An easy drinking favorite, we set our sights on an English Brown Ale kit from Listermann’s Brewery Supply with mixed results – not quite a Newcastle. It had a very easy drinking light style but came out a bit too caramely. Color was a nice light brown but it didn’t taste like it had a much alcohol in it…..and that’s one of the reason we drink beer. We didn’t get action in the fermenting bucket until almost 4 days later as we started it out in a pretty frigid basement that would have been great for a lager. After bringing it up to the house, fermentation began immediately. We believe this lack of fermentation at the beginning caused the overly caramel off flavors and lack of ABV. Moving forward, we will have hydrometer in hand.

Ingredients

  • Canadian Light Syrup Malt Extract – 3.3 lbs
  • 60 L Crystal Malt – 1 lbs
  • Chocolate Malt – 1 oz
  • Northern Brewer Hop Pellets – 1 oz
  • Ale Yeast – 1 pack (Cooper’s)
  • Priming Sugar – 5oz

Instructions

  • Pour the crushed grains into grain bag and drop/steep in 2 gallons of water, heat
  • When temp reaches 150 F, stabilize heat and simmer for 30 minutes (Don’t go above 160 F)
  • Remove grains, bring to a boil, and remove from heat
  • Stir in extract syrup until dissolved
  • Add hop pellets to small hop bag and boil for 60 minutes
  • Cool wort to about 100 F (submerge in tub of ice / snow / freezer)
  • Add to fermenting vessel and top off with cold water to make 5 gallons
  • Take the hydrometer reading (most are made to read accurate at 60F)
  • Pitch the yeast and stir
  • Ferment at temperatures between 65–70F for approximately 1-2 weeks
  • Transfer to new container and add priming sugar (boil with 1 cup water)
  • Cool in dark cool place for approximately 1-3 weeks