Getting my first kit for making a Belgian Ale and a little lost...

molc

Hi,
I'm wanting to start off some home brewing and I'm trying to figure out the best kit and recipe to try out for my first batch. I really like the belgian ale style, ideally a Tripel, but I don't really know where to begin.

Any tips, especially for the initial kit I need to buy and where to get the raw ingredients and recipe? Also, is this too complicated a place to start and should I try something else to begin?

tteknulp

This one is excellent ,use candy cane sugar ,or yuo can use golden syrup ,its a cracking drink ,its conditioning is long 3-4months about 6% the abbey ale is 8.0% from what i remember it makes about 20 pints ,but better in small bottles as not session type beer

http://www.homebrewwest.ie/brewferm-triple-deep-golden-197gall-beer-kit-586-p.asp


Difficultt all the same really , dont use spraymalt with this beer syle as suposed be thin taste in style ,for triple anyway

molc

Thanks! Sounds tasty Does it also come with the instructions of how to prepare it or is that all pretty standard, as detailed in the guide:
http://www.beoir.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33:getting-started-brewing-beer-with-beer-kits&catid=17:kit-brewing&Itemid=48

For the brewing kit, should I just get something like the Coopers Microbrew Starter Kit 40 Pint Starter Kit or is there better/different kit I should get instead?

tteknulp

http://www.homebrewwest.ie/30-l-budget-beer-starter-kit-with-32-pint-ingredient-kit-843-p.asp

All you need here ,includes beer kit too €30 bargain

molc

Ahh nice. So I just need to get a bottle capper and I'm ready to make to start experimenting... Seems easier than I expected...

tteknulp

molc wrote: »

Ahh nice. So I just need to get a bottle capper and I'm ready to make to start experimenting... Seems easier than I expected...

Swing tops are a good investment , no capping ,its all about making it easier,bottle rinser ,bottle tree ,i recommend starsan sanitizer as no rinse

Google jims beer kit

poitinstill

thats the best value starter kit alright. cant see which kit it comes with ( hope not finlandia = pure muck) if is email them and ask to change it even for a few $$ extra. . Ive done a few of the brewferm kits . they taste spot on if left to mature over 2 months. Ive done abbey / old bruin/ galia/ triple. I found a 2 yr old bottle of the abbey and it would pass as a commercial bruin anyday. the only thng you need to add is either sugar or if you can buy/make belgian candi sugar. Ive used golden syrup in the galia as i believe its a close relation of belgian candi sugar. tunred out good.

molc

Thanks guys. For making the recipe above, is it just the same as http://www.beoir.org/index.php?optio...wing&Itemid=48? I don't need to change temperatures of water or anything like or is there anything I need to be careful of avoiding to not ruin the batch.

Looking forward to this experiment now

tteknulp

molc wrote: »

Thanks guys. For making the recipe above, is it just the same as http://www.beoir.org/index.php?optio...wing&Itemid=48? I don't need to change temperatures of water or anything like or is there anything I need to be careful of avoiding to not ruin the batch.

Looking forward to this experiment now

Sanitize all items that will contact your beer ,as beoir site says ,wort in fermenter must be 22-25 for yeast thats about it . Enjoy

molc

Great. Ok, thanks for all the help. The kit should be on the way in a few days and I'm going to make a quick Coopers Californian Ale to begin with, just to make sure I have the process down. Then, I'll start the Tripel while I drink through my first batch

I'll post here again to let ye know how I got on, if anyone is interested.

molc

So, the update, for anyone that is interested. I just had a bottle from the Coopers Californian Blonde, after leaving in the fermenter for three weeks, followed by the bottles for two. So far, it tastes pretty much like a larger but with almost no head retention.

There is a slightly acidic aftertaste, though I think that might be over-carbonation. I had to reopen all the bottles after the first week because I didn't put in enough carbonation drops (1 for 500ml, instead of 2), so it will be interesting to see how this develops in the next one - two weeks.

Now, the Triple mentioned above has just arrived and I'm going to start it brewing tomorrow while drinking through my first batch. 40 330ml bottles have already been collected awaiting the results. I'll post back once I see how that goes.

This brewing is addictive - I'm already eyeing up a secondary, a bottle rincer and some star san, as sanatising bottles did my head in!

tteknulp

molc wrote: »

So, the update, for anyone that is interested. I just had a bottle from the Coopers Californian Blonde, after leaving in the fermenter for three weeks, followed by the bottles for two. So far, it tastes pretty much like a larger but with almost no head retention.

There is a slightly acidic aftertaste, though I think that might be over-carbonation. I had to reopen all the bottles after the first week because I didn't put in enough carbonation drops (1 for 500ml, instead of 2), so it will be interesting to see how this develops in the next one - two weeks.

Now, the Triple mentioned above has just arrived and I'm going to start it brewing tomorrow while drinking through my first batch. 40 330ml bottles have already been collected awaiting the results. I'll post back once I see how that goes.

This brewing is addictive - I'm already eyeing up a secondary, a bottle rincer and some star san, as sanatising bottles did my head in!

I find 1 drop per 500ml for ale and stout perfect , i batch prime now alot easier , use golden syrup for anything belgian , 700g is ok for 1 kit ,candy cane sugar otherwise you can make your own with table sugar

molc

I have 500g of Candy cane - should I throw in another 200g of golden syrup or will the 500 be enough I wonder...

tteknulp

molc wrote: »

I have 500g of Candy cane - should I throw in another 200g of golden syrup or will the 500 be enough I wonder...

500g is enough id say ,i use syrup because its easier and finished beer tastes similar

tteknulp

I did the grand cru x 2 kits friday ,i used 3xtins 480g syrup its bubbling nicely now : )

molc

Mine is also bubbling away like mad for the last few days. Put it on Sunday but it took ages to cool the wort, even putting the fermenter into the freezer. It started at 34 and I got it down to about 23 after 1 hour and then pitched the yeast.
Hopefully there wont be too many off flavours as result - trying to keep it as close to 20 as possible for the 2 - 3 weeks.