Using Malt...

[Tahiti6]

Hello, just about to start my second brew with premium lager kit... I have got enhancer 2 but was wondering if I should use a light malt as well? or does the enhancer 2 do the trick as it already contains malt?

 

Cheers

 

Doug

[Hairy]

Welcome to the forum Doug!

 

It really depends on how strong you want your beer. Adding more malt, and therefore diluting the percentage of dextrose, would make a better beer but also a stronger beer.

 

Using only BE2 would give you around 4.6% ABV.

 

Adding another 500g of light dry malt will give you the following ingredients and around 5.4% ABV.

 

1.7kg Lager kit

750g Light Dry Malt

500g Dextrose

250g Maltodextrin

 

It is a fair bit of dex but probably isn't too bad in a lager if you want a drier finish.

 

If it was my beer I would add the extra 500g LDM. Personally I prefer not to use the enhancers and work out the types of fermentables myself. But the enhancers are easy to use when starting out.

 

Good luck with it.

[LordEoin]

I would also add it if I had it.

 

Then for the next brew I'd just use :

1kg dry malt

300g dextrose

Steep 300g cracked carapils grain (its easy, cheap, and rewarding)

 

I'm not a big fan of maltodextrine and as hairy says, the reduced dextrose will make the final brew less dry/thin.

 

Most importantly, have fun and experiment! [happy]

 

edit: and you might get more of a response in the 'Brewing Blether' section of the forums