Wilko 2 can kits

[Mickyphillips]

Hi, I am a reasonably experienced brewer, I've just been away for a while. In the past I have mashed my own recipes with good success. Back last year I brewed a few Wilko kits and added various malt extract powders and brewing sugar instead of household sugar with good results. Before last Christmas I decided I would try the Wilko 2 can kits, and made a best bitter and golden ale as per instructions. They both turned out really bitter, too bitter to drink without lemonade (adding lemonade to beer is sacrilege). Does anyone know why? I thought maybe it was because the Wilko kit was just 2 separate single kits put together instead of a proper 2 can kit thus over hopped. Does anyone else have any experience or thoughts on this. I have left both in the bottles now for over 8 months with not much improvement.

[Chuck]

Possibly your water depending on where you live. Apparently hard water can cause excess bitterness. I have very hard water and my first golden ale I used tap water and that came out very bitter. Still drinkable but had a really bitter twang. Tried it again with bottled water (tesco ashbeck £1 for 5 litres) and it was lovely. Could be coincidence but since then I usually use bottled water with kits and haven't had any trouble since. I don't think they just put 2 one can kits together.

[twentyfootwilf]

The two can kits will have the required bitterness split evenly between the cans so in theory you can make either 1 x 23l brew or 2 x 11.5l brews each with the correct bitterness. I don't know if tap water causes overly bitter beers, but I tend to use cheap bottled water these days as our tap water is full of all sorts of chemicals that I believe make beer taste less good than it should. I can usually get enough water for a brew from Aldi for a couple of quid and consider it worth it. Give it a try.

[AlbionOakley]

I've just been and got the same two kits as the OP will be doing two 10l batches of each and ordering hop tea bags to play with. I like my beer really bitter so this sounds hopeful lol!

[Mickyphillips]

I suppose it could be the water, but I've never had issues with it before, ours is quite soft. I always thought that the water was more important with an all grain mash than a beer kit, which again I've not had issues with in the past. It just seems odd that I had not long before made the Wilko single can kits and added brewing sugar and malt extract powder and they were fine. The only reason I started using kits again was because of lack of time to mash an all grain brew. Maybe I'll just have to make the time.

[Cozzyb]

Is it definitely bitter not astringent? Here in Sheffield I have brewed in 3 places now, first two even filtered water made my beer taste astringent and I would say the perceived bitterness was harsh. Third place my current place has some kind of filtered water/completely different supply and the beer now tastes clean and actually underbittered so I will be upping my hops. Those kits are normally only 20-4ibu's depending on the kit so shouldn't ever be so bitter its undrinkable, I would suspect its the water. Try brewing with some bottled water (not the value stuff if you can pay the extra bit mineral/spring water is better for brewing).

Its also worth noting that if you short brew to say 19/20lt like many do, you actually up the IBU as you haven't diluted the kit as much.

[Mickyphillips]

Yes it's bitter, although it hurts to do it, it's palatable with a dash of lemonade. Like I said before I've made beer kits without issue before and our water is pretty good. The one can kits I've made and added brewing sugar and dried malt extract and not had a problem.

[adamzworld]

The two can kits will have the required bitterness split evenly between the cans so in theory you can make either 1 x 23l brew or 2 x 11.5l brews each with the correct bitterness. I don't know if tap water causes overly bitter beers, but I tend to use cheap bottled water these days as our tap water is full of all sorts of chemicals that I believe make beer taste less good than it should. I can usually get enough water for a brew from Aldi for a couple of quid and consider it worth it. Give it a try.

I was going to ask about splitting the kits and doing two brews. I like using pressure barrels but tend to drink the brew over a couple of months. I was thinking about getting hold of a smaller two gallon pressure barrel and doing a two can kit but just use one of the cans. When it comes to adding the yeast do I add the whole sachet or just half?

[Mickyphillips]

I would say add the whole sachet. I think 1 sachet is for brewing 1 to 5 gallons.

[adamzworld]

I would say add the whole sachet. I think 1 sachet is for brewing 1 to 5 gallons.

Excellent, that's what I thought so thanks for confirming. I fancy the idea of doing two different kits at the same time so will take a can from each and do two separate brews. I was also wondering what would be the effect of only half filling a full size pressure barrel? I could inject a blast of CO2 which should displace the oxygen, but I guess it might be better to either bottle it, or invest in some 2 gallon pressure barrels.

[Mickyphillips]

It should be ok in a bigger barrel, but it would be best to give it a blast to get rid of the air in the barrel first.