muntons says 6, HBS says 5, huh?

[CBBaron]

The package says "Light Malt Extract", but squeezing the package it feels like liquid inside, but REALLY thick stuff, almost like molasses.

To be perfectly honest, it feels like the liquid cheese packets in Velvetta Mac&Cheese haha. :cross:

It doesn't feel like a powder.... which is what I assume everyone means when they say not the liquid that comes in a can?

I guess it is possible that it is liquid but in my experience DME almost flows like a liquid when dry so your packet may still be DME. Either way is fine as the sugar content only differs by 20% between the 2.
LME (liquid malt extract) is a sticky syrupy liquid very similar to molasses. It is usually sold in cans like your Muntons or jugs like milk. DME is a very fine powder like powdered sugar. It is usually sold in sealed plastic bags.

An aluminum pot is just fine for a brew kettle. Lot of people use them without a problem. Its what I have myself.

Craig

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

I did see LME in a plastic pack once. It was in a how to brew beer photo on a website. He placed the bag in some hot water to soften the extract then cut the corner of the bag and dumped it into the kettle.

I've never actually seen it sold like that though.

Not sure if they mentioned this but take the muntons can and stick it in a sink or bucket with hot water. This will soften the extract, making it much easier to pour. Take a spatula to get the last bits out of the can.

The reason you take the kettle off of the burner when adding the liquid malt extract is to prevent scorching when you add the LME. Before it is stirred into the water it sinks to the bottom. If it's on the burner then that malt will likely scorch.

The kind of kit you are using has extract with hop oils added, thats why the short boil time. In fact boiling for to long may boil out the flavor oils with this kind of kit.

A more advanced kit will contain unhopped extract. You would then add hops at various times to add bitterness, flavor and aroma. Bittering would be a 60+ min boil, with flavor and aroma additions at around 15 min and 5 min before end of boil.

Let us know how youy first one turns out,and above all RDWHAHB (or craft beer since you won't have any home brew yet).

Good luck!

 

[brewt00l]

I did see LME in a plastic pack once. It was in a how to brew beer photo on a website. He placed the bag in some hot water to soften the extract then cut the corner of the bag and dumped it into the kettle.

I've never actually seen it sold like that though.

IIRC, Williams brewing's advertisement in BYO uses a picture of their bagged LME.

 

[marosell]

Yeah, it's bagged liquid. Instructions say cut corner and push liquid out. I think it's made by the HBS because it has their logo on it. Either that, or they order some company, take it's logo off, and put on their own

How much corn sugar for bottling after primary? I've read about bottles exploding, and I'm pretty sure thats not a good thing. I think the bag the HBS gave me was 3/4 cup, and I think I was told to use the whole thing, but wanted to double check with some of you guys.

 

[bradsul]

3/4 cup for priming seems to be pretty standard. I go by weight as measuring powders by volume goes against my grain (has to do with my day job). I think I usually use 120G for priming the bottles at 73F.

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

This should help you figure it out.

http://byo.com/referenceguide/primingchart/


"temp" is the temperature the fermented at (or now if the temp has been raised). This determines how much co2 should be left in the beer from fermentation. There are probably easier charts.

Promash and beersmith and some online calculators are good for this as well.

 

[marosell]

So tonight we boiled up the brew. It's in the fermentation bucket, how long until I should see some serious bubbling action?

 

[bradsul]

It can vary between a few hours and a few days. I wouldn't worry until at least 48 hours has gone by. Most likely though by tonight you will see some action. The key is patience!

 

[marosell]

you were right, later this afternoon it was bubbling, maybe once every 10 seconds, but it's seemed to stop this evening. is that common?

as absurd as this sounds, do yeasties sleep?

 

[bradsul]

I had some strange experiences with those Muntons kits. They never gave me that great explosive fermentation everyone always talked about. But they all did finish up properly and were decent beers in their own right; just be patient!

It could be as simple as the seal on your fermenter, the pressure built up just enough that it found another exit besides the airlock. Give it a week and then check the gravity, that is the best way to tell.

 

[marosell]

i suppose I could go get a hydrometer, but im not sure it will help considering i never checked the grav before hand

 

[bradsul]

I would definitely recommend one. A lot of people will say you don't need it but personally I think it's an excellent tool. As you say it won't help much on this brew since you don't have an OG reading but it will definitely help with your next batch.

 

[Brewing Clamper]

Get one! It'll still help to figure out if it's fully fermented...

 

[marosell]

Ok, I pulled a 1.012, slightly lower then 2% alcohol. The label on the muntons can says "fermentation will be finished when yadda yadda..., or if you have a hydrometer, when the gravity remains constant below 1008 degrees".

what the difference between the 1000-degree scale and the 1.000 scale, are they same with a moved decimal?

Is it finished? 2% alcohol doesn't sound like its finished.

 

[marosell]

bttt. anybody?

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

You have to know the starting gravity and the final gravity to determine tha alcohol %. Your kit was probably intended to be about 5% so you'll be pretty close to that.

1.012 is pretty well done. Check it in a day or 2 and if it hasn't dropped more then move to secondary for clearing or bottle.

Using a hydromter

 

[marosell]

alright, but for future reference, how do you convert 1008 degrees to the hydrometer scale?

 

[Drunkensatyr]

1.008 it really is that simple

 

[the_dam_man]

my second batch was a can of mutons cerveza. HBS guy said same thing and be being "smarter" than him figured I would jsut follow the diretions for now. came out fine just a little weak (hence leaving out the gallon of water) poor carbonation and watered down tasting. BUT you can chug the stuff like crazy

 

[marosell]

bottled today! im gonna try the nut brown next. anyone else here use irish moss to help do some clearing?

 

[bradsul]

You can only use irish moss if you do a boil. I use it every batch, some people don't use it at all. If you decide to do a boil, add it in the last 15 minutes.

 

[luxbrewing]

Guys,

I am a newbie and this post cleared up the questions I had about the Muntons all-in-one kit. Does anybody know of an all-in-one kit that is better than Muntons?

Shaun

 

[bradsul]

...I am a newbie and this post cleared up the questions I had about the Muntons all-in-one kit. Does anybody know of an all-in-one kit that is better than Muntons?...

In my experience they're all basically the same (though I've only used Coopers and Muntons). They will both make good beer if you replace the dextrose with DME. You will want to replace the muntons yeast with a better one if you do that though.

 

[grasshopper1917]

Personally I make the coopers kits - I like them a little bit better and I think you get a little more in he can too hehhe.

Some good coopers styles I like are the IPA and Australian draft. There is pretty much a style t meet every diffeent type of flavor you like.

Cheers

 

[luxbrewing]

I am also having questions on the all-in-one kit by Muntons and am using it for my second batch ever. I have read all the books I could get my hands on so I versed in the process but the Kit is drastically different than what I have read. From what I have read on the forums this should do the trick for a good batch:

1 Can of Muntons all in one.
1 LB additional Dry Malt Extract.
Should Yield about 5 gallons.

If anyone could just confirm or add to this it would appreciative. How much water should I add to compensate for boil off?

Thanks!

 

[Poindexter]

I am also having questions on the all-in-one kit by Muntons and am using it for my second batch ever. I have read all the books I could get my hands on so I versed in the process but the Kit is drastically different than what I have read. From what I have read on the forums this should do the trick for a good batch:

1 Can of Muntons all in one.
1 LB additional Dry Malt Extract.
Should Yield about 5 gallons.

If anyone could just confirm or add to this it would appreciative. How much water should I add to compensate for boil off?

Thanks!

You are going to want some hops in there I imagine. Is your LME (Liquid Malrt Extract) pre-hopped?

Otherwise you are describing a basic (English) Pale Ale, can be a mighty fine session beer. Next step up the sophistication ladder would be to steep and strain about a half pound of Crystal 40.

As far as evaporation rate, your stove and your brew kettle will have a small range of evaporation rates that varies a little with humidity and temperature.

The folks brewing outdoors really see this in the dead of winter when the surrounding air is cold and dry.

Indoors on a kitchen stove brewing extract I would go for 2.5 gallons on an electric, maybe 3.5 on a gas stove and see if your stove can bring it to a boil.

 

[bradsul]

...1 Can of Muntons all in one.
1 LB additional Dry Malt Extract.
Should Yield about 5 gallons.

If anyone could just confirm or add to this it would appreciative. How much water should I add to compensate for boil off?

If it's one of those kit&kilo cans you need more than 1lbs of DME. I used 1.2KG of DME in place of the dextrose and they turned out pretty well. I just boiled the DME in 6L of water for 15 minutes since you just needed to sterilize it. 1.2KG of DME was for 23L (6 gallons) are per the can directions. 1KG of DME would probably be good for 5 gallons.

 

[grasshopper1917]

Yea Brad hit it right on your gonna wanna to use a Kilo of DME - and it will turn out fine - if you want to use liquid malt extract just go ahead and use 3 extra pounds.

I wouldnt recomend boiling thos kits either. What I do is heat the water up to a slow boil take the water off the heat - stir in the can of muntons - stir in your malt extract and then put it back on medium heat for 10 minutes (dont boil it just keep it hot enugh that everything is sanitize). Pour the mixture in your fermenter - add cold cold water to bring the temp down to about 70f topping up to 23 liter mark - and then pitch your yeast - voila your done

 

[luxbrewing]

Alright I am going to Brew on Saturday with the Muton's Connoisseurs all in one kit. After visiting the website it is Pre-hopped. I have included the Munton's information to see if it will help, but I am still going to add 1kg of DME for 5 gallons, is this still a good idea? My second brew, first all on my own just want to make sure this kit doesn't turn out like crap. Also will use better yeast! Thanks!

"The Muntons Connoisseurs Range has been formulated to brew strong beers emulating beer styles from around the world.

Each Beer kit contains 1.8kg of 100% hopped malt extract - and in common with all Muntons beer kits, no cheap barley syrup is used in their manufacture. With the Connoisseurs range you will be able to experience taste sensations including Wheat Beer modelled on the best German Weizen style beers, Bock - the distinctive dark lager of Bavaria, Export Stout - a classic full-bodied hoppy stout and a wide range of other style beers."

 

[bradsul]

...1kg of DME for 5 gallons, is this still a good idea?...

Yup!

...Each Beer kit contains 1.8kg of 100% hopped malt extract - and in common with all Muntons beer kits, no cheap barley syrup is used in their manufacture....

No cheap barley syrup is used, but please add lots of corn sugar!