WTF kinda beer is this?

[crabbynanna]

I am a total noob and recently started brewing with liquid extract only kits just to get my feet wet. While doing research I came across a recipe and it just doesn't look right to me. It can't be that easy can it? What kind of beer would you get with this?
How to Homebrew Malt Extract Beer

 

[ong]

This is a way to make a pretty mediocre beer. The pre-hopped extracts contribute bitterness but not a ton of hop flavor. The style would depend on what the can says/how it's formulated, but usually something like a light lager or pale ale.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Generic, easily forgettable, plain ale. This is as beginner as it gets. For someone who has never brewed beer before, but wants to be turned off to the hobby before it begins, this is a great instruction set.

 

[Auger]

It really depends on what kind of hopped extract you use. This is the method I used on my first few batches, except I used two cans of extract instead of extract and sugar. But, this is the process that introduces a lot of people to homebrewing. And hey...nowhere to go but up!

 

[Auger]

Generic, easily forgettable, plain ale. This is as beginner as it gets. For someone who has never brewed beer before, but wants to be turned off to the hobby before it begins, this is a great instruction set.

I completely disagree with this statement. On the contrary, this process is easy and results in beer. For people starting out and seeing something like my three tier gravity feed all-grain setup, its overwhelming and I would argue more of a turnoff (especially when I explain the process, and the time involved). For someone to start with the linked instructions and end up with beer, even mediocre beer, can be a huge win and get them started with learning more about the hobby. Like I said, its how I started, and this process was my first exposure to it as a kid, helping my dad brew beer. He did it that way for years before quitting the hobby altogether, but that was a big part of why I picked it up in the first place.

 

[Revvy]

That's pretty much how the old, prohibition era brewing instructions were.... Just note what he said in the "intro."

Sure, you can make better beer than what is described below, using better equipment and better ingredients, but it is doubtful you can make it any easier or for less money up front. This is a beginners guide designed to get you started. You will be dazzled and impressed with the final product.

He's not saying it's going to make "great" beer...this is just typical getcha drunk and headachy cheep high brewing.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

I completely disagree with this statement. On the contrary, this process is easy and results in beer. For people starting out and seeing something like my three tier gravity feed all-grain setup, its overwhelming and I would argue more of a turnoff (especially when I explain the process, and the time involved). For someone to start with the linked instructions and end up with beer, even mediocre beer, can be a huge win and get them started with learning more about the hobby. Like I said, its how I started, and this process was my first exposure to it as a kid, helping my dad brew beer. He did it that way for years before quitting the hobby altogether, but that was a big part of why I picked it up in the first place.

I'm not saying a simple process is a bad way to start. Most of us started simple. I'm saying this specific set of instructions is bad. Here are a few quotes from the link provided by the OP.

"You will be dazzled and impressed with the final product."

"Add up to six cups of sugar"

"bucket, a.k.a. The Carboy."

"Room temperature should be between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the fermentation phase."

"40 ounce Budweiser bottles work just fine. Many brewers will tell you not to use them. There is no good reason why anyone would say such a thing."

"NEVER drink all your supply before you have another batch bottled."

My favorite... "Trust this recipe"

 

[Revvy]

I noticed there's no comments.

I also noticed that the pages "Has been looked at 11,991 times." Minus the 50 of us who have prolly looked at it since the thread started, that means there's probably several THOUSAND bad batches of bleachy tasting beer out there. *eek*

 

[crabbynanna]

I completely disagree with this statement. On the contrary, this process is easy and results in beer. For people starting out and seeing something like my three tier gravity feed all-grain setup, its overwhelming and I would argue more of a turnoff (especially when I explain the process, and the time involved). For someone to start with the linked instructions and end up with beer, even mediocre beer, can be a huge win and get them started with learning more about the hobby. Like I said, its how I started, and this process was my first exposure to it as a kid, helping my dad brew beer. He did it that way for years before quitting the hobby altogether, but that was a big part of why I picked it up in the first place.

I might have to try it just to see how it turns out. I am a Busch Light drinker anyway. Now don't any of you puke cuz I said that.

 

[MrJoel]

Today I learned Pre-Hopped extract is a thing. I will be steering clear of it I think.

 

[Revvy]

Today I learned Pre-Hopped extract is a thing. I will be steering clear of it I think.

There's nothing wrong with pre-hopped extract...it's like anything, it's not the ingredient, it's what you do with it that makes beer good or bad...following those instructions will make crappy beer...Doing the same "recipe" with everything we know about using sugar, temp control, sanitization, yeast handling, conditioning, can make really good beer.

One of the reasons we still have a homebrewing culture that didn't totally get wiped our by prohibition is because the smart breweries like PABST BLUE RIBBON made pre-hopped extract and sold it with cookbooks for baking that clearly stated on them, "DO NOT DILLUTE THIS PRODUCT WITH 5 GALLONS OF WATER, BRING IT TO A BOIL WITH SOME SUGAR, COOL IT, PUT IT IN A CROCK AND SPRINKLE THE YEAST THAT JUST HAPPENS TO BE STUCK TO THE CAN, BOTTLE IT IN BROWN BOTTLES AND DRINK."

