christmas brew

[newtonsshed]

So I'm been away from brewing following birth of our second child he's now 9 month, I'm looking to start to get back into it before I get the AG kit out and rebuild I have a couple kit beers that I want to knock up for the festive period. Have I left it too late?

I have 3kg 2 can milestone dasher the flasher and a Geordie basic bitter, I have some challenger hops and some crystal, black, Amber and chocolate malts (iirc the malts need mashing with some pale malt for conversion) I also have dry malt extract the beer enhancer, as I've not got the cornie set up I'm tempted to bottle but part of me thinks for kit beer bottling is too much effort,t so I was tempted to look to improve on the kit or should I just make the dasher the flasher as per instructions for time being?

I'm tempted to use the dry malt extract with the dasher the flasher 3kg 2 can kit and maybe chuck some challenger hops at it to get a hoppy winter warmer and bottle that as I don't think I have enough bottles to bottle both anyway as I was originally going to use the dry malt extract /beer enhancer with the Geordie kit.... decisions.. what would you do?

[newtonsshed]

Well I've cleaned the fv out and sterilised most of the bits, I've also got the boiler out that's heating some water up; save me boiling the kettle a few times.

Really want make this tonight so any ideas what to do

1) make dasher the flasher as per instructions? ie 3kg of the malt and add water

2) Make as per instructions and then add a 1kg of beer enhancer

or 3) make as per instructions adding the beer enhancer and some challenger hop tea - if so how much hop to water?

[Hopping_Mad]

Whatever you do, two weeks in the FV and two weeks in bottles/keg is not going to give you the best results!

Buy a couple of mini-kegs of your favourite commercial beers - it's cost effective compared to bottles/cans and you can re-use them for your homebrew in 2015. Save this batch for the new year (February?).

[newtonsshed]

hhhmmm yeah I know its ambitions but its either drink this or go without.... or I could do the Geordie kit adding the dry malt and the challenger least then won't feel like wasted a decent kit. TBF I need to set the temp programmer up too so yeah might not bother with either...switching the boiler off.....

[Geezah]

Coopers Stout.... ready in 21 days

[WalesAles]

Coopers Stout.... ready in 21 days

Drinkable in 4 days! Ask Ditch!

WA

[Geezah]

Coopers Stout.... ready in 21 days

Drinkable in 4 days! Ask Ditch!

WA

I have fermented and kegged in 14 days before and started to 'get amongst it' but I prefer the extra week in the keg personally