Help with Muntons Gold Kit

[Duster]

I just picked up a Docklands porter kit for myself last weekend. This was my first Muntons Gold kit and only my second beer kit (I'm a Wine guy). When I got it home and opened up first thing I noticed is that the two cans were labeled with a sharpie marker. One said "Porter" and the other one said "Heavy". I assumed that Muntons just mixes these two extracts for there Docklands Porter ale. So I dumped them into the carboy, then I noticed that there was no instruction sheet in the box. After a little digging I found some "Simple Instructions" on there website. As I read I then discovered that there was no yeast packet in the kit. I called the Brew Shop and they said that if I come back they would give me a yeast packet however they are just over an hour away, way to far to drive for just yeast! I followed the directions on line and pitched in some premier curvee that I had at hand.
Now that your up to speed I have a couple questions. Is "Porter" and "Heavy" really the extracts intended to be in this kit? And, what is the ramifications for using a wine yeast instead of an Ale yeast?
So far I have not been impressed with the kit however I am not sure if it is the fault of Muntons or the fault of my brew shop. I kinda get the feeling that this kit has been opened, ransacked, and thrown back into a box. If this is the case I might give Muntons Gold another shot with a different brew shop. Or should I keep my "so far" Loyal customer status to the brew shop and just forget about ever using Muntons Gold kit again?

 

[Wade E]

Wine yeast is no good! It will ferment to dry and you do not want that with a beer! The only thing that may save you is that there are unfermentables and that just might let this beer stop early but I doubt it. I dont think this is going to turn out good for you. Not sure on exactly what the mix is for this as I dont use liquid extracts much if any as I dont like them. I just dont think they are a good product myself and would much rather do a partial boil kit with grains and dry malt extract and hops. Its a little more work but worth every second!

 

[milbrosa]

It may be that the beer will end up under-attentuated, low alcohol level, and sweet. Even though Champagne and wine yeast has a much higher alcohol tolerance than beer yeast, I have read that it can't break down the more complex sugars in wort. It was said to work best with simple fruit sugars. I don't know, personally.

You might try adding a packet of dry beer yeast at this point, maybe a Nottingham or Safale S-04. I've read though that the Champagne and wine yeast will kill off the beer yeasts, but I don't know if that is really true.

I hope you'll let us know how it turns out, Duster.

Meanwhile, for higher quality extract kits with decent instructions and everything you need to make good beer, I suggest you look at complete kits. Doug, one of our members, at www.BrewandWineSupply.com has Brewer's Best kits. My brother has brewed using the Brewer's Best kits and he like the results. Other vendors like Northern Brewer, Austin Homebrew, Midwest Supplies, More Beer, and others make up their own kits too.

The advantage of any of the complete kits is that they contain all the extract you need for a 5 gallon batch (LME or DME or both), the right yeast, and the right hops, and often specialty steeping grains, to make any particular style or clone you are interested in.

I brew all-grain, so I don't have a lot of experience with extract, but my brother only brews extract and he loves the speed and simplicity of the better extract kits.

 

[Wade E]

Finevinewines, 1 pf our sponsors will also makd you one of these custom kits for just about any beer you desire.

 

[Boatboy24]

Finevinewines, 1 pf our sponsors will also makd you one of these custom kits for just about any beer you desire.

Really? Does he do clones? So, if I were to say: "I'd like to make something similar to Sierra Nevada Pale Ale", he could just send me a "kit" for that? I have a friend who is thinking about starting beer and would probably point him in that direction if it can be done.

 

[milbrosa]

Call FVW and ask for Brian. He's the beer guy. He could tell you if they do custom kits. They have very good prices on grains for all-grain brewing. I have not seen anything about custom kits when I've been in the store, but I've never asked either.

All of these following vendors have very extensive inventories of clone kits and their own recipes in kit form, which you can order as full extract, partial mash, or all-grain.

