Very slow learner

[Adnams]

I have done 2 kit brews Woodforde's Wherry and the Sundew.
Both turned out quite nice especially the Sundew,

So I tried doing an extract brew which turned out to be a big mistake lol

I have decided to take a step back and I would like to pimp the Sundew kit
Bought some DME and I have 100g of Columbus hops in pellet form.

If I use the DME does that increase the ABV ?
How much hops should I try and for how long would I put them in.
If this is a stupid question then the admin can delete it

 

[MaryB]

Have a link to the kit? So we can see the recipe? Otherwise we are punting and in the dark...

 

[Adnams]

Here is the link thanks
https://www.brewuk.co.uk/woodfordes-sundew-3kg-40pt.html

 

[Sadu]

That looks like a nice kit. Adding a pound of DME will give you extra abv and shouldn't break the balance too much.

Columbus hops are very high alpha acid, which means you need to be careful. A little goes a long way. Your kit should contain buttering hops already so you should use the Columbus for flavour and/or aroma only. I would start small, maybe add 10-15g to the boil for 15 mins and another 10-15g for 5 mins. If you boil these for longer you will find it adds more bitterness which may or may not be what you are looking for.

Some people also like to pimp the yeast. This is worth doing for cheap kits but if this is reasonable quality then it might not make much difference.

 

[Adnams]

Thanks for the reply

I have 1kg of DME which I think works out about 2.2 lb (maybe we can go back to using lbs now we are out of the EU)
But the ABV is about right for me as I am a light weight drinker, and can't handle booze

It does say the alpha acid in the hops is 15.9%
So as you say I will add a small amount to start with.maybe 10g then another 10g
See how that works.

If anyone else has suggestions then please feel free to add your thoughts as all info gives me a better understanding of how malt and hops work.
As different hops working together do I make sure the Alpha thing is low
Thanks guys

 

[RM-MN]

The amount of hops and how long they are in the boil both affect the bittering. If you use just a little and boil for an hour you get the same effect as using a lot and boiling for 10 minutes. (note that the amount of hops and boil length need to be calculated for bittering). The major difference is the longer boil will drive off the aromatic oils that give you flavor and aroma so the short boil will leave you with much more of both. You really should get a program that can do the calculations for you which will tell you the approximate ABV and the balance between malt and bitterness. I use Brewtarget but there are a few other ones to choose from.

 

[IslandLizard]

Welcome to the brewing hobby!

A must read: How to Brew by John Palmer. A more modern/updated version is available in book form.
Read all about extract brewing in Section 1.

There's also a ton of information and recipes here on HomeBrewTalk and elsewhere on the web. Read, read, read...

Sourcing your ingredients "in bulk" can and will save you lots of money over buying kits.

Extract brewing is simple and rewarding. Only 4 ingredients are needed:

• Water
• Malt extract
• Hops
• Yeast