Final brew of the year

[belfastjacko]

In a moment of inspiration/boredom last night I put together what will be my last brew this year, and possibly my final brew from a home brew kit.

It's the Tiny Rebel Cwtch kit from muntons. I'm a tad nervous as it's one of my favourite beers to buy, and if I mess it up it will confirm what I've long believed, I'm not very good at this brewing malarkey. Nothing out of the ordinary to report really, the OG was 1.062.

I'm moving on to a BIAB style kit in the new year once I get my garage set up properly which I plan to do in the next week or so if I ever get a day off.

[Jonnycheech]

The fact that you're using a kit puts you at a disadvantage straight away; it's not going to be as fresh as AG and the make up of the malt extract will not be the same as the AG grain bill. Even it was the same, the extract process will change the look and flavour due to caramelisation reactions that occur during boiling. Did you use any fresh malt, as in do a steep? This can bring a freshness that is not present in the malt extract. What yeast did you use? It would be interesting to hang onto a bottle or two and then when you go BIAB and get the hang of that, do an AG clone and compare the two.

Hang in there and keep brewing and acquiring knowledge, it will pay off! How many batches have you done?

[belfastjacko]

I reckon I've probably done about a dozen brew, with varying success. Had a couple I've been very happy with, and some that have been poured down the sink.

Good idea about holding a bottle or two back to contrast and compare. TBH I didn't really do anything with the kit; I'm already focussing on the new kit etc

[DEMPSEY]

Aah so grasshopper so are leaving the blue ski slopes to ski the black ski scopes . My advice is follow the ski marks you see and the ones that head off on their own, don't follow

[Leann ull]

Kit to allgrain isn't blue to black it's more blue freestyle, I did it and 3 in and I never looked back, step mash, ro water treatment, hop back, o2, yeast blending, now that's black slopes

[belfastjacko]

Well I've started drinking this with gusto. Unfortunately, I didn't bottle it went straight into the keg cause I was excited about my new garage bar.

I've had my mate round, and he pulls no punches when it comes to telling me if my stuff is brown stuff or not, and he seems to like it.

Tried to get a few bottles of the commercial stuff to compare, but the bottle shop is moving apparently so they can't send anything at the moment. Boooooo! Haven't seen it in the vineyard or anything since.

My BIAB starter kit arrived the other day so that might be today's job. "American Hoppy Pale Ale," its called. Quite daunting to be honest to ditch the stabilisers. And the get er brewed people forgot to include instructions do have the timings for hop additions though so that's a start. How hard can it be.