Austin Homebrew Supply
Northern Brewer Homebrew Supply
Midwest Supplies
Williams Brewing

There are many more homebrew supply stores that sell complete engineered kits.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

there are so many recipies out there, if you find something you want to make let me know and I'll put it together for you. to start making random kits up I would run out of room very fast. The Brewers Best kits are good and have everything including priming sugar and caps and are a great value. I do carry almost everything they make but I can also make up almost any recipe for you into a kit, ala cart.

On the other note, your local hbs should have just mailed you a replacement yeast no questions asked...

 

[Wade E]

Thats great Doug, didnt know you did that also!

 

[Boatboy24]

Thanks Doug. Good to know.

 

[tchuklobrau]

Duster, Im not familiar with the muntons kits, are they a no boil kit? If you are unhappy with these kits try another. Brewersbest kits are very nice, even though I do all grain now I still get one of those from time to time. Just be advised that if these muntons kits are a no boil, most other kits will require you to have the ability to boil 3g of water.
I personally love going to my LHBS even though its a 45 min drive. There are not alot of things you can buy online that he cant beat the price of, He is always willing to help when I have a problem(including driving to my house to assist with a brew day). Bottom line if you are not happy with the shop find another, or move most of your business online.

 

[Duster]

Thanks to all for the advice. This is still not resolved, I received one E-mail from Quality Wine and Ale indicating that they could send out a replacement ale yeast packet. I asked for store credit instead since I do mostly wines and if I do get another beer kit it will be another BB kit. after that request I can not seem to get a respone from them . This is sad, I really like doing business there and they have always been very helpful until now. Oh well on a lighter note, the Air Lock activity seems to have stopped on the porter kit so I took my first SG reading tonight, it is at 1.020 so for now its not too dry. Actually it's almost too sweet but I will watch it over the next few days and see what she's gonna do. Low ABV though if it is really finished. Beginning SG of 1.042 giving this only about 3% Alcohol.
tchuklobrau,
I would call this Muntons Kit a partial boil kit, I think? The instructions I found had me boil 8 pints of water, dump the extract into the primary, dump the boiling water into the extract, mix well and add 40 pints of cold water, mix well then pitch the yeast http://www.muntons.com/homebeer/instructions/htm/instructions_5.asp
So you tell me, is this a "no boil" kit or a partial boil kit. The very first beer kit i did was a BB kit and I was pleased.

 

[tchuklobrau]

Personally I would call it a no boil kit, the amount of water you boiled probably had a sanitary effect. Could be wrong. To me a "boil" kit(like all bb kits I've done) involve bringing 2-3g of water to a boil adding extract, when boil is achieved again addin 1st hops addition, then boiling for an hour. possibly having 1-2 hops additions during that hour. Of all the comercial "boil" kits bb are my favorite. I went all grain jan of 2011, and am actually stepping away from that and going back to extract and kit brewing because of time and swmbo tweeking over the mess issues.

Keep in mind most beers are gonna finish between 1.012-1.020, however in this case it could be the wine yeast being unable to break down the complex sugars the same as beer yeast does(not a yeast guru). I have made 70% of the kits bb makes and alot from other sources. lemme know what styles you like or even some brands you like and perhaps I can recommend a kit or clone source for you.

 

[Duster]

At last a response
I received this e-mail today From Quality Wine and Ale

Dustin,
I’m sorry to hear that your Dockland’s Porter kit was missing a packet of yeast. We understand how frustrating this can be, and I wanted to let you know that I will be sending you a brand new kit, and I will personally ensure that this kit has everything it needs to become beer someday.

All I asked for was store credit for the yeast packet. I'm a happy customer again

tchuklobrau, thanks for the input. Personally I prefer Killians Irish Red or lately I have been stuck on Dos Equis

 

[Duster]

I received a complete replacement kit from Quality wine and ale today. I asked for store credit for the yeast packet and they did replace the whole kit.

 

[Boatboy24]

I think someone just won a customer for a very long time.

Glad it all worked out.