1st Brew Kit & Equipment

[IrishBeerSnob]

Patience is definitely the hardest ingredient
Bottled now 5 days - just wanna pop one to see
I know they'll be better if we wait

[LordEoin]

try one anyway

[IrishBeerSnob]

I'll probably pop one tonight.

Currently planning my next batch - thinking of doing the Hefeweizen / Shock Top beer recipe thats there.

Also i'm looking at brewing up an IPA style, was thinking of the Australian Pale Ale with 1.5Kg can and dry hop with amarillo and cascade. I'm looking at also using US Ale yeast too. The hope is to have this conditioned and ready for the summer!

[LordEoin]

Shocktop is a tasty beer, easy to make, and conditions fast.

If you're planning on making an IPA, why not start off an IPA base?
That way your colour and bitterness should be spot on and you can concentrate on learning about dryhopping.

The APA with Amarillo+cascade works very well with a hop steep (a cup of hop tea added on day 1).
Very easy and very tasty.

[IrishBeerSnob]

True, though a few pics i've seen of the IPA kit seem a little dark
Figured the APA was a lighter colour.

Hop tea? This where you boil the hops and pour the water in to the fermenter yes?

And of course you can still dry hop this too?

[LordEoin]

yup, just put the hops in a bowl, pour in a liter of boiling water, let it steep and cool for 30 minutes, stain into FV.
Very simple way to do your first bit of hopping, with great results

Yes, you could still dry hop if you want

[IrishBeerSnob]

Had a bottle last night. A bit young n cloudy but will improve with time.

[LordEoin]

christ that first picture scared me, however I looked at it I thought it was an inverted demijohn... 

That looks fine and will clear itself up over the next 3 weeks or so.
Surprising amount of head for such a young beer.

Most importantly, how does it smell, taste and feel?

[IrishBeerSnob]

Ha, yeah.

If im honest the hop aroma isn't as strong as i would like, but you definitely taste it in the drink,
The smell is that kind of alcoholly smell, but it dies down once it settles in the glass, and it had a nice mouth feel, didn't feel too thin.

Quite happy at 5 days to be honest, a satisfying hiss when the cap popped, and it will only get better with age. Hopefully be quite drinkable for paddy's weekend!

[IrishBeerSnob]

Ok, so second set of stuff order - just need more 500ml Bottles!

Kit 1: Coopers Wheat Kit with 1KG Wheat DME, Carapils, Sugar, WB06 Yeast
Kit 2: Coopers IPA Kit with 1KG Light DME, Safale S05 Yeast, Amarillo, Summit and Cascade hops for hop tea - then dry hop with Amarillo and Cascade.

Can't wait!

[Blueshed]

Ok, so second set of stuff order - just need more 500ml Bottles!

i have spare Brown 500ml btls, all washed and clean. only offered them to somebody yesterday but if they dont need them then there yours.

you should ask the pubs in Navan that sell craft beers to keep the btls for you, they return the pint btls but dump the rest afaik.

[IrishBeerSnob]

Not that many sell craft - but my FIL drinks the 500ml smithwicks bottles which are perfect, and I tend to buy a lot of 500ml myself.

I must speak to the ones that do - I've a stash of about 30 there at the moment plus a 5L minikeg too that i was thinking of repurposing.

Thanks for the offer though - I may be back to you

[Blueshed]

you could also ask the lads in the malthouse, do you drink in any of the craft bars in Dublin, i bet they have tons of them.

never be afraid to ask, worst that can happen is they say no 

[IrishBeerSnob]

Ok, so popped another bottle for the 2 week test.
Alcohol aroma has definitely calmed down and the hop aroma a little more pronounced.
However the bottles have been resting in the living room at 18-20C and this one foamed out of the bottle after pouring.
Doesn't feel overly fizzy on the palate though.

Definitely will need time to clear as its quite cloudy still.

[irish_goat]

Did you have it in the fridge first or was it 18-20c when you opened it?