mrkeeg
Well-Known Member
I'm sure I will get into all grain and more specialized brewing eventually, but for now I don't have the space, time, money. I've enjoyed the handuful of kits I have tried so far.
Sooo... what can I do to maximize these hopped-extract (is that the proper term?) beers without adding much expense /trouble?
Some ideas:
- Using better/liquid yeast. Said to make a big difference? A $7 yeast package is half-again the price of a $14 kit... If careful about contamination (perhaps using a single carboy with blow-by tube instead of separate primary and secondarys?), you could at least reuse this.
-Boiling the hopped extract with the additional sugar and a volume of water for some period of time? No boiling is called for in the directions. Someone said this could destroy hop aromas (would any be present in an extract anyway?)
-If using the included dry-yeast packet - hydrate and create a starter
-Use DME instead of dextrose? (also adds significant cost.. $10 to a $14 kit). Maybe could go half and half?
-The standard things like washing bottles well, attention to sanitation
Thanks for any thoughts,
Keegan
Sooo... what can I do to maximize these hopped-extract (is that the proper term?) beers without adding much expense /trouble?
Some ideas:
- Using better/liquid yeast. Said to make a big difference? A $7 yeast package is half-again the price of a $14 kit... If careful about contamination (perhaps using a single carboy with blow-by tube instead of separate primary and secondarys?), you could at least reuse this.
-Boiling the hopped extract with the additional sugar and a volume of water for some period of time? No boiling is called for in the directions. Someone said this could destroy hop aromas (would any be present in an extract anyway?)
-If using the included dry-yeast packet - hydrate and create a starter
-Use DME instead of dextrose? (also adds significant cost.. $10 to a $14 kit). Maybe could go half and half?
-The standard things like washing bottles well, attention to sanitation
Thanks for any thoughts,
Keegan