OK, Time To Get Cracking!

[Bevvied]

Hiya everyone.
Long story short, the missus suggested I take up home brewing as a hobby.
For the life of me, I don't know why I hadn't thought of it myself, so obviously started nodding like a rapid dog.
The missus spread the word that I was to be given home brewing gear for my birthday and if anyone wanted to join in likewise, it'd be appreciated. The family obliged.
So, I've now got 11 Kits, two Youngs fermenting barrels, a pressure barrel, airlocks/grommets, sterilizing solutions, lots of brewing sugar, lots of Youngs brew enhancer and a couple bags of Muntons spray malt.
If I'm in the boozer, I'm on the Guinness usually, but partial to Lagers in the Summer. To be honest, I ain't fussy as long as it's tasty and gets the job done.
Amongst the kits, there's a couple of Cooper Stouts, which have definitely piqued my interest and (what I'm gonna go with first) x2 Youngs Barley Wine.
I'd like to start the Barley Wine first and get it bottled and tucked away in time for Christmas. Given that, a couple of questions if you don't mind, probably obvious, but not to me!
Each kit is for 24 Pints. Can I use both kits in one fermenting barrel/bucket? Would it be OK to just put in a bit less water, or would it be preferable to do each kit in each fermenting tub and make up to the 24 pints? Whichever way I have to go, is there a preferred combination of the sugars/enhancers/spray malt I should use, or all of one? Finally, each kit says 1KG of sugar etc, should I use a bit more?
Thanks everyone, sorry for the rambling questions.
All The Best
Mark.

 

[HisDudeness]

11 kits! You must have a generous/big family! Not 100% what you mean by using both kits in one fermentor but if you mean using 2 in a normal (23L) batch then thats a no generally, the bittering/hoppiness is designed to be diluted down and you will effectively double up bitterness doing this. You can put in less water to increase strength and flavour a lot of people brew kits short to 19-21L ish. Most people will agree the less sugar you use in a kit the better i.e. replace completely with spray malt, however you can compromise and do 50/50 split sugar and spraymalt, this is the same as beer enhancer.

 

[Bevvied]

Ta Duderino. I suspected that was the case, but hoped as the Barley Wine kits are 24 pints, rather than 40, I could get away with doubling up in one fermenter.
Gotcha regarding the sugar, understood.
Family ain't that big, the missus bought a load of stuff for me and I've been told the kits all came courtesy of Tesco. Big offer on apparently.
Cheers for the advice, appreciated.

 

[HisDudeness]

Sorry getting mixed up with pints and litres here, if the barley wine kits are for 12L ish then yes you could do 2 in one bucket just double up all the other ingredients as well. Might need to brew slightly short depending on size of the bucket as you want to leave some headroom for frothing during fermentation.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Welcome to the forum Mark, looks like you have enough kits to keep you busy for a while.

 

[Bevvied]

Cheers guys.
Will do then dude, double up it is and a wee bit short. Jeez, this Barley Wine might kick like a mule!
Yeah, good times ahead Chippy. Gonna crack on with sterilizing later and get both fermenters on the go, time permitting. Gonna get the Coopers Stout on the go in the other fermenter.
Three kits down, 8 to go.
LOL.
x2 Wherry after that (I think it's called that)
It seems the logical way to do things, when one brew is kegged or bottled, give the fermenter and everything else a good clean, sterilize and start again. Seems sensible as I know it'll be a good while until I get to drink anything, so might as well build up my quaffing library.

 

[MyQul]

Welcome to the forum

 

[Bevvied]

Welcome to the forum

Thanks man.
Quick update then I'll leave you all be.
Both FV (catching on with the lingo) are bubbling away very nicely.

1. Coopers Stout - 500G Dark Spray Malt, 500G Brew Enhancer, 300G Demerara and 200G Dark Treacle.
I read through the kit reviews of this here and the kit looks smashing. Bamboozled by all the fermentable options that people have used and liked and ended up with a sore head. In the end went with the above, hope It turns out OK as at the moment it smells gorgeous. I could drink my way out of a bath of it quite happily.

2. Youngs Barley Wine.
Well, I went with both kits (24 pints each) in one FV up to approx. 44 Pints. Along with 2KG of Brew Enhancer (each kit said 1KG, so I haven't gone crazy). That bugger took some stirring! Newbie mistake, I sealed this up nicely then sat back to admire my work, looked in my big storage box of goodies and spotted the unused hydrometer. Bugger. I'm guessing it's more important a bit of kit at the end of fermentation, but I wouldn't have minded seeing what reading this had. Have a feeling it might prove to be a bit :drunk: inducing.

Cheers guys, I think I'm up to speed. I've read a lot of stuff here so know my next steps and when to do them. If I come unstuck, will find a relevant thread to ask.

Mark.

 

[Covrich]

Welcome.. You have near on 400 pints there to make :-o

 

[Tony1951]

1. Coopers Stout - 500G Dark Spray Malt, 500G Brew Enhancer, 300G Demerara and 200G Dark Treacle.

Hi Mark.