You need to THANK pre-hopped extract and the Blue Ribbon Malt Extract Company, for explicitly teaching us, though somewhat badly how not to make beer when it was illegal to do so.

Blue Ribbon Malt Extract is still being made, now by a Detroit Company called Premier Malt Extract. We have a thread on it here....There's even a podcast link with one with Charlie Papazian, and a brewer that used to brew with it.... Fascinating history.

 

[GHBWNY]

Re: "it's probably good not to stir the wort too vigorously". STIR it, SHAKE it, AGITATE it until a thick foam forms. The yeast need plenty of oxygen to ferment properly.

Also, re: step 13, 7 days to bottle is NOT --- repeat, NOT --- a safe bet. Do NOT depend on airlock activity (or kit instructions) to dictate the end of fermentation! Let your beer ferment at least 2-3 weeks and then take final gravity (FG) readings with a hydrometer. If you get 2 consecutive readings that are the same 2 - 3 days apart, your beer is done fermenting. Anything less procedurally runs a risk of incomplete fermentation that will decide to finish inside the bottle, and if that happens you'll get bottle-bombs.

 

[ZmannR2]

Omg don't do that recipe please. Lmao!

 

[Homercidal]

What's the worst that can happen?

Oh yeah, it tastes like Blue Ribbon!

 

[Fedora]

There's nothing wrong with pre-hopped extract...it's like anything, it's not the ingredient, it's what you do with it that makes beer good or bad...following those instructions will make crappy beer...Doing the same "recipe" with everything we know about using sugar, temp control, sanitization, yeast handling, conditioning, can make really good beer.

One of the reasons we still have a homebrewing culture that didn't totally get wiped our by prohibition is because the smart breweries like PABST BLUE RIBBON made pre-hopped extract and sold it with cookbooks for baking that clearly stated on them, "DO NOT DILLUTE THIS PRODUCT WITH 5 GALLONS OF WATER, BRING IT TO A BOIL WITH SOME SUGAR, COOL IT, PUT IT IN A CROCK AND SPRINKLE THE YEAST THAT JUST HAPPENS TO BE STUCK TO THE CAN, BOTTLE IT IN BROWN BOTTLES AND DRINK."

You need to THANK pre-hopped extract and the Blue Ribbon Malt Extract Company, for explicitly teaching us, though somewhat badly how not to make beer when it was illegal to do so.

Blue Ribbon Malt Extract is still being made, now by a Detroit Company called Premier Malt Extract. We have a thread on it here....There's even a podcast link with one with Charlie Papazian, and a brewer that used to brew with it.... Fascinating history.

Imma make me some prohibition style beer! :fro:

 

[Fedora]

Imma make me some prohibition style beer! :fro:

Sorry, pic didn't attach.

 

[Revvy]

Imma make me some prohibition style beer! :fro:

Here's actually some of the recipes that used to come in a plain brown envelop from the blue ribbon malt company if you wrote to them asking *ahem* for more information on how NOT to make beer with their extract... Just in case you wanted to make sure you didn't do it or something. :fro:

Blue Ribbon 1

Blue Ribbon 2

This one is particularly interesting in that it has 1TBS of salt in it;
My Daddy's Beer Recipe

Al Capone's Recipe (AG)

Al Capone's Prohibition Beer

Another one
Prohibition Chicago Style

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Here's actually some of the recipes that used to come in a plain brown envelop from the blue ribbon malt company if you wrote to them asking *ahem* for more information on how NOT to make beer with their extract... Just in case you wanted to make sure you didn't do it or something. :fro:

Blue Ribbon 1

Blue Ribbon 2

Looks like there was something wrong with those links....fixed it for ya.

 

[brewprint]

Yummy! I just learned how to make extract beer even worse!

Uh oh.... here come the haters

 

[charliehorse]

There is so much misinformation in that post that I don't even know where to begin. Let's start with DON'T USE BLEACH!!!! and a carboy is not a bucket (nor is a bucket a carboy).

 

[Revvy]

There is so much misinformation in that post that I don't even know where to begin. Let's start with DON'T USE BLEACH!!!! and a carboy is not a bucket (nor is a bucket a carboy).

Dude... Take a deep breath.. noone here is taking this seriously.

And as to bleach, though rarer and rarer in these days of brew-specific sanitizers. for decades it was considered THE sanitizer for brewing. And many people still swear by it.

Surprisingly even in the famous Basic Brewing Podcast on Starsan, Charlie Talley, it's developer still spent half the broadcast to using bleach.

So that just MIGHT be one of the few somewhat "accurate" thing that person put in there. lol

 

[masskrug]

2-3 pounds of sugar? That outta turn out a little dry. You might want to Google, "Prison Hooch," for a better recipe.