Using two pre-hopped extract kits to make one batch

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MarkESmith

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Evening all,

Is it possible to make a single 23L batch of beer with two pre-hopped 1.7kg extract kits in lieu of using brew enhancer/brewing sugar? The reason I ask is that I have a really crappy kit that came with my fermenter that I don't really want to ever drink on its own, as well as a Cooper's Ale kit.

Will it be too hoppy? Can I boil the crappy kit with water to remove some hops flavour then add that to the fermenter with the Cooper's kit?

Any tips/advice is greatly appreciated.
 
It is possible, I did it years ago...it will be quite bitter!

I wouldn't worry about boiling one - it is the hop bitterness you will have too much of, not the hop flavour, the bitterness won't go away by boiling.
 
So...3.4kg extract, by my calculation if you make up to 21 litres you'll get an OG of 1.050, which should come down to around 1.012, giving you 5%.
If you want to make 23 litres, add 250 grams of sugar to give the same gravity - might be smarter to do this to dilute the hops a little!
 
+1...this is a common thing in Australia on the cooper's forums. I'd do the later,that one seems to be the most common way of doing a "toucan".
 
Does it not matter that I'm using some random other kit as a source of extract? Will the flavours clash? For what it's worth the other kit is a Lion Draft (fairly bland, tasteless, NZ beer), so I'm hoping it won't detract from the Cooper's too much.
 
I don't think it'll hurt,at least to try. You could also add some hops to the mix to account for the extra malt. In the past,I did what the Aussie's call a "hop tea". I added my water to the brew kettle (I use 2.5G now,then was 1.5G) Bring to a boil. Then add 1oz hops in a sack for 15mins. Then pull & drain hop sack. bring to boil again if it isn't already.
Pull the BK off the heat to mix the cans in thoroughly. Brew to 23L till FG is reached,then dry hop with a 2nd ounce of hops for 1 week.
You may want to use both packets of yeast,if the other can has one that's an ale yeast in the same temp range as cooper's.
 
Going to try simply adding both on Thursday night - no extra hops, 250g extra sugar.

Also I will be leaving in the primary for ~6 weeks as I will be working away from home so this could turn out pretty bad.

I thought it was best to pitch only one strain of yeast?
 
A 6-week primary will probably make the brew better. The yeasts will sort out the sugar AND off-flavours to give you a great beer that you can bottle when you get back to it.

B
 
Nope, that can be pretty normal under plenty of circumstances. Though bear in mind that airlock activity is not a good indicator of fermentation progress. If it's been in for ten days, it's probably at or close to terminal gravity. If I were brewing it, I'd probably give it another week to ten days before bottling though.
 
I left it in the primary for about 5-6 weeks as I kept being too busy to get round to bottling. Will report back after I taste it in about 1-2 weeks. thanks all
 
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