adding to beer kits ?

[skw]

I stumbled over this web site and had to think of this thread, maybe this helps?
http://www.beoir.org/index.php?opti...egory&id=19:online-brewing-supplies&Itemid=38

 

[bergy]

It is very hard to help someone add to a kit when we don't even know what it is, if its a canned prehopped kit using dried malt extract instead of sugar and using fresh yeast (dried or liquid appropriate to style) will help. Maybe adding some fresh hops to the DME maybe 1oz for aroma (again a hop to style) or make the kit as per instructions and dry hop 1oz to style, again for aroma.

Personally I would make the kit as is and see how I like it and if its close to what I was looking for then I'd look at the recipe wiki and pull some hop ideas to add and yeast strains to try.

I made some Coopers kits and I used DME instead of sugar and kept tasting notes so I knew what I wanted to change the next time I made it.

I hope this helps.

There is the assumption that the kit in question is some well-known kit. Your suggestion, while helpful, is like providing someone with a contour map -- if you know how to read one, great! Otherwise you're still confused. I suggest providing the map but marking the hiking trails on it. For example, the following is what I am suggesting (I have not tried this, I don't plan to try this, it is just provided for illustration):

Brewer's Best Baltic Porter - Use the two-stage fermenting instructions. The night before secondary, soak 6 ounces of oak chips in 2 cups of your favorite brandy. Add just the chips (not the liquid) to the secondary. Continue to ferment and bottle/keg as directed. This will add a smokey/oakey flavor to the resulting product.