Original Draught (Yellow Can) Recipe

[Jimmy78]

Hi All

 

I'm new to brewing, as I have already posted in the other forum section, I will keep this brief.

 

I am just about to bottle my first batch which is the LAger that comes with the DIY kit.

 

The wife has just bought me a can of the Original Draught (Yellow Can) and I am just after what is a good easy recipe to mix it with. I'm guessing it is a bit of trial and error as to what you like. I'm just after others tried and true recipes.

 

I have been told to add just 1kg of brewing sugar or to use brewing enhancer 2. I'd love to hear all your thoughts.

 

Thanks

 

Jimmy.

[PhilboBaggins]

Welcome Jimmy!

 

Instead of the brew enhancers (only one of them has malt and it's not enough!), for a new brewer, I'd suggest either using 1kg of DME (dry malt extract) or one of the 500g packs of DME (Coopers call it Light Dry Malt) with 300g dextrose.

 

The brew enhancers all have a lot of simple sugars in them, and will leave your beer lacking in flavour and body.

 

Start brewing with more malt than brew enhancers, keep your temps around 20c, keep everything clean. When you're happy with your process, start playing with hops, grains, and different yeasts and never look back! [biggrin] [biggrin] [biggrin]

[PhilboBaggins]

[pinched] Forgot to mention. Using DME can be a PITA if you try stirring it. Dump it in the fermenter with 2L hot water (leave the spoon out) and immediately pick the fermenter up an swirl it until the DME is dissolved. Then continue to mix up the rest.

[Canadian Eh!L]

Hey J,

 

We just had a little chat about this topic a week or so ago. Check it out. Cascade Draught. It's basic brew with LDM (DME) and a simple dry hop. Dry hopping is the addition of hops directly to the FV after the fermentation is complete or there abouts.

 

Good Luck,

[Hairy]

Jimmy, I would follow Chad on this one. It is a simple recipe and an easy introduction to hops.

 

It will be much better than the draught kit with a brew enhancer. Plus it has cascade. I love cascade [love]

 

It is a good hop to use for your first try.

[Muddy Waters]

My vote goes for Chad's suggestion - Good beer that is easy to make...win - win if you ask me [biggrin]

[*****]

Hey Jimmy

 

I note in the other post you say that you want to keep it simple.

Chad's recipe is simple, however you can make it simpler by leaving out the hops and bottling straight into your bottles with carbonation drops. My 4th Brew was the OS Draught (yellow can) with just malt (and a little Dextrose as Gash Slug suggests). I can guarantee (even without Chad's simple hop addition) that anyone who likes beer and is used to the beer that mainstream breweries produce will love this recipe.

You can always get another can and make another one straight away using the dry hop method. Another simple method would be to take around 20g of Cascade hop pellets and steep them in boiling water for 30 minutes and then strain into the FV when you add the other ingredients.

Have fun!

[Muddy Waters]

Nah, use the hops. All respect to Mr Amarillo but Chad's recipe will lift it from the level of mega swill to a good beer. Why make beer that is barely drinkable when you can make beer that is great [rightful] .....IMO anyway [whistling

[Canadian Eh!L]

[cool] [smile]

Nah' date=' use the hops. All respect to Mr Amarillo but Chad's recipe will lift it from the level of mega swill to a good beer. Why make beer that is barely drinkable when you can make beer that is great [rightful'] .....IMO anyway [whistling

 

[Canadian Eh!L]

Hey Jim,

 

I know all this is quite new to you but another thing to move away from is the carb drops, again with all due respect. Bulk priming is a very simple method carbonating your brew by adding a measured amount of sugar in solution to the brew at bottling time. It's a far better method as it is far quicker at bottling time, allows you to use multiple sized bottles, cheaper and gives a far better consistency of carb levels.

[AdamH1525226084]

My tip is to use cold water with the dry malt extract (I think someone on here suggested it to me). I find it results in less lumps.

You can either do it in the FV or in a nice clean metal bowl. It takes a little while to dissolve so do it before you start doing anything.

 

When doing it in the FV, add the DME to the FV, pour some cold water on it then swirl the FV, then lit it sit and give it s swirl every now and then.

Other way, add water to the DME in the bowl and use a whisk.

[GregT5]

I have to add my vote to Chad's Cascade Draught recipe.

 

I have made it a few times & it is an easy recipe which produces a very good beer. [cool] [biggrin]

 

 

[Jimmy78]

Wow, clearly I have a lot to learn.. Can anyone recommend me a book or website where I can read up on all this?

 

Canadian Eh!L, what is this bulk priming that you are talking about?

[AdamH1525226084]

Ha, I just posted this on another topic.. John Palmers "How To Brew" - you can read some online here, but it's an old version.

[Otto Von Blotto]

Bulk priming is basically priming the entire batch at once, instead of using carb drops or measuring out sugar for each bottle at a time. You'll need two fermenters. I had one already from years ago, so I just bought a new one to ferment in and use the old one for bottling.

 

My method goes like this:

I have my two fermenters. FV 1 I ferment in, FV 2 is for bottling.

When the brew is ready to be bottled, I get the required amount of dextrose for the entire batch (usually 150-160g for my taste), and mix that in a Pyrex jug with around 250-300mL of boiling water, giving it a stir until dissolved.

 

I then tip the dextrose solution into FV 2, attach a hose (food grade tubing, you can pick it up at your local brew shop most likely) to the tap on FV 1, and coil the other end around in the bottom of FV 2, turn the tap on and let it flow. It will mix the solution into the beer because the coiling of the hose makes it move around the FV in a circular motion.

 

Once the beer has been transferred, take the hose out of it and commence your bottling. Simply fill the bottles and cap them, no need for drops or anything else as the priming sugar is already mixed into the beer.

 

I've found the advantages are it's a lot quicker to bottle, you can adjust the carbonation amount to suit your taste or the style of beer much more easily, you get an even carbonation level across the whole batch, and best of all it's a crapload cheaper than using drops.

 

And as always, make sure all equipment is cleaned and sanitised prior to use[biggrin]

 

 

[Muddy Waters]

I bulk prime like Otto except I boil the sugar in a small pan before adding to the empty fermentor. I then use the tap to tap method to transfer my beer onto the sugar solution.

 

 

[Otto Von Blotto]

Nice diagram Muddy[biggrin] !