To clarify, is this a specialty grain kit extract kit?

fg12351 · 03-03-2010, 07:15 PM

Brewer's Best Red Ale

http://www.ldcarlson.com/public%20catalog/Brewers%20Best%20Recipes/1010_Red_Ale.pdf

This was my first brew ever on Sunday. I'm reading all I can about the different brewing methods.

So some extract kits don't have the grains? They are included in the extract with the hops?

Thanks,

FG12351

slowbie · 03-03-2010, 07:18 PM

Yes, you have an extract with specialty grains kit. That was my first brew ever a few months ago. Good stuff.

Some extract recipes use Amber and/or Dark extract to get the flavor and color profile without grains. Some extracts go a step further and are prehopped. IMO extract with specialty grains is the best place to start if you want to start simple.

fg12351 · 03-03-2010, 07:27 PM

Awesome, that's what I thought but I wanted to double check.

Yeah, I'm glad the SWMBO started me with this kit, it gives us some control (and more of a chance to screw it up!) but was not a 5 hour event either. I can't wait to try it!

From what I have read on this awesome site I'm going to let if ferment for 3 weeks and then sit in bottles for 3 weeks. The instructions state wait a week and a week (1-1). What was the timing on your batch?

Thanks,

FG12351

slowbie · 03-03-2010, 07:32 PM

My batch was done fermenting in a couple days and I let it sit in the primary for two weeks and then bottled. After two weeks I cracked open the first and it was definitely beer, but it was waaaaaay better after another three weeks or so in bottles. However, that was before I had read enough on here and I was really impatient. I would advise you to stick with the three and three plan.

Ceetar · 03-03-2010, 07:54 PM

Fermentation will be done well before three weeks. And it's something you can monitor as well, so if all the gunk has risen out of the beer and it's stopped bubbling much, (probably a week to 10 days at most) it's fermented and there really isn't any reason not to move it to bottles.

And while it's not going to be 'ready' for some time, there really isn't any harm in tasting it along the way. Gives you appreciation for the process. If you have any of those..I'm drawing a blank on the name of them, the cork pop-top style bottles that reseal, can probably cheat and pour out an ounce or two out of that for tasting every week or so.

**Dave258** · 03-03-2010, 08:16 PM

You are better off leaving it for the three weeks like you planned. I gives the yeast some time to clean up.
It also helps the beer clear. People around here taught me that the beer clears better when it is still on the yeast cake.