08-02-2006, 02:03 AM
I made a stout following the directions with the spray malt that Ilisted the other day and began fermenting it today. It had an initialstarting potential alcohol percentage of 4% (1.030 initial specificgravity) which worries me that there will not be much alcohol in thefinished product. My Sarsaparilla had the same starting gravity.Although I tasted the sample that I used to measure the starting gravityand it tasted just like a Guiness without carbonation. So hopefully itwill at least taste right if there is a low alcohol content. It is hardto drink enough stout to get drunk of of anyway. I used chocolate maltfor both bottles and put 1 cup of 7-11 dark roast coffee into one of thebottles. I did have to add some water to top off each bottle and I lefta little sediment and some liquid in the bottom of my cooking pot.AFter a couple of hours the bottles are brewing nicely and there is anadditional deposit in the bottom of each bottle. I saw that theinstructions in the files section for making beer called for 1 and 1/2pounds of malt. May try that next time. I also know that stouts do nothave as high an alcohol content as ales. After a couple of hours, it isfermenting nicely.I put my first 20-oz bottle of sarsaparilla and my first 2-liter bottleof cider in the fridge today after 4 days of fermentation. I plan ontrying them and testing them with my hydrometer in 2 or 3 days.By the way, my hydrometer showed an intial specific gravity of 1.065 or9% potential alcohol. These is with a large can of concetrated applejuice, water topped of to 90% full and 1 cup of sugar. Are othersgetting a different initial reading with these percentages. Perhapsthere is something wrong with my hydrometer and not my stout?Not matter how these things turn out, I am enjoying making them. Andthe little fizz that escaped when I changed bottle caps on my cidertoday was delicious!--- "eezzcap" wrote:>>> I got some good advice from a very helpful person at my local brewshop> (http://www.arborwine.com ). I was going to> pick up a can of John Bull Hopped Brown Ale because I thought it would> be the easiest without having to cook anything and I would be able to> follow the simple directions that came with the e-z caps. Half a can> without any sugars would work for two 2-liter bottles, but I was toldan> open can would not last for more than a week. I may try this method in> the future unless the one he suggested below is unbelievable. The can> of John Bull costs $16.00 with yeast and hops included and would make2> gallons or approximately 4 liters.>> For a 1 gallon batch (approximately two 2-liter bottles), he suggesteda> 1-pound bag of Muntons spray malt (pale, amber or dark depending onwhat> you are making), 1/2 or 1 whole package of ale yeast, 2/5 of an ounceof> hops (1/5 bittering and 1/5 finishing). These ingredients cost $12.75> to make 2 gallons or approximately 4 liters (That would include two> bags of malt, 1 ounce package of hops, and 1 package of yeast). You> could add other ingredients based on what kind of beer you would like.> For example IORGINAL POSTER: eezzcap