week on the forum, I appreciate that patience is key. Difficult, but key.

This one has been in the FV 8 days now and I will wait until the first '2' to go on.

However, what is this mystical carbonation period of which you speak? I had assumed that this took place once bottled/barrelled? Is that what you mean?

i.e. first '2' in the FV, second '2's in the bottles/barrel, just variate the temp between the two periods?

Also, seeing as this is a specific kit thread, what has been peoples preference/successes with sugar/wheat extract etc for the next stage?

Thanks! :thumb: