Brewmaster_n00b
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- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 20
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I usually purchase over at NB but because of shipping costs I bought a kit from my LHBS. I got the True Brew German Style Dark extract kit for $33.99 or so plus tax. My wife and I were looking for something with a chocolate undertone but they didn't have any chocolate stouts so we purchased .25lb. of chocolate malt and added those in when I did the BIAB. It made for a very nice, dark wort and deffinetly had a chocolate aroma to it.
The directions which were included were unclear about how long to ferment or if a second fermentation was reccommended. I used my hydrometer after a week and got a reading of 1.020. The directions did state that the FG should fall somewhere around 1.010 so I left it for another 2 days and tested again. Still 1.020. I figured the cheap yeast that had shipped with the kit had died and I began bottling. I had saved one of the 16oz. aluminum bottles from Miller Light, the kind with the screw top.
This was the first bottle I used and capped it with the original aluminum screw on cap. It sealed fine and now, one day later, it's starting to build pressure and I can squeeze the bottle to test my carbonation.
The rest of the bottles used were the 18oz. Cage top bottles from Amazon. I'm pleased with these and they seal very well. I also used Widmer Brothers Bottles
and Kona Bottles.
I thought the Kona bottles were just beautiful.
Both bottles capped just fine without any of them breaking.
I haven't tasted this yet so I will return to give my review on the finished product.
Final thoughts: The kit came with everything I needed.
- Hopped Dark Liquid Malt Extract (1 can)
- Dark Dried Malt Extract (2 lbs)
- Crystal Grain (6 oz)
- Hop Pellets (1 oz)
- Grain Steeping Bag
- Ale Yeast (1 packet)
- Priming Sugar (5 oz)
- Bottle Caps
If I were to purchase one of these kits again I would substitute the yeast for a pack of something better quality as I'm convinced the yeast died after just a 3% ABV.