This one has the reputation for pretty strong fermentation. It sometimes climbs out of the FV in warmish weather. Mine did. Keep your eye on it to avoid mess when the foam gets too vigorous.

 

[Bevvied]

Hi Covrich, yeah 400 pints, brilliant! Gonna try and get 4 kits a month bottled to build up the stock, then once the presents/kits have been used, will be a bit more sensible and do two brews a month. Gonna dip my toes into AG for sure and will try some of the better reviewed kits as well. The wife thinks I have gone mental, I liberated 105 500ml & Pint beer bottles from the recycling site in Morrisons carpark yesterday. Since I started picking up bottles from all over the place, I'm cleaning them in the dishwasher. I've subsequently used the dishwasher more in the past week than in the previous 18 months.

Hi Tony, yeah you weren't wrong! I've nothing to compare it to, but the Stout went off like the clappers. The Barley Wine too actually, but I expected that due to doubling up and brewing two kits short in one FV.

 

[Covrich]

Hi Covrich, yeah 400 pints, brilliant! Gonna try and get 4 kits a month bottled to build up the stock, then once the presents/kits have been used, will be a bit more sensible and do two brews a month. Gonna dip my toes into AG for sure and will try some of the better reviewed kits as well. The wife thinks I have gone mental, I liberated 105 500ml & Pint beer bottles from the recycling site in Morrisons carpark yesterday. Since I started picking up bottles from all over the place, I'm cleaning them in the dishwasher. I've subsequently used the dishwasher more in the past week than in the previous 18 months.

Hi Tony, yeah you weren't wrong! I've nothing to compare it to, but the Stout went off like the clappers. The Barley Wine too actually, but I expected that due to doubling up and brewing two kits short in one FV.

Sounds like a good start!!

What you "could" do after you have a few kits under your belt and you have it down is do some kits with a partial mash. Think of it as a half way house between kits and AG..

Instead of adding 1kG of fermntables (such as sugars malt extract ect) to a kit you mash that amount in grains.. and you can do this in your kitchen and get used to that process..

Not somethin to worry about now but something to conisder because I imagine if you're like the rest of us after a few kits you might get itching to move on a bit and that might be a good way you can use your kits and improve them using fresh grain!!

 

[Bevvied]

Thanks Covrich.
The stout in the FV will be bottled soon, it's been in for 12 days now and the past three days have shown a constant 1008.
Next to go in will be the John Bull IPA, I'm most definitely going to be hopping this out a bit, will investigate and find suitable hop/s and whether to add hop tea and/or dry hop as well.
I'm going to do the Wherry as is, but then do the other Coopers stout and attempt my first partial mash with that along with some 100% cacoa powder.
Too many plans, not enough FVs!
Cheers.

ps. Bottled the stout and got the Wherry on the go. I suspect the Barley Wine will need at least another week or so, so gives me time to order some hops for the IPA.

 

[Bevvied]

Just had a crack at the Barley Wine.
My son said 'can I have a dozen?'
My verdict?....
Lovely pint.
I'm not an arty farty foodie, but it would be great with a ploughmans, a lump of stilton or a pork pie and some pickles. This ain't a session beer unless you are the reincarnation of Ollie Reed. It's strong and has a kick.
Doesn't taste overly strong though, mildly fruity I guess, but has a great depth of flavour.
I've had 2 pints and feel like I've had 4 or 5 of a 'normal' beer.
Can't wait to see how this is by Christmas!

 

[Bevvied]

It's a lovely clean deep flavour, I don't know what a homebrew twang is yet, but this tastes like a lovely beer. I'd never guess it was a home brew.
Gonna have another, if I carry on like this, I reckon I'll wake up in the garden with the chickens.

 

[MyQul]

It's a lovely clean deep flavour, I don't know what a homebrew twang is yet, but this tastes like a lovely beer. I'd never guess it was a home brew.
Gonna have another, if I carry on like this, I reckon I'll wake up in the garden with the chickens.

.................With nothing left for christmas:drunk:

 

[clibit]

This thread somehow evaded me til now. Great read, I'm sat in Wetherspoons drinking Roosters Nectar and laughing.

Roosters Nectar. Nelson Sauvin and Riwaka hops. Lovely. Not often you get a pint with Riwaka hops, but every one is ace. Is this the greatest hop of all? And the hardest to get hold of.

 

[Bevvied]

6 pint's and I@m buggered.
thanks for help everyone. I've done it...am a biiiut jelllly

 

[Bevvied]

You know how you feel when you next slink back into the local, after making a show of yourself the night before?
That.

 

[MyQul]

6 pint's and I@m buggered.
thanks for help everyone. I've done it...am a biiiut jelllly

You know how you feel when you next slink back into the local, after making a show of yourself the night before?
That.

So funny :lol: I was looking forward to what was going to be posted this morning. 6 pints of barley wine was never going to end well, was it? :lol: