brew kit/sugar questions

[bizit524]

Ok so i have made 3 of the kit things with the standard instructions.
I was thinking of "spicing" it up a little LOL well not that much
I would still used the canned stuff but instead of using the sugar that it wants
I was thinking of different things

I have a coopers dark ale which calls for a 1kg of white sugar.
What I was thinking...
Of adding 500g of light spray malt,
250g of brown sugar
then the equivalent of 250g of honey.
then I was thinking of adding instant coffee for a coffee flavor.

do you think that would be a good combo or would the coffee be terrible for an ale?
Any suggestion are welcome

 

[BigKahuna]

Coffees great in ale! Never used instant tho!

 

[bizit524]

Coffees great in ale! Never used instant tho!

haha ok well how would i add it then? i am using instant because its easy but I live in the UK and the coffee grounds here are TERRIBLE. my home country is US and they have 100x better coffee
How much do I add for a 23 litre one?

 

[Queequeg]

Yeah coffee in the UK is generally quite poor, but the the ground coffee is still better than the instant. Instant is terrible everywhere. Where are you buying your ground coffee that tastes so bad?

BTW I wouldn't put the brown sugar and honey in. Brown sugar is just unbleached sugar so not much different than the sugar in the original instructions. I personally can't see honey in a dark beer or with coffee, I would use something like maple syrup in a dark beer with coffee.

 

[bizit524]

any coffee grounds I buy here are terrible doesn't matter what i try. If its sealed in a container which is all of them they are bad. I haven't found a place in my city that has fresh coffee grounds.
I LOVE coffee and here is how I would compare it, the folgers crap (which is terrible also) you can buy at walmart is equivalent to their medium/ high end range of coffee grounds.

There are some coffee shops here that do OK coffee but those are the italian and french espresso shops. But going to actual France or Italy is way better than here. I miss good arabic coffee as well.
LOL my parents are visiting for Christmas and I told them to bring 10 pounds of fresh beans over in their checked in bags

 

[Queequeg]

Yeah Italy is awesome for coffee, espresson in the UK is watery rubbish. Anyhow for a beer the quality of the coffee isn't going to matter that much because there are so many other strong flavours going on.

Here is a BYO article to get you started

http://byo.com/recipes-tag/item/315...rent=http://byo.com&pfname=&rpctoken=94952413

 

[bizit524]

Back to my main question what about the sugars that I wanted to add? Would those be a good fit? or would that give it a weird taste
Of adding 500g of light spray malt,
250g of brown sugar
then the equivalent of 250g of honey.

 

[fartinmartin]

I have done Spray malt, Honey and sticky brown sugar.
Spray malt I couldnt detect but the honey and brown sugar were awfull when the beer was green, once mature the change was dramatic, could still detect the flavours and became very drinkable.
They were all worth the experiment, I wont repeat the brown sugar or the honey.

 

[Queequeg]

If you insist on using brown sugar get some muscovado which is less refined that simple brown sugar, which I'm pretty sure is just refined white sugar that molasses has just been added back to.

Also I personally would go for maple syrup instead of honey, honey tends to be used in light beers, Honeydew and waggledance spring to mind. Also make sure your sugar and syrup content dosn't exceed 25% of the total weight of the grain bill, it is a beer your making after all.

 

[bizit524]

I don't HAVE to do honey or really any of these I was just looking for something new to try because I did a lager with 1kg of white sugar and while it's OK at best it is very cidery flavor which is because of the sugar.
I was just looking for suggestions or if anyone has tried them. which some of you have and have answered my questions. I will keep the honey for a lager
But will probably try spraymalt with a little bit of brown sugar and then coffee

Queequeg - i was reading the article you linked me and i read that i put the coffee in after the fermentation is done. then they rack it into a 2nd fermenter. I don't have one of those and usually go straight to bottling because I am still quite new at this and will build up equipment slowly.
Can I still put the coffee in once its done along with the priming sugar? then bottle from there?

 

[Queequeg]

You don't need a secondary fermenter. The only reason I can think they suggest this is so that the coffee beans arn't in contact with the beer too long resulting it an excess harness bitterness.

You can get around this my placing the coffee in a fine meshed hop bag like you would for dry hopping to prevent coffee particles remaining in the final beer and adding the coffee closer to the bottling date so it dosn't sit too long.

Personally I would simply brew some coffee, let it cool whilst covered and then add it along side you primming sugar in the bottling bucket. This is easy and fuss free and dosn't require any more manipulations or equipment that could contaminate your brew.

I would also use a lightly roasted coffee and are add a modest amount, because a beer where you can't taste the coffee is a drinkable beer, a beer were all you can taste is coffee is a coffee.

 

[fartinmartin]

If ? You have only done three brews, I suggest you do loads more straight beers before doing off the wall stuff, so getting your process and expertise grounded , then develop in any direction you want to.

 

[bizit524]

Queequeq - thanks that is exactly what i was thinking but wasn't 100% sure on the coffee. I will just pour it in w/ priming sugar.

Fartinmartin- I do agree with you , but for right now. I have no job (I am a student) so while I would love to start buying more equipment and do actual all grain and getting more into real brewing I can't because of my limited funds.

The only way I can toy around with my current beers are either adding different sugars or adding flavors to a preexisting "kit/can" which i have been told doesn't produce an amazing beer which i do agree with but is all i can do right now
I shall move up eventually

haha isn't that how every hobby starts, you say to yourself ill just spend X amount a month and no more. you end up blowing that out of the water and dive in . happen to me on my motorcycle

i just started a coopers dark ale with 400g light spray malt, 500 grams brown sugar, and 100 grams regular table sugar

I was advised against honey until i get a lighter lager or something

 

[skitter]

I would advise against the Honey as it can add some weird flavors to darker beers, usually only good in Lighter Beers. I used to Add 1lb of DME or LME to the Mr. Beer kits in order to impart some flavor and extra ABV.

I do want to try using orange peel at some point. My favorite beer has a very orange flavor to it.