Brewcraft Rogue Dead Guy Kit

I had some eBay Bucks to use so I picked up this Brewcraft Rogue Dead Guy Ale extract kit. The kit and the instructions are very vague in the labeling and contents. You really don't know what kind of hops or DME you are using.

I'm going to use Safale US-05 as I don't have access to the PacMan Yeast and don't want to risk contamination by harvesting it from their Shakespeare Stout since I don't know what I am doing with that.

Based on feel and appearance alone it appears to include 5# of DME, 1.5# of specialty grains, and 1# of Candi Sugar. They recommend a late extract addition at 45 minutes into the boil.

The blog below indicates that the kit as stock comes out close to the original, however I am a little concerned that the mouthfeel will be lacking due to the 5# of DME in a 5 gallon batch. I'm debating on adding 8oz of maltodextrin to the boil.

http://blog.******.com/2011/06/home-brewing-rogue-dead-guy-ale-review-part-2/

(Add Brew P S , all one word to view the blog)

I've searched the board but didn't find any comments on mouthfeel of this kit.

Can anyone who has brewed this kit comment on their final outcome in regards to mouthfeel and taste?

I brewed this Brewcraft kit two weeks ago (this Sunday 07/24). The OG was nearly there and I added an additional .75 ounce of Pearle at flameout.

For the most part, I followed the instruction sheet but deviated with the late addition hopes.

I do not whirlpool but I did put the last hop packet in, and the extra .75 oz of Pearle at flameout. I got a nice 'swirl' going, put the lid on, and went to dinner.

An hour later, the wort had dropped a few degrees, I drained the hop bag, and ran the wort through the chiller.

It has been fermenting in a refrigerator since. The first week at 60 degrees F and the second at 70 degrees F. I will leave it at 70 F for another three weeks - until I return from vacation. The differential on my controller is 2 degrees and the probe is on the carboy and insulated from ambient air. The refrigerator runs maybe once every two hours or more.

The beer now is dark, darker than expected. Probably from adding the brewing crystals earlier in the process than later.

I have also brewed Yooper's Dead Guy clone and can't wait to see how this compares. If you can, go all grain, and get away from the expensive kits.

Fermentables:
3 lbs Briess CBW Brewers Gold Dry Malt Extract
2 lbs Briess CBW Amber Dry Malt Extract
1 lb Brewers Crystals- 56% Maltose Corn Sugar Specialty

Grains:
1 lb Munich Malt
.5 lb Crystal Malt 40L

Bittering Hops:
1 oz Perle Hops

Flavor Hops: .
5 oz Czech Saaz Pellet Hops

Aroma Hops:
.5 oz Czech Saaz Pellet Hops

From: http://www.store.homebrew4less.com/...Recipe-Pack-By-Brewcraft/productinfo/BC10449/

ultravista said:

Fermentables:
3 lbs Briess CBW Brewers Gold Dry Malt Extract
2 lbs Briess CBW Amber Dry Malt Extract
1 lb Brewers Crystals- 56% Maltose Corn Sugar Specialty

Grains:
1 lb Munich Malt
.5 lb Crystal Malt 40L

Bittering Hops:
1 oz Perle Hops

Flavor Hops: .
5 oz Czech Saaz Pellet Hops

Aroma Hops:
.5 oz Czech Saaz Pellet Hops

From: http://www.store.homebrew4less.com/...Recipe-Pack-By-Brewcraft/productinfo/BC10449/

Click to expand...

Awesome, thanks! Mine actually came with Candi Sugar in lieu of the brewers crystals but I'm "guessing" its similar in the end. I think I'm going to play it safe regarding the mouthfeel and add 8oz of Maltodextrin to the boil at the last 15 minutes.

The instructions say to steep the specialty grains however with the Munich Malt would i better off doing this kit as a Partial Mash?

Grains:
1 lb Munich Malt
.5 lb Crystal Malt 40L

I'm thinking they designed the instructions to match the flavor of the real thing which is what I am trying to get close to.

Just opened one of these after about 2 months of aging and mine came out very close to the original. There are subtle differences and the original is a bit more complex in taste but this clone kit came out excellent.

I also used Safale US-05 instead of Pacman.

I'm brewing this batch right now. I'm not clear on when to add the Brewcraft Brewers Crystals. It seems like they're not necessary, and if that is the case I'm gonna just skip it.

Any thoughts on that?