Beer Kit....no instructions!

TJhands · 03-14-2005, 05:42 PM

Hi again, fellas!

My first batch has been in the secondary for a week and will be bottled this coming weekend. Thanks for all the help on that one.

I ordered my next kit - a porter - and just received it today. The thing is, it didn't come with directions! I think I have the main gist of brewing, but I'm not sure when to add a couple of the ingredients:

a) It came with two packets of hop pellets; one packet is about 3X as big as the smaller one. If I had to guess, I would add the big packet at the beginning of the boil and the little one with 5-10 minutes remaining in the boil.....but I'm not sure.

b) It came with 2 packets of white powder; one is labelled "malto-dextrin," and the other in unlabelled. I'm assuming the unlabelled one is the priming sugar for bottling. Am I to add the malto-dextrin powder when I add the rest of the fermentable sugars?

Thanks in advance for the help.

ryser2k · 03-14-2005, 05:51 PM

You add the maltodextrin with your malt extract... apparently it changes the mouthfeel of your beer...

As for the hops, you may want to spread them out a bit, maybe divide it in 3, add a third for bittering for the first 45 minutes, then a third for flavoring for 10 minutes, then the final third for aroma for five minutes. Really I guess it's up to you though, I don't think you can screw it up... might just taste a little different, but who knows, you might like it!

edit: I changed my mind, maybe you should put about half in for bittering, then a quarter of the remaining for flavoring and a quarter for aroma...

TJhands · 03-14-2005, 06:48 PM

Thanks, ryser!

Yeah, I figured I could just play around with when to add the hops and in what quantities, but was really unsure about the malto-dextrin.....had never heard of that being used in homebrewing. Thanks a lot.

NUCC98 · 03-14-2005, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJhands

Thanks, ryser!

Yeah, I figured I could just play around with when to add the hops and in what quantities, but was really unsure about the malto-dextrin.....had never heard of that being used in homebrewing. Thanks a lot.

Adds a little bit of creaminess to the beer. I decided against using it in my brown ale, but I'm interested in how yours' turns out.....

lalenny · 03-14-2005, 08:13 PM

I used some of that malto-dextrin in a sweet stout that I made before christmas. it turned out great. It was nice a nice and creamy mouth feel. Give it a shot!

Where did you order your kit from? Maybe you can go back to the site and see what ingrediants are packaged in the kit? I had to do that from Midwest a year ago.

NUCC98 · 03-15-2005, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lalenny

I used some of that malto-dextrin in a sweet stout that I made before christmas. it turned out great. It was nice a nice and creamy mouth feel. Give it a shot!

How much of that did you use for your stout to get a good creamy mouth feel?

phuzle · 03-16-2005, 07:15 AM

think that maltodextrin would be good in a strong, heavily spiced holiday ale?

Janx · 03-16-2005, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NUCC98

How much of that did you use for your stout to get a good creamy mouth feel?

Dexetrin will add body and leave a bit of residual sweetness. Also try some flaked barley if you want a full, creamy, malt addition. I love that stuff.

The BEST way to get a creamy stout thing is to get set up with a nitrogen tap setup and pour it like Guiness. I'm thinking about getting another one because everyone likes the nitro poured beers so much. Cheers!

wwgiese · 03-19-2005, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJhands

Hi again, fellas!

My first batch has been in the secondary for a week and will be bottled this coming weekend. Thanks for all the help on that one.

I ordered my next kit - a porter - and just received it today. The thing is, it didn't come with directions! I think I have the main gist of brewing, but I'm not sure when to add a couple of the ingredients:

a) It came with two packets of hop pellets; one packet is about 3X as big as the smaller one. If I had to guess, I would add the big packet at the beginning of the boil and the little one with 5-10 minutes remaining in the boil.....but I'm not sure.

b) It came with 2 packets of white powder; one is labelled "malto-dextrin," and the other in unlabelled. I'm assuming the unlabelled one is the priming sugar for bottling. Am I to add the malto-dextrin powder when I add the rest of the fermentable sugars?

Thanks in advance for the help.

malto dextrin is for adding body, you add it to the boil. Your evaluation of the hops is correct. The other packet is probably prime sugar, tast to see.