Questions from a newb: Nut brown ale

[Badaboom]

I just bought two canned kits of hopped nut brown ale (liquid extract) from a new zealand company black rock.

I was just going to add the two kits together and forego adding any other sugar and make a 5 gallon batch.

What can I do to make it any better. When I boil the extract should I add any extra hops at the end of a boil? What kind of hops? Will boiling ruin the already hopped kit?

I bought two packets of coppers ale yeast and was just going to throw out the yeast that came with the two kits.

Should I steep any specialty grains before the boil?

Ty for any advice.

 

[brewhooligan]

Using more malt extract as opposed to adding a bunch of sugar is definitely a good idea. If you're going to add hops, I would suggest keeping them on a short boil schedule -- probably not more than a few minutes. Those pre-hopped kits aren't really designed with a traditional 60-minute boil in mind.

 

[Malintent]

chances are that the kits are designed to make a 5 gallon batch. putting two together is NOT twice as good (unless you meant to say you were intending on making a 10 gallon batch out of the two - which would be fine). I see no problem adding more hops to the recipe IF you know what you are doing... otherwise don't - would you just decide to add more vanilla to a baking recipe you've never made before for no reason? You NEED to boil the batch, which should be clearly specified in the kit's directions. I'm not sure what you mean about ruining it by boiling.

Generally speaking - keep it simple at first (just follow the recommended directions). After you get some experience, then start modifying one thing at a time. If you go and change everything about it and it goes wrong, how will you know what aspect of the process turned out to be a bad idea?

 

[KevinW]

I just bought two canned kits of hopped nut brown ale (liquid extract) from a new zealand company black rock.

I was just going to add the two kits together and forego adding any other sugar and make a 5 gallon batch.

What can I do to make it any better. When I boil the extract should I add any extra hops at the end of a boil? What kind of hops? Will boiling ruin the already hopped kit?

I bought two packets of coppers ale yeast and was just going to throw out the yeast that came with the two kits.

Should I steep any specialty grains before the boil?

Ty for any advice.

Like malintent says, if you have two cans of extract for a 5 gallon batch you are fine but if you have two kits with 2 cans each then you are going to need to double the batch, unless you want one heck of a powerful beer

I would not steep any grains with this extract but if you like a hoppy beer then I would get 2 ounces of cascade hops, .50oz at 10 min, .50oz at 5 min and the rest at flameout.

The yeast should be fine too!

Good luck and keep us updated on how it turns out!!

 

[Badaboom]

chances are that the kits are designed to make a 5 gallon batch. putting two together is NOT twice as good (unless you meant to say you were intending on making a 10 gallon batch out of the two - which would be fine). I see no problem adding more hops to the recipe IF you know what you are doing... otherwise don't - would you just decide to add more vanilla to a baking recipe you've never made before for no reason? You NEED to boil the batch, which should be clearly specified in the kit's directions. I'm not sure what you mean about ruining it by boiling.

Generally speaking - keep it simple at first (just follow the recommended directions). After you get some experience, then start modifying one thing at a time. If you go and change everything about it and it goes wrong, how will you know what aspect of the process turned out to be a bad idea?

Well the kits say to add sugar and I know in general that beer needs approx 6 lb total sugar. The two kits together would equal the appropriate sugar for a 5 gal batch.

 

[commonsenseman]

That's a very generalized statement. The amount of fermentable sugars in every recipe differs greatly. 6lbs is fine, but so is 9lbs, or 12. Totally depends on the recipe. If your recipe calls for one can, chances are that adding another is not going to make it any better, it may even make it much worse.

 

[brewhooligan]

The entire point is that these kits aren't capable of making a 5 gallon batch on their own. If they were, they wouldn't need an additional 3 pounds of table sugar. While it's true that the fermentability of sugar versus extract is not the same, this doesn't change the fact that substituting more extract for copious amounts of table sugar is, in fact, a good idea. These canned kits aren't made from special LME that's uniquely more concentrated than any other 3-pound can of LME.

You are, however, doubling your hops if you use a second canned kit. Something to consider.

 

[Badaboom]

I'm heeding everyone's advice here. Instead of combining the two kits, I'm going to make two different batches.

Each batch is for 23 litres and calls for an additional 1.5 kg/each of malt extract.

So I bought a package of 1.5 kg Light DME and another package of Amber DME. I also got 2 oz of cascade hops.

Was thinking of brewing one batch with the light DME and one with the amber DME to see what the difference of the brew will be. Or should I mix 1/2 of each?

