Caribou Slobber...

[TrustyOlJohnson]

I used the Danstar Windsor yeast the came with the kit. Did my first week at 62 although it did push up to 68 for about 36 hours. Weeks 2-4 will be at 68 in primary. That should clean it up nicely. Then bottle for 2.


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[Croyzen]

Regarding the use of a blow off for this brew. The reason so many need it is because Northern Brewer produces some of the absolute worst instructions for brewing out there. To be fair, this is typical for virtually all beer kits. In this instance, they state to cool the wort to 78F before pitching. Then they go on to say, "move the fermenter to a WARM, dark, quiet spot." No wonder so many people need blow off tubes for such a average gravity beer. You have no chance. That's probably why they promote secondaries, to attempt to clean up the many problems with their instructions.

Depending on the yeast selection you should ALWAYS follow the yeast manufacturers instructions for fermentation. Let's suppose in this case we selected Wyeast 1332 as our yeast of choice for the Caribou Slobber. You would need an approx 1 liter starter for a 1.052, 5 gallon batch. The strain's temperature range is 65-75F. NB even goes through the trouble of mentioning it on their kit instructions but does not tell the new brewer why that information is important. The wort should be cooled below 65F, say 62F. 78F is flaming hot to pitch that yeast at. The starter pitched and fermentation should not be done in a WARM place. Jeez. During the first several days of fermentation the temperature of the fermenter (not ambient) should be at the lower end of the strain, say 65-68. After fermentation has slowed down the temp can be brought up to room temp, 70, low 70's.

The reason blow off tubes are needed on these beer kits is ALL because of the poorly written instructions that help the new brewer make beer but not the best beer it can be. This is one example of about 10 that can be found in all of NB's kit instructions.

 

[TrustyOlJohnson]

Regarding the use of a blow off for this brew. The reason so many need it is because Northern Brewer produces some of the absolute worst instructions for brewing out there. To be fair, this is typical for virtually all beer kits. In this instance, they state to cool the wort to 78F before pitching. Then they go on to say, "move the fermenter to a WARM, dark, quiet spot." No wonder so many people need blow off tubes for such a average gravity beer. You have no chance. That's probably why they promote secondaries, to attempt to clean up the many problems with their instructions.

Depending on the yeast selection you should ALWAYS follow the yeast manufacturers instructions for fermentation. Let's suppose in this case we selected Wyeast 1332 as our yeast of choice for the Caribou Slobber. You would need an approx 1 liter starter for a 1.052, 5 gallon batch. The strain's temperature range is 65-75F. NB even goes through the trouble of mentioning it on their kit instructions but does not tell the new brewer why that information is important. The wort should be cooled below 65F, say 62F. 78F is flaming hot to pitch that yeast at. The starter pitched and fermentation should not be done in a WARM place. Jeez. During the first several days of fermentation the temperature of the fermenter (not ambient) should be at the lower end of the strain, say 65-68. After fermentation has slowed down the temp can be brought up to room temp, 70, low 70's.

The reason blow off tubes are needed on these beer kits is ALL because of the poorly written instructions that help the new brewer make beer but not the best beer it can be. This is one example of about 10 that can be found in all of NB's kit instructions.

And youve explained to a "T" EXACTLY why my first brew, a Brewers Best American Cream Ale needed a blowoff tube (that subsequently clogged blowing beer all over my buddys closet!!)!! AND then why my first 4 brews (including what I jus mentioned) all had acetaldehyde issues with subsequent headaches and poor enjoyment :/ Then i got a temp controller and put it on my fridge in the garage and began pitching yeast with my wort at 62 deg, with a ferm schedule of 62/65/68 for 7 days each , 21 days total in primary with no problems since. Btw, Ive left a beer in primary for 4 months with no issues at all, other than it tasted effen amazing and was gone in a flash!! Like smokin meat, low and slow is the way to go when fermenting a beer!


