Hello chaps. I've been given a brewmaker beer kit which apparently contains everything i need to get started in the wonderful world of home brewing. I'm keen to get going, but after some reading any hopes i had of making tasty bitter with my awesome brewmaker beer kit have been dashed. Let's have a look at this quality product:-
Detailed instructions:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y111/pro2/instructions.jpg
Fermentation bin:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y111/pro2/fermentation.jpg
Plastic Keg:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y111/pro2/keg.jpg
Generic yeast:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y111/pro2/yeast.jpg
Siphon, steriliser and sugar (at least i hope it's sugar):
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y111/pro2/crack.jpg
As you can see, no expense has been spared. Do you think I can make any decent beer with this kit? The first thing i noticed was the absence of an air lock. I assume they're pretty essential. I think that would be easy enough to install though, and hopefully not cost too much. They did manage to include some steriliser, so hopefully we can sterilise everything properly.
The detailed instructions recommend just putting the tin in with some water and stirring it all up. This seems like a bad idea from what I've read. We may be able to source a large pan for boiling several gallons of water. Would boling up the kit in a gallon or two of water, adding it to the fermentation bin and then topping up with cold water be ok? Or would you recommend scrapping the tin altogether and brewing from scratch? I've also read that no-name yeast like we have can go off quite quickly. Is it a good idea to buy some better stuff? Do you have any recommendations?
Hopefully we'll be able to make some drinkable beer with this stuff.
Detailed instructions:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y111/pro2/instructions.jpg
Fermentation bin:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y111/pro2/fermentation.jpg
Plastic Keg:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y111/pro2/keg.jpg
Generic yeast:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y111/pro2/yeast.jpg
Siphon, steriliser and sugar (at least i hope it's sugar):
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y111/pro2/crack.jpg
As you can see, no expense has been spared. Do you think I can make any decent beer with this kit? The first thing i noticed was the absence of an air lock. I assume they're pretty essential. I think that would be easy enough to install though, and hopefully not cost too much. They did manage to include some steriliser, so hopefully we can sterilise everything properly.
The detailed instructions recommend just putting the tin in with some water and stirring it all up. This seems like a bad idea from what I've read. We may be able to source a large pan for boiling several gallons of water. Would boling up the kit in a gallon or two of water, adding it to the fermentation bin and then topping up with cold water be ok? Or would you recommend scrapping the tin altogether and brewing from scratch? I've also read that no-name yeast like we have can go off quite quickly. Is it a good idea to buy some better stuff? Do you have any recommendations?
Hopefully we'll be able to make some drinkable beer with this stuff.