Making a Red Ale kit a little more interesting...

Alrighty,

Starting to plan for the next batch, my second (which should co-incide perfectly with my first batch being bottled two weeks - I'll be able to start the process appropriately with a homebrew!)

First batch was a kit, so's this one (after this I'll move on to extract-based recipes, but figured kits would be a good way to learn). The new kit's a Brewer's Best Red Ale, haven't opened it yet so I couldn't tell you what it has for hops or anything like that.

But since I want to climb the learning curve as quickly as I can, I want to do something to make it a little bit more interesting and to throw a curve into the learning process. My first thought was maybe to add some fruit to the secondary, but someone on a post yesterday recommended that I add 750ml of pure maple syrup, which sounds really, really good.

So now, help me with how I do this....

1. When do I add the syrup? In the primary or into the secondary?
1a. If I add to the secondary (5 gal carboy), do I then need to worry about a blowoff tube to handle additional fermenation?

2. Do I need to sanitize the syrup? How? Boil it, bring it to 160 degrees, with water added, without water added... I'm afraid of screwing up the crystaline structure by adding heat, but also want to make sure I don't add any nasties.

3. Is the syrup all going to ferment, or am I going to end up with a much sweeter beer? If so, should I counterbalance that with either some additional hops in the wort or by dryhopping?

4. Anything else I should be thinking of?

Thanks as always, you peeps are the best. One of these days I'll pony up my $15 so I don't feel like a freeloader.

Can't answer your questions, but this might help someone else give you advice:

Red Ale Kit ingredients:

http://ldcarlson.com/public catalog/Brewers Best Recipes/BB Red Ale.doc

3.3 lbs. Plain Light Malt Extract
2 lbs. Plain Light Dry Malt Extract
12 oz. Crushed Crystal Malt 60L
1 oz. Crushed Black Patent
1 each Grain Steeping Bag
1 oz. Willamette Hops (Bittering)
1 oz. Willamette Hops (Finishing)
5 oz. Priming Sugar
60 each Crown Caps
1 each Beer Yeast

Click to expand...

I have one of those in my secondary right now!

It's still really sweet/malty, I hope I didn't mess it up like I did my first batch (see other thread).

Well, that's what I'm concerned about. I want some body and some flavor, but not an excessive amount of sweetness, want to make sure those sugars get fermented. When and how did you add the maple syrup?

I didn't add any maple syrup to mine, but I don't think my yeast fermented very well. =/

I recently brewed that kit with an additional .lb DME and 1.5 .lb of honey. I added the honey with 15 to go during the boil. It's been in bottles for a week, now, but I havent tried one yet. It's probably a week or two too soon, but I may ice one up today, just to see. Good luck with yours.

I think I've decided on my plan of attack, unless someone tells me (gently, please) that I'm an idiot.

Buy a couple 3 gallon carboys, which I'll use as my primary fermenters. I don't want to risk a 5 gallon batch on an experiement, and since this is my first time making this kit I want to have a "control" side of the experiment. I have only used a bucket as a primary, and I'm a little worried that I won't have a TON of extra room in their for the krausen (sp?), so I'll set up some blowoff tubes and whathaveyou.

I'll brew the kit normally, as per the instructions. Conccurrently, I'll bring the syrup (gotta figure out how much and get my hands on some of the "B" grade stuff if possible) to a boil and let it cool. I'll add that to one of the carboys, but not the wort itself.

I'm still a little worried about making the beer a little too sweet, but hell, this is an experiment (and I don't think it'll kill it). Sounds like about 65% of the sugars will likely ferment, anyway, so maybe I'm just too worried.

I'm expecting this to be a full-bodied, mellow, sweet ale, probably not ideal for summer but tasty. Unfortunately, no time to get to work on it this weekend, grrr...

When you do crack one of those puppies open, let me know how it comes out (specifically if it's too sweet). I am granting you my permission to drink your beer a week too soon.