total noobie here

made my first batch of mead last weekend and since it takes so long to mature, now I gotta make some beer
went to local HBS and got a Muntons Export Stout kit and the folks sold me an additional pouch of dark malt extract
the instructions on the kit say nothing about the extra pouch of extract
I called the HBS and they said that I should use it
I'm just trying to understand, is this typical?
I would think the "kit" would be complete
don't want to put to much "stuff" in 5 gallons of water

Dave

I'm assuming this is one of the Muntons kits that come in a can. If so then they call for 1KG of dextrose to be added along with the can contents. Instead of doing that you will be adding the dark DME instead. This is a good thing! It will make your beer MUCH better!

What you want to do is boil 4L or so of water. Once boiling, remove from the heat and dissolve in the extract. Then let it boil for an additional 10-15 minutes just to make sure it is sterile. Then follow the rest of the kit instructions.

If they also gave you the dextrose, save that for priming your beer when you bottle (though not the entire amount!). Good luck on your first batch!

>I'm assuming this is one of the Muntons kits that come in a can.
correct

ok, so this takes the place of the sugar
glad I asked, otherwise it would have been some really sweet gruel
they gave me a little corn sugar which is for bottling to get the carbonation

Dave

yep, a little bag of sugar for bottle carbonation.

and technically if you'd added the corn sugar as well as the DME, it wouldn't be sweet as long as the yeast could ferment all the sugar into alcohol.

you'd end up with a more alcoholic brew, IF the yeast was up to the task.

Very good, experimenting already. Now , don't be like some of us (me) and forget what works. I say you have the makings of a quick tasty brew. Good luck!

My first beer after a 3-4 year hiatus was a modified ale kit. It was the best beer Id ever brewed. The keg lasted for only a few hours. Im still working on the final touches of it using all fresh ingredients (no kit this time). Once Ive perfected it, Im gonna share the recipe on the forums. Its the perfect beer to serve your friends to convert them.

ok
this stuff has been going for 5 days
I'm a little concerned about the level of activity
for two days it bubbled like crazy but then slowed down a lot and now it's down to about a bubble every other min
does that sound about right?

Dave

drobbins said:

ok
this stuff has been going for 5 days
I'm a little concerned about the level of activity
for two days it bubbled like crazy but then slowed down a lot and now it's down to about a bubble every other min
does that sound about right?

Dave

Click to expand...

Normal.
All is well. Let it sit where it is for two more weeks or move to secondary and let it sit for two weeks. Then add your sugar and bottle it.

thanks

me and a friend made 2 batches of mead a week before I made the beer and they're sitting side by side
the mead is bubbling a LOT more
had me worried

Dave

beer and mead will act totally diffrent in fermenters. Honey is slow to ferment. malt sugars are not. Keep up the good work! And good luck on your first brew!

I made it in a plastic bucket using enough water for 5-1/2 gallons last Sunday
I'm thinking I'll rack it into a 5 gallon carboy this weekend and let it sit there another 2 weeks, then bottle
sound about right?
this is fun

Dave