de5m0mike
Well-Known Member
I have a Brewers Best kit for an American Pale Ale. This will probably be my 5th or 6th time brewing. I've done kits in the past and a couple extract recipes from my LHBS. Anyway, I want to know if anyone has any suggestions on how to make this the best beer possible. I assume that because this is a kit there may be some shortcuts taken in the effort to make it quick and easy to brew. I'm not worried about that, I want to make it good.
So here are a couple places I thought we could start:
1. Directions say to steep grains in 2.5 gallons at 150º - 165º for approximately 20 minutes. Should I steep longer? With more or less water? (I have the ability to boil as much as 6 gallons.)
2. The kit assumes a 60 min. boil. Would it be beneficial to do a 90 minute boil?
3. What about hops? This kit came with 2 oz. Cascade for bittering (suggested 60 min) and 1.5 oz Willamette for aroma (suggested 5 min.) Should I split any of these up over the boil?
4. I love hoppy beer and I have an extra 1 oz. of centennial left over from another beer that I was thinking I could add. I was thinking of using it to dry hop but since they are pellets maybe they would be better in the boil. What do you think? When should I add them.
5. I lost the yeast pack that came with the kit. Don't ask me how. I have no idea. Anyone know what kind of yeast should have come in this kit. Is there a better yeast that what I would have gotten with the kit that I should buy. I usually use Safale but am open to something else.
6. And last but not least. What about water? I usually just buy spring water but was thinking of getting RO water from the fill your own jug thing at the store and possibly adding some calcium or something. I was going to talk to my LHBS about this but I thought I'd ask here as well.
Sorry, I know that is a lot of questions to ask, but you guys are awesome and I want to make awesome beer.
So here are a couple places I thought we could start:
1. Directions say to steep grains in 2.5 gallons at 150º - 165º for approximately 20 minutes. Should I steep longer? With more or less water? (I have the ability to boil as much as 6 gallons.)
2. The kit assumes a 60 min. boil. Would it be beneficial to do a 90 minute boil?
3. What about hops? This kit came with 2 oz. Cascade for bittering (suggested 60 min) and 1.5 oz Willamette for aroma (suggested 5 min.) Should I split any of these up over the boil?
4. I love hoppy beer and I have an extra 1 oz. of centennial left over from another beer that I was thinking I could add. I was thinking of using it to dry hop but since they are pellets maybe they would be better in the boil. What do you think? When should I add them.
5. I lost the yeast pack that came with the kit. Don't ask me how. I have no idea. Anyone know what kind of yeast should have come in this kit. Is there a better yeast that what I would have gotten with the kit that I should buy. I usually use Safale but am open to something else.
6. And last but not least. What about water? I usually just buy spring water but was thinking of getting RO water from the fill your own jug thing at the store and possibly adding some calcium or something. I was going to talk to my LHBS about this but I thought I'd ask here as well.
Sorry, I know that is a lot of questions to ask, but you guys are awesome and I want to make awesome beer.