Where did it go wrong?

[Goofinder]

I put down the following on 16/12/2007:
1.8 kg Muntons Nut Brown Ale
1.5 kg Coopers Amber Malt Extract
21 Litres
Kit yeast
OG 1043

Fermented at around 20-22C and after a few days it looked to be done. SG on 23/12/2007 was 1018 which seemed a bit high so I left it for a bit longer. On 29/12/2007 it was still 1018 so I stirred the yeast up with a sanitised spoon but there's been no more action and it still sitting on 1018.

1043 to 1018 gives about 3.2% which just doesn't seem right at all.

What's going on here, and how can I fix it?

[ryan]

you should have been at least 10 points higher with your og {mid 1050`s} and have 5.6% or so a.b.v. at finish. I`d be bottling it if it won`t drop to about 1015. It will still be A0K. Muntons is a good beer. Lighten up on the priming for this one tho

[Trough Lolly]

Further to ryan's good advice; you need