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[Croyzen]

+1 to that. Low and slow! NB has all their instructions available by .pdf on the website. It's horrifying when reading them entirely and following them to the "T." I just picked on the fermentation part of it because I've seen so many threads about NB kits that needed blow off hoses both here and in the NB forums. Pitching yeast at 78F and then putting the fermenter in a warm place will increase blow off along with (more importantly) throwing off all kinds of awesomely bad flavors. Why they tell you a yeast strain's temp range and then have you pitch higher than that and fail to explain that the act of fermentation generates additional heat in the fermenter is puzzling. Most likely you'd be fermenting outside the yeast strain's temp range the whole time. Of course violence will erupt from the fermenter. Yeast get CRAAAZY with heat.

Looks like a good fermentation schedule. Ferment low during active fermentation, and step it up with time in a controlled manner. Can't beat that. Depending on the beer you're making though you might be able to cut one of those weeks off. I do something like 62 degrees for first 3-5 days until fermentation begins to slow, krausen starts falling, and then step up slowly over the next several days to 68 or so and let it sit. If I'm not dry hopping, the beer is being racked off in 2 weeks which is plenty of time. This need for aging/secondary pale ale's, browns, and such comes from all the mistakes made due to kit instructions. If you bottle, once fermentation is done let it sit a couple days and then let those bad boys age/condition in the bottle if the style requires it.


The Caribou Slobber is a good recipe with bad instructions.

I like NB's products and their ingredients are right up there in freshness and quality but their kit instructions for both extract and all grain are tragic.

 

[PLAY_DEAD]

What about Midwest's instructions? I have a hop head double ipa I'm brewing this weekend from them. Are they better with their instructions?


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[TrustyOlJohnson]

What about Midwest's instructions? I have a hop head double ipa I'm brewing this weekend from them. Are they better with their instructions?


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If it means anything, batch 3 of my first 4 failed batches was a Midwest Amber Ale. I followed the instructions :/


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[Croyzen]

What about Midwest's instructions? I have a hop head double ipa I'm brewing this weekend from them. Are they better with their instructions?


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My advice is to have a look at Brewing Classic Styles by Jamil and John. The book contains all extract recipes first and then the all grain alternative. They address yeast, how to make extract calculations, how to piece together your own extract recipes, fermentation, and so on. After reading that book you'll never look at kit instructions the same way again. The general rule seems to be that kit instructions are a "one size fits all" designed to not stress the brewer with the "complications" of brewing while making beer, just not the best that beer could be.

Extract gets a bad rap and I believe a great deal of that is because of kit instructions and the techniques used. If you do a full boil, steep at the correct temp for the correct times, use fresh ingredients, do late extract additions, make a yeast starter and pitch the correct amount of yeast, use distilled water, ferment at the low end of the yeast strain, get a good hot/cold break, practice good sanitation... The beer quality drastically increase.

 

[MrCrabby]

Regarding the use of a blow off for this brew. The reason so many need it is because Northern Brewer produces some of the absolute worst instructions for brewing out there. To be fair, this is typical for virtually all beer kits. In this instance, they state to cool the wort to 78F before pitching. Then they go on to say, "move the fermenter to a WARM, dark, quiet spot." No wonder so many people need blow off tubes for such a average gravity beer. You have no chance. That's probably why they promote secondaries, to attempt to clean up the many problems with their instructions.

Depending on the yeast selection you should ALWAYS follow the yeast manufacturers instructions for fermentation. Let's suppose in this case we selected Wyeast 1332 as our yeast of choice for the Caribou Slobber. You would need an approx 1 liter starter for a 1.052, 5 gallon batch. The strain's temperature range is 65-75F. NB even goes through the trouble of mentioning it on their kit instructions but does not tell the new brewer why that information is important. The wort should be cooled below 65F, say 62F. 78F is flaming hot to pitch that yeast at. The starter pitched and fermentation should not be done in a WARM place. Jeez. During the first several days of fermentation the temperature of the fermenter (not ambient) should be at the lower end of the strain, say 65-68. After fermentation has slowed down the temp can be brought up to room temp, 70, low 70's.

