Whats in a Can?

[Cleggy]

This is probably an obvious question but generally what's in a kit can?

I'm assuming that its is a combination of Liquid Malt extract with added hop/grain flavourings.

If so is it the same concentration as a can of Liquid malt extract... ie 1.5kg LME = 1.0Kg DME

If so could you substitute a kit can by using extra DME and then adding your own steeped grains/hops.

I know I'm probably moving more towards extract brewing here but I'm just trying to get the idea straight in my mind.

[EoinMag]

You are describing extract brewing.

[kay-jay]

hi,

that's it in a nutshell! a bit more like 1200 dry to 1500liquid to get the same strength out according to beer engine tho. or you could stick with the 2/3 ratio and chuck a bit of sugar in.

KJ

[CrownCap]

...could you substitute a kit can by using extra DME and then adding your own steeped grains/hops.

Not quite. The grains, so long as they don't require a mash (e.g. crystal malt) would be fine, but the hops would need to be boiled in the wort in order to isomerise the alpha acid in them that leads to hop bitterness. If you're going to these lengths you might as well do a full extract brew.

[boingy]

You could always use isomerised hop extract:

http://www.hopandgrape.co.uk/catalog/de ... =HOP313922

http://www.leylandhomebrew.com/item561.htm

The "isomerised" bit of the name means that it does not need boiling. In fact, I imagine that this is the stuff that is in most kits, especially at the cheaper end of the market.

[Cleggy]

Cheers guys.
You've cleared a few things up.
I was wondering whether I could do an extract type brew in a stock pot on the gas hob.
My major problem is the volume i could boil as I'm restricted to a couple of 6L stock pots at the moment.
I'm wondering whether this would be adequate to do a 10L brew length.
Does it matter how much wort you boil your hops in?

[Brotherton Lad]

It should say on the can what's inside. Most kit cans contain hopped LME, but some are just LME with a separate pack of hop pellets or similar. So it's worth checking before you add additional hops.

If you're limited to pots on the top of the stove, you could always make a hop tea in one or both pots first, stick it in the FV and then dissolve the LME separately. Otherwise boiling up the hops in a very strong malt extract solution would mean you'd get very little flavour out of the hops.

[Cleggy]

So would you make a hop tea just with boiling water?

I guess I'm trying to decide whether to stick with modding kits at the moment or having a tinker with extract with my limited kit.

[EoinMag]

So would you make a hop tea just with boiling water?

I guess I'm trying to decide whether to stick with modding kits at the moment or having a tinker with extract with my limited kit.

Maybe start with steeping grains and hops to mod kits then move on to extract.
The change from kit to extract is pretty extreme flavour wise, especially if you throw in a partial mash.

It's worth making the jump up and easy enough to do with small means.

I used an old pressure cooker with the aluminium bubble wrap insulation on it to minimash, and then did my extract boil in my large boiler.
Recently I've started directly in the boiler with Brew in a bag, but still doing partial mash.

[Brotherton Lad]

So would you make a hop tea just with boiling water?

I guess I'm trying to decide whether to stick with modding kits at the moment or having a tinker with extract with my limited kit.

I use a 10 gallon boilerand throw everything in it.
But you have to cut your cloth, so just make a hop tea separately, boiling it up for an hour or so.
You can do extract brews on a hob with a couple of pans. Just do it in stages, hop tea, steep grains, dissolve extract and mix them together in the FV.
Or treat yourself to a bigger pot, such as a jam-making one. The bigger the pots, the easier it gets.

[Cleggy]

Thanks for the help fellas.
I suppose If i'm gonna buy a bigger pot i may as well buy the bits to make a boiler!

[EoinMag]

Thanks for the help fellas.
I suppose If i'm gonna buy a bigger pot i may as well buy the bits to make a boiler!

Have a look into "brew in a bag", you'd probably get away with a mini mash as brew in a bag with the pots etc that you already have.