Doh! Forget the hop enhancer...

[Pauliet]

Hi everyone and HNY to you all, Ive just made up a Tom Caxton Real Ale kit and in my haste (my 5th brew so gota bit cocky I think!) forgot to add the "Hop Enhancer" sachet included in the kit . Its in the FV vessel no and has been fermenting away nicely and looks and smells as it always does at this stage. My question is this....has anyone else made this kit up and left out the enhancer, either accidentally or on purpose maybe? Just wondered if there would be any negative effects - I usually use half the sachet in a 40 pint brew.

[Geezah]

just get it in there now, no real harm done.

[Stomach]

As Geezah says just chuck it in. Alternitively, you could try it without and see how it tastes, then make up another and add it in and see which you prefer.

Cheers.

[Pauliet]

Right well its gone in now and had a bit of stir....it frothed a heck of lot lol! Ah well, just have to wait for a month and then "hop" for the best I'll let you know in a month or so!

[cwrw gwent]

Have made it with, without and half of the sachet. Each time it turns out different but fine. Without the sachet it is a very mellow pint. With the sachet it is noticeably hoppier but not overpowering. Very impressed by today's Tom Caxton kits. They mature well and are far better than the Tom Caxton kits you could buy from Boots in the 1970s.

[Pauliet]

Right well I bottled up the infamous brew tonight and it tastes OK....from the very small sip I tried, but BOY does it look cloudy. Ive made up the same kit previously as well as a few others and this seems to be far cloudier than any brew Ive seen before. Anyway here's hoping it tastes OK and clears in a month or so - I'll keep people posted.

On the positive side its the first time Ive used the bottle rinser, Starsan and bottle tree that I got from Santa. I cant believe how quick and easy it is to clean bottles now - I think it took less than 20 mins to sanitise 40 bottles although the wife still needs to be convinced about the NO RINSE bit and the foam left in the bottle!

[Pauliet]

Just a quick update to say the Caxtons Real Ale that I was worried about has possibly turned out to be the best brew I have made (so far). The beer cleared in the bottle after about 2 1/2 weeks but left for a while longer before cracking one open. First one was straight out of the pantry and was FAR too cold, brought some others into the kitchen for a few hours before opening and these were spot on. Kept a lovely head all the way down the glass (okay that wasnt very long I know) and tasted good and hoppy so looks like you can add the hop enhancer a couple of days after fermentation has started with no issues.

Only problem I have now is to keep it for me and keep the father-in-law away from it!