The reason blow off tubes are needed on these beer kits is ALL because of the poorly written instructions that help the new brewer make beer but not the best beer it can be. This is one example of about 10 that can be found in all of NB's kit instructions.

I think NB is based in Minnesota. So warm to them might not be the same warm where I am in the South. 62 degrees might as well be a freezer here.

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[PLAY_DEAD]

62 degrees is 62 degrees, regardless of location. Now humidity and other factors might make it FEEL different.


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[63belair]

Extract gets a bad rap and I believe a great deal of that is because of kit instructions and the techniques used. If you do a full boil, steep at the correct temp for the correct times, use fresh ingredients, do late extract additions, make a yeast starter and pitch the correct amount of yeast, use distilled water, ferment at the low end of the yeast strain, get a good hot/cold break, practice good sanitation... The beer quality drastically increase.

Couldn't agree more. I was always disappointed with NB and other kit's instructions. They give you all the tools needed to brew excellent beer, but there is no reason for the instructions to be so bad and out of date. Seriously, if anyone from NB or any other place that sells kits is reading this, recycle all your old instructions and print up new ones. This will result in your customers making better beer and wanting to buy more stuff from you.

1) Primary fermentation only, no real reason to rack to secondary unless you're doing an addition. Otherwise this is an extra step that isn't needed and raises the potential for error
2) Longer primary fermentation. 4 weeks allows everything to settle and the yeast to clean up. (I can see not adding this, as you can still make great beers @ 2 weeks, and some people are impatient)
3) Late extract addition. No need to be boiling all that LME/DME. People tend to like their beers better when they're closer in color to the style. Tweak the amounts a bit to accommodate differing hop utilization if you feel the need.
4) Proper yeast hydration instructions. Takes 20 minutes and adds zero time to brew day if done during the boil.
5) Aeration. This is so easy, why is it not mentioned?
6) Fermentation temps, just tell them to refer to the yeast packet/manufacturer's website. Providing general instructions is fine, but how hard is a little more info to add to a sheet of paper.

I don't think any of these steps are complicated, and they result in infinitely better beer for zero cost.

EDIT: Caribou Slobber is my favorite extract kit and I find it to be dead on with Moose Drool, which I've had the pleasure of enjoying at the brewery.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Absolutely on poor instructions!!
When I first started brewing I followed the instructions to the T - including placing the carboy in the warmest room I had.
For the life of me I do not understand why they say to do this.
They also do not mention rehydrating dry yeast.
Nor do they mention the dangers of oxidation when transferring beer to secondary or the bottling bucket.
I would think it is in their best interest for new brewers to make the best beer as possible...but they practically instruct them to make bad beer.

 

[PLAY_DEAD]

Just tried my first bottle of SLOBBER after 2.5 weeks of bottle conditioning....WOW!!!!! I will def be brewing this again!!


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[PLAY_DEAD]

Just tried my first bottle of SLOBBER after 2.5 weeks of bottle conditioning....WOW!!!!! I will def be brewing this again!!


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[Oneoffcustom]

Just got mine labeled. Now if I can just let them age. I can totally see now why 1g batches Just Are not enough.


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[PLAY_DEAD]

View attachment 188796View attachment 188797

Just got mine labeled. Now if I can just let them age. I can totally see now why 1g batches Just Are not enough. View attachment 188798


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Good looking labels! I wish I had more time to do some creative stuff like that with my homebrews. My labeling consists of a sharpie on the cap. Then again, I try to lean towards the simplicity of it all...I like to think it lets the beer speak for itself. Just my two cents...


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[TrustyOlJohnson]

View attachment 188796View attachment 188797

Just got mine labeled. Now if I can just let them age. I can totally see now why 1g batches Just Are not enough. View attachment 188798


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Bada$$ label!!


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[Oneoffcustom]

Yeah, it didn't cost me anytime. My aunt is a graphic specialist and did them for me. Thanks for kind words guys.


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[trefilov22]

Just ordered me some Caribou Slobber! I went ahead and also ordered a Spiced Winter Ale kit, may as well utilize the $7.99 shipping since I am ordering anyways.