Should I add one full ounce of my hops for each batch with 10 mins left of the boil?

 

[Amity]

Do two different brews. Add the hops late, 10 minutes is good. When boiling pre-hopped kits, you'll lose any aroma or flavour from the hops. With a nut brown, you might not want a lot of flavour hops. Try half an ounce in each brew; even that might be too much. Brown ales normally have very low aroma hops, more of a malty, roasty taste.

For the future, I recommend only buying Extra light DME for my extract brews. It contains only 2-row barley and carapils. Light, Amber and Dark DME contain various amounts of other grains which are easily replicated in a grain steep that is more fresh than included in DME. If you want a darker or sweeter profile, you can add roasted or crystal grains.

 

[Badaboom]

You'll be fine. It may not ferment as low as with 1 kg of corn sugar (done this kit..... with 1 kg of corn sugar and it was awful for a long time). It may be hoppier than normal, but with all hopped LME, you'll be good.

Go with a Brewhouse kit next time, though.

I'm done with kits now. These two batches will be my last.

 

[Badaboom]

Well I just finished putting the batch into a primary.

I boiled the DME in 12 litres of water for 45 mins then took off heat and added the kit, stirred in and dissolved then added in cascade pellet hops and boiled for another 15 mins. It was the first time I used hops. I cooled the wort and siphoned into primary but see that I still got a lot of hops floating around there. Is that alright? I'm thinking of transferring to another carboy in 7 days to get less sediment.

OG was 1.044.

Anyways, yay! Ty for the helpful advice.

 

[Kaz]

The hops will settle over time. I wouldn't transfer to a secondary until you are sure the bulk of fermentation is done using your hydrometer.

 

[ikkyu]

So I bought the same kit for my very first brew. I plan on using half DME and half LME, instead of the sugar. I am considering using a different yeast as well, Safale S-04 Fermentis or White Labs WLP005 British Ale (though the White Labs is really expensive here: 15 US$) As for hops I was thinking Kent Golding or Fuggle. Any thought/suggestions would be most appreciated...

 

[onipar]

So I bought the same kit for my very first brew. I plan on using half DME and half LME, instead of the sugar. I am considering using a different yeast as well, Safale S-04 Fermentis or White Labs WLP005 British Ale (though the White Labs is really expensive here: 15 US$) As for hops I was thinking Kent Golding or Fuggle. Any thought/suggestions would be most appreciated...

Just for the sake of comparison, this is a Nut Brown Ale Kit I bought from my LHBS. Please keep in mind the LME is *unhopped* in my kit, but this might give you a good idea of what specialty grains and hops go well with Nut Brown.

There are others too of course. The Northern Brewers kit comes with different stuff.

6.6 lb. Muntons Amber Malt Extract
1/2 lb. Munton and Fison Crystal Malt 60° L
1/2 lb. Munton and Fison Carapils Malt 20° L
1/4 lb. Munton and Fison Chocolate malt 338° L
1/2 lb. Briess Victory Malt 25° L
1 oz. Nothern Brewer hop pellets (bittering)
1 oz. Kent Goldings Hop Pellets (finishing)
Wyeast # 1098 British Ale Yeast
Plus bags and priming sugar.

 

[ikkyu]

Just for the sake of comparison, this is a Nut Brown Ale Kit I bought from my LHBS. Please keep in mind the LME is *unhopped* in my kit, but this might give you a good idea of what specialty grains and hops go well with Nut Brown.

There are others too of course. The Northern Brewers kit comes with different stuff.

6.6 lb. Muntons Amber Malt Extract
1/2 lb. Munton and Fison Crystal Malt 60° L
1/2 lb. Munton and Fison Carapils Malt 20° L
1/4 lb. Munton and Fison Chocolate malt 338° L
1/2 lb. Briess Victory Malt 25° L
1 oz. Nothern Brewer hop pellets (bittering)
1 oz. Kent Goldings Hop Pellets (finishing)
Wyeast # 1098 British Ale Yeast
Plus bags and priming sugar.

Thanks... that gives me some guidelines. I also have the option of a Wyeast Irish Ale (also 15$US). I have seen a premium version of my kit that include Irish moss (which I already ordered), the Safale S-04 Fermentis, DME and some unidentified hop pellets. So I am thinking that it may be the case of the premium pre-hopped kit they give it the full one hour boil and that hops are added again because the boil kills off some of the hop essence from the prehopped malt extract.