My kit did not come with instructions. Can someone help?

Josh The Brewer · 01-27-2007, 10:58 PM

I just recieved a kit from Home Brewers Outpost. Its a kit to brew a stout. It includes 9 pounds of United Canadian Dark Extract (malt), 1 1/2 oz. hops(pellets), Nottingham yeast (11g), priming sugar, steeping pouches and grains. Problem is, it didnt include instructions, and HomeBrewers Outpost hasent been coming up for the last few hours. I'd like to get it started tonight, but Im not experienced enough to wing it. Can someone please provide me with, or give me a link to some directions. Thanks in advance, Josh

**Yooper** · 01-27-2007, 11:03 PM

Sure, we can help. I need you to identify the kinds of hops and the %AA, first. This should be on the package.

What exactly do you mean by steeping pouches, a grain bag maybe?

If you can answer those questions, we can tell you exactly how to proceed.

Lorena

Josh The Brewer · 01-27-2007, 11:13 PM

Correction, there are 3 bags. I just assumed they were for the grains.
Ill type exactly as it reads on the hops package:

Nugget
Alpha Acid 1.28%
Divide this bag into approximately

1.5 oz. bittering hops &
.50 oz. finishing hops.
Total contents 2oz.

---------------------------------

There is also a grains bag. The grains bag reads:

Specialty Grains
For color, head retention, and residual sugars.

Thanks a bunch Yooper Chick !!

davy · 01-27-2007, 11:29 PM

sanitize everything you are using!

pour as much water as your pot will hold without overflowing leave about and inch of space in your brew pot from the top of the water to the top of you pot.

place all your grains in the grain bag tie the end in a knot. place the grain bag in the pot letting it steep like a tea bag. remove grain bag when temperature hits about 180 degrees. let bag drain do not squeeze bag.

when water starts to boil add syrup slowly and stir quickly add the first hops bittering then boil for 45min . watch pot carefully for boilovers.

add additional hops if applicable add irish moss if you have it boil 15 more minutes

1hr total boil time.

then turn off heat and cool as quickly as possible to 80 degrees.

when wort is down to at least 80 degrees draw off sample for hydrometer reading pour out hydrometer sample when done pour wort in fermenter and add yeast to fermenter top off with additional water if needed shake like hell.

place airlock to seal fermenter and keep in cool dark place with steady temp no more than 70 degrees no lower than 62 degrees.

will probably take about a week to ferment just watch airlock when bubbles subside to almost nothing take a hydrometer reading with a sanitized turkey baster if reading is 1.010 or lower you are good to go bottle and carbonate with priming sugar. wait at least a week longer if you can and enjoy.
post your recipe here anyway just for review.

**Yooper** · 01-27-2007, 11:33 PM

Ok, I understand now.

The first thing to do is put the grains (how much?) in the bag. Put it in a pot with 1.5 gallons of water, and bring up to 150 degrees (more or less), but keeping under 170 degrees. Steep for 20 minutes, dunking the grain bag like a tea bag. Meanwhile, you can heat up another 1/2 gallon on the stove, up to 170. When you're done with the 20 minute steep, remove the grains. I use a big colander over the pot, and let the water drip off of it into the pot. Then, using the extra water in the other pot, pour that gently over the grains. (That step is optional, but recommended.) Then, when the bag is about done dripping, dispose of the grains in it. Don't squeeze over the pot, just let it drip.

Now, you have 2 gallons of tea colored water in your pot. Bring that to a boil. Remove from heat (otherwise your extract will burn on the bottom) and add the extract. Stir it up until completely dissolved and then put back on the burner. Bring to a boil. When it hits a roiling boil, add the 1.5 oz of bittering hops into the boil. A bag is not necessary, but you can use one if you want. Boil for 60 minutes. When there is 15 minutes left in the boil (45 minutes into the boil), add the rest of the hops. After the boil time is over, remove the pot and put it in an ice water bath to cool it as fast as possible. When it hits 80 degrees or less, put it into your primary bucket. Add cool water to it to get you to 5 gallons (or up to 5.25). Stir it up and splash to aerate it. It should be kind of foamy. When you're sure it's undre 80 degrees, pitch your yeast on the top. You can pitch it dry, or rehydrate it according to the package directions. Cover it, put on the airlock and you're all set.

Save the priming sugar for when you bottle- it's to carbonate your beer for bottling.

That's pretty much it. Let me know if you have any questions.

Lorena

Edit- Davy types WAY faster than I do!

**david_42** · 01-28-2007, 12:36 AM

Yah, but he forgot to take the pot off of the heat while adding the extract. Then again, it is a stout. If the extract scorched, who would know?

LIONS_FAN2539 · 01-28-2007, 01:02 AM

forgot step 1 : put a brew in your hand and relax

Josh The Brewer · 01-28-2007, 03:45 AM

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the help. Lions Fan, believe me I 've already got that step covered; sipping on a Guinny' Extra Stout as we speak ! What can I say, Im a Stout fan !!

LouisianaVince · 01-28-2007, 05:09 AM

Hey Josh,

I'm in Baton Rouge. Nice to see another Louisianian! I'm sure you've brewed by now, unless you decided to put it off until tomorrow. The only thing I'll add is this. I didn't read a lot about sanitizing in the replies, but it's really important. Anything pre-brew will get taken care of in the boil. But post boil, you've got to be sure to sanitize everything that touches your beer...the fermenter, any spoons you use, the ferm. lock (which isn't going to touch your beer, but it could introduce bacteria to your bung that will work it's way to the beer), etc.

You probably knew this already, but I thought I'd throw it in. Happy brewing! Let us know how it turns out.

lostnfoam · 01-28-2007, 11:55 AM

hey dont worry soon it will come like second nature and you will laugh about this. just read your paper work because some kit call for a 2.5 boil and some call for a full boil. if you are doing a full boil read up on aireation of your wort before pitching.