Can I cut a kit in half?

[walcotteric]

I'm getting ready to do my first brew with a Muntons Gold IPA 5 gallon beerkit. My biggest question right now is whether or not I can just do a half-batch. It seems like I should be able to, since the ingredients are in 2 cans which have equal amounts of hopped malt extract (HME, right?). I'd like to cut it in half so I can do a small batch for my first brew and then maybe start experimenting a bit with the next brew that I do.

Any thoughts?

 

[Bensiff]

Either way...but you aren't going to do too much expirementation with hopped extract. I'd just do it all and then on the next batch get unhopped extract so you can play with the hops.

 

[walcotteric]

Thanks!

Yeah, I know I can't do too much, but there's an alternate recipe on the kit that makes a slight variation of the IPA with some added ingredients, so I might want to try that out and then move on to unhopped malts.

Any other suggestions before I start brewing?

 

[masterfool101]

Thanks!

Yeah, I know I can't do too much, but there's an alternate recipe on the kit that makes a slight variation of the IPA with some added ingredients, so I might want to try that out and then move on to unhopped malts.

Any other suggestions before I start brewing?

1) SANITIZE, SANITIZE, SANITIZE.

2) Brew your first batch . .. THEN worry about questions. Read around the forum for topics that seem interesting to you, and read replies. If you have questions after that, ask away

 

[Bensiff]

I think you will get much more bang for your time by doing it all up front as a hopped extract really starts limiting things. But, its brewing so whatever is comfortable with you right now is what is best. Pre-boil and cool the top off water, only boil the extract for 20 minutes to sterilize, make sure to sanitize all equipment and don't use bleach to do it (star san is the best IMO), cool wort to pitching temp before pitching yeast even if it means waiting a while just keep the wort covered in the meantime, before pitching vigourously shake the fermentation vessle for 3-5 minutes to get some oxygen mixed in, and do your best to keep the temp stable. Finally, let it ferment out, don't stress about the bubbles on the airlock just let it ferment and then when you think it is done let it sit for another week or two as even if the bubbles stop the yeast is cleaning up fermentation byproducts. When you bottle, boil the bottling sugar in a little water, cool, add to bottling bucket, then siphon beer ontop to mix up the sugar. After a week you will probably open a bottle out of impatience and you will find it under carbed or have a massive head and flat taste because the carbonation has not had a chance to go into solution...it will take around a month to be fully carbed.

Oh yeah, welcome to brewing and HBT.

 

[yewtah-brewha]

Bensiff gives good advice, also remember you want to keep oxygen away from your wort, dont get overly excited and look at your beer every 4 hours. put the lid on and keep it on untill you bottle or transfer to secondary, as long as your airlock is bubling, it is producing co2 withch removes oxygen from the fermentor. As for half batches, I was going to do that and decided against it, your kit cost you 30.00, but your time should be more valuable and it takes the same time to do 5 gal as it does 2.5, you might run into problems with 2.5 gallons such as more air space in the fermentor and yeast not working well in a smaller enviroment. I'm glad I did the full batch, but experiment, thats what we all do! goood luck!

 

[iaefebs]

I'm getting ready to do my first brew with a Muntons Gold IPA 5 gallon beerkit. My biggest question right now is whether or not I can just do a half-batch.

Yes

Any thoughts?

Have fun.

 

[supermoth]

You could easily split the batch. The only thing that might be tricky to split is the yeast packet. You'd have to eyeball it and then use the remainder of the opened pack for the other half. Probably not too big a deal.

You could also do this if you want to experiment: Brew the whole thing, then when it's ready to bottle, divert one or two gallons into gallon jugs and dry hop for a week.

 

[logan3825]

It takes about the same amount of time and effort to do half batch as it does to do a full batch. That is why I don't do half batches. You can do a half batch pretty easily though.

 

[walcotteric]

On my instructions it says to "sprinkle in the yeast supply and stir", but I thought I saw earlier that you're supposed to have a layer of yeast on top. Did I misread a post somewhere else, or was that person incorrect?

 

[walcotteric]

Nevermind, I realized that last question was dumb since when you shake it up to oxigenize it you'll mix the yeast in anyways...sorry

 

[supermoth]

Nevermind, I realized that last question was dumb since when you shake it up to oxigenize it you'll mix the yeast in anyways...sorry

Even better instructions would be to rehydrate the yeast in a cup of boiled and cooled water. Shake wort to aerate, then pitch the rehydrated yeast into wort. This is better for the yeast health.

Also, I've noticed that shaking wort after pitching dry yeast will end you up with a bunch of yeast granules stuck to the sides of the carboy/bucket.

 

[walcotteric]

Even better instructions would be to rehydrate the yeast in a cup of boiled and cooled water. Shake to aerate, then pitch the rehydrated yeast. This is better for the yeast health.

Also, I've noticed that shaking wort after pitching dry yeast will end you up with a bunch of yeast granules stuck to the sides of the carboy/bucket.

Hmmm, I'll have to try that out. Thanks