The orgasm

[Beej]

HI, first post (please be gentle ) I was looking at this https://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/the-orgasm-ipa-40-pints-36-kg-p-2458.html and wanted some advice from the AG extract crowd. (I've only done a few kits before.)

I want to make a kind of Golden Ale, sort of half Duvely/half Summer Lightning but quite strong. Would I do alright if I got a Belgian ale yeast (no mention of yeasts in that kit) and then go 30IBU/Light/Saaz/Challenger/Golding on their combo picks? Do you think the hops they offer as 1,2 & 3 vary i quantity or are just pellets and go in same stage?

Any advice/pointers gratefully received, thanks in advance.

[delzep]

These are kit beers. The hops used are for dry hopping as you get all the bitterness from the hop extract vial 30 ibu  or 60 ibu

[Beej]

Thanks Delzep, so are all three hops in a vial, mixed together already, or some in the malt? And, most importantly, has anyone done one of these kits and have any comments. Also, know what yeast you get with it? Should I get the Belgian Ale yeast anyway and pitch that instead? Thanks.

[DEMPSEY]

Looking at the list of hops they have them in 3 lists with many of them in more than 1 list. This is because you can have some hops in many styles of beer. If you have not had much experience with the aroma of many of these hops then you will best stick with any suggestions THBC make.

First decide what beer you want to make,then pick the level of bitterness you want in it. If you are not a big fan of bitter beers I would stick with the 30 ibu,s because you will get more bitterness from the fresh hops when you add them. Then next pick your colour of malt extract to reflect the beer you want. Next the fun part the hops. Falconers flight 7 C is a blend of 7 hops all spelt with the the first letter C. e.g. cascade,chinook,centennial so you could go for them alone in all 3. How you add the hops will determine how much bitterness is added and how much aroma. Simply put the longer you boil the hops with the wort the more bitterness and less aroma you will get from the hops.

[Beej]

Thanks Dempsey. Think I'll give it a spin anyway as I know what hops I want as per my first post just wanted to know if anyone knew about the yeasts and what form the hops supplied come in/how added/when added and if anyone had done this kind of kit etc. will let you know, thanks.

[delzep]

You won't get any bitterness from the hops as they're for dry hopping only.

Also it's a 2 can kit of liquid malt extract, so you're looking at 4.5% abv tops

[Beej]

Well I went for it anyway and it just arrived, I bought a Belgian Golden Ale liquid yeast (kit came with a Gervan Ale) and am gonna pitch the  hopefully-Duvel-style liquid, will let you know later how it goes. Need my Fighting Strength Lager (F.S.L.) out of FV and into bottling bucket first though so a few days yet and then I'll probably leave in primary for three weeks or so. Do you think the Belgian yeast will add some ABV? Thanks.

[delzep]

No, you'll do well to hit 4.5%

[Beej]

Well I tried this last week. I'd doctored it a a bit with carapils, added extra sugar and and swapped out the yeast for a Belgian Golden Ale yeast from Whitelabs. (Was trying to see if I could get a Duvely effect. Couldn't have got it any further away.) The extract was pretty dark and it's turned out very dark, like a dark english ale or scottish even, even though I specified the 'light' option, not sure if that's right or if they packed the wrong one. The teabags were pretty unfragrant and the hop flavour and aroma is very low. (I asked for Saaz Challenger and Goldings) However, as it happens it's very nice and quite nutty and it coincides with a turn in my taste for maltier flavours recently after being a pretty bad hop head to date. The fermentation was smooth despite being at around 16-19 and the weirdest, creamiest, (looked like plaster mix) krausen I've ever seen that never receded even after racking. Have left some of the wort over trub a week or two and keep meaning to wash it (will be my first time doing so) to reuse. Primary nearly three weeks, secondary two weeks at about 19-21, didn't measure gravity (hardly ever do, just leave stuff in for a few weeks and wing it usually, then into cold in time for turn in weather, tried one at about a week after that and very nice, even better a week later. Not sure what to say, not disappointed as it trend out nice and suits latest fancy in taste but nothing like I'd imagined/specified but I did alter the yeast so who knows. No extracty off taste though which is always a bonus.