Adding DME to a kit: how much?

[garagecollective]

I've now done 4 brews from kits, with hop additions and mainly using Copper Tun Beer enhancers for fermentables. Yet I still can't seem to shake that cidery hint of home brew. I did some online surfing and it turns out the enhancers are pretty much 90% dextrose (they don't list the proportions on the packet). So I'm guessing that's the problem.

So for the next batch I want to use DME. But I'm not sure how much to use, and what with to up the fermentable/alcohol level. I've read too much DME can make a slow, sweet beer. How much is too much?

I want to make an APA using a Muntons Bitter Kit as a base, and with added hops. I was thinking 700 DME to 300 Dextrose? Any ideas/suggestions?

Thanks!

PS my past attempts can be seen here: http://www.garagecollective.blogspot.co.nz/search/label/beer

 

[neosapien]

Skip the kits and use one of the oldtimers' recipes from here. Yooper, Revvy, EdWort all have some pretty epic brews listed. Trust in yourself: go big instead of going to a kit

 

[garagecollective]

Yeah I have been thinking of stepping up to extract brews...

 

[mr_bell]

I can only relate my experience with the 1 pre-hopped kit I've brewed, recently, though I've been brewing (extract, partial mash, stovetop all grain) for 4 years. It was the Cooper's English bitter. In addition to the kit, I used 1 pound extra light DME, 12 oz, light DME, 4 oz. dextrose to get an OG of 1.040 in a 5.5 gallon batch once in the fermenter.

There is a kit and extract beer design spreadsheet from the aussie homebrewer forum that is very useful for kit beers. Your buddy Aiden e-mailed to me, don't know if you've seen or used that.

Really enjoyed your artwork/posters on your blog, btw.

 

[Andrew5329]

What exactly are in the kits you buy? Most of the kits I've done in the past come with a can or two of LME and/or some DME adding up to total weight of 6.6lbs/3kg and that's all I used for fermentables.

What temperature are you fermenting your beers at? Sometimes if your fermenting too warm 70*F plus you can get off flavors that could be described as "cidery"

What were the specific gravities of your last brew you felt was "cidery?

Honestly I've never felt the need to use an "enhancer" as pretty much any kit/recipe comes with all the fermentables you need. Typically when you see people adding dextrose they're doing a very light beer where they want to keep the alcohol content without the extra malt flavor/color.

What units are you using for measurement? I'm assuming by 700/300 your referring to grams? How large of a batch are you planning?

As for how much is too much it depends on the beer. I usually shoot for around 6.6Lbs (3kg) of appropriate malt per 5 gallon batch (about 20L) in most of my recipes, though for a heavy beer like a porter I use more.

*Edited a typo*
*Also a quick edit to reflect that I got your blog link to work*

 

[duboman]

I totally agree, search here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f82/

Find a style you like and look for the extract recipes, you won't be disappointed! This is assuming you have a LHBS, if not I know that midwestsupplies and northern brewer produce some great extract kits with good ingredients and reasonable prices

 

[mr_bell]

Oh, and you might find Jamil Zainesheff's and John Palmer's take on kit beers interesting and useful, on this episode of brewstrong. It's what inspired me to give one a try.

http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/698

 

[amandabab]

brew enhancer 1 is 70% dextrose / 30% maltodextrin by weight
brew enhancer 2 is 50% light DME, 30% dextrose and 20% maltodextrin by weight

so that's what your adding with the bags, you can alter it from there if you have to use coopers LME cans.
your fermenting with a controlled fridge, so that's a big plus.
the coopers yeast is notorious for a cider flavor, if Feremtis or Nottingham is available go that route

 

[garagecollective]

Sorry I was using the term DME as Dry Malt Extract, not Dark Malt Extract; and LME as Liquid Malt Extract. This site probably has a glossary I should refer to!

I typically ferment at 20C in a converted fridge with lamps and a thermostat. I didn't know heat can effect the taste as well, so thanks for that.

FG has been around 1.020 because I haven't replaced the yeast. I should add it's not super cidery at all—just enough for me to know that it's not like a micro-brewery beer and that it's a home brew.

Past brews:
http://www.garagecollective.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/american-pale-ale-home-brew-3.html
http://www.garagecollective.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/home-brewing-start-of-obsession.html

PS Thanks for the kind words re the poster Mr Bell!

 

[Andrew5329]

I should add it's not super cidery at all—just enough for me to know that it's not like a micro-brewery beer and that it's a home brew.

Well unless you were planning it you shouldnt have a cidery taste at all that's definatly an "off" flavor and unless the brewery filters their beer there really isnt much of a difference between what they do and what you can make at home.

If I had to guess it might be because of the dextrose???

 

[garagecollective]

Brew Enhancer 2 could be the ticket, thanks amandabab. The reason I don't do a extract/partial mash brew is time really... if I can get a good enough result using kits I'll be very happy. And maybe later when the wee one is a bit older I can actually get more experimental! Such is life eh?

 

[garagecollective]

Yeah I came to that conclusion reading an Australian book, The Complete Guide to Beer and Brewing, which states:

Because of biochemicalreactions that are a mystery to me... the use of large amounts of sugar leaves the finished product with an acidic 'cidery' flavour which does not resemble 'real' bear

 

[Yfdengineer]

Bottled my Honey Porter a week ago, it'll be ready next Thursday! Can't wait!

 

[Andrew5329]

Yeah I came to that conclusion reading an Australian book, The Complete Guide to Beer and Brewing, which states:

Because of biochemicalreactions that are a mystery to me... the use of large amounts of sugar leaves the finished product with an acidic 'cidery' flavour which does not resemble 'real' bear

I"d reccomend The Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian. It's pretty much the bible of American Homebrewing and clocks in at 425 pages of Beginner to advanced teachings, as well as about a hundred time proven recipes.

 

[garagecollective]

Thanks Andrew, I'll check that out. There's so many out there it's hard to know what to try.