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[Review] Bulldog Triple Tykes Special Export Ale - 4kg Kit

Started by Garry, April 15, 2013, 11:14:51 AM

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Garry

April 15, 2013, 11:14:51 AM Last Edit: September 25, 2013, 11:12:49 PM by LordEoin
This is the kit I won courtesy of Home Brew West (thanks  [smiley=beer.gif]). I put it on last night and it is a very easy kit to do. I took loads of photos and I'll do a full write up when I bottle it. But just to let you see whats in the box:



The bag of extract is really simple to use. There's no need for a tin opener! When you tip the extract into the fermentor you can fill the bag up with hot water, put the cap on and shake it up. Then tip this into the fermentor and you get all the extract out of the bag without cutting or burning your fingers  :)

I didn't time myself but it felt like only half an hour start to finish?


Greg2013

Garry what hops did you get with this and did you chuck the bag and all into fv?
"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet."  Gen. James 'Mad Dog' Mattis USMC(Ret.)

Garry

The hops are Target/Goldings.

I haven't added the hops yet, the instructions say:

QuoteAfter 4 days of fermentation – open the hop pellet
sachet carefully and soak the inner "teabag" in a cup
of boiling water for 10 minutes. Then add the
mixture including the "teabag" to your brew. Leave
it in the brew during the rest of the fermentation.
For a stronger hop aroma, add the hops at the end of
fermentation instead.

But it also gives some tweaking options:

QuoteHop pellets - tweaking options
This kit contains a sachet of Finishing Hop Pellets.
These are not intended to provide the main bitterness of
your beer, we have already added hops to the malt
extract for this purpose. Instead, the hop pellets are
intended to add a finishing touch of extra fresh hop
flavour and aroma.
Our normal instruction tells you to add the hop pellets
half way through fermentation (see instruction 7) but
you can actually adjust the level of hop aroma by adding
the pellets at fermentation start instead (less aroma) or
just before bottling/kegging (more aroma).

I think I'll add the hops to the fermentor after a week and leave for another week before bottling.

You can download the full instructions here:
http://www.bulldogbrews.co.uk/assets/docs/23090-bulldog-brews-instruction.pdf


LordEoin

Those hop teabags are so simple to use, they're great.
Just a pity you can't get bigger ones.

The kit looks pretty cool, what was your OG?

Garry


Garry

I bottled this on Sunday, here's my full write up!























































I'll report back in a couple of weeks with a taste test :)

HomeBrewWest

Well done Garry, that's an excellent description of how to make and kit beer ! Can I link to it from the homebrewwest website?

"I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer." Abraham Lincoln. www.homebrewwest.ie

Garry

Quote from: HomeBrewWest on May 02, 2013, 06:51:22 PM
Can I link to it from the homebrewwest website?

No problem, if you want all the images in one go PM me your email.

johnrm

Excellent Garry!
Constructive criticism...
The bulb in your Ferm Chamber might light-strike your brew.
Sanitising the capper - The capping chamber is mild steel - you'll get rust in there!

Garry

Quote from: johnrm on May 02, 2013, 08:38:12 PM
Excellent Garry!
Constructive criticism...
The bulb in your Ferm Chamber might light-strike your brew.
Sanitising the capper - The capping chamber is mild steel - you'll get rust in there!
I've been meaning to get one of those tube heaters for the fermenting box but I haven't got round to it yet! I put an old extract tin over the bulb for the moment. I reckon the bulb is only on for a few minutes a day anyway, the insulation seems to be keeping the heat in well.

I better put the Capper on the rad tonight to make sure it's dry. Are you saying I shouldn't need to sanitise it at all?

brenmurph

Wel dun garry on all your work putting that kit sequence together, very helpful for the newbies especially good for them to see u need to sanitise things like scissors.
I go a little step further and regularly use alcohol sanitiser on my hands as well and keep the FV covered as much as possible with the lid while transferring, keeping in mind the air is full of wild yeasts and bacteria and worth keeping in mind as the weather warms up those little feckers the fruit flies will be dive-bombing as well! They love beer!

Wel dun again on your post.
regards Brendan

johnrm

Groovy looking chamber.
Have you got the build detail?
I am about to move from a bulb in a roses tin to a 60w tube heater myself.


Garry

@johnrm, I have some pictures of the fermenting box, I'll upload them in the morning when I'm back at the proper PC! I'm a bit slow on the talkatapa!

@brenmurph, some good tips there. I'm only brewing since December so I haven't done any summer brew yet. A few fruit flies wouldn't do too much harm would they? The extra protein might help head retention?

brenmurph

@brenmurph, some good tips there. I'm only brewing since December so I haven't done any summer brew yet. A few fruit flies wouldn't do too much harm would they? The extra protein might help head retention?
[/quote]

head retantion may be great  but if the dudes pass on some bacteria and yeasts from the banana skins they were playin with a while ago you may have a belgian sour beer! instead of your export ale!

LordEoin

Wow, you've got all the toys!
What do you think of that bottling tree for the heavier glass bottles? I've had my eye on one those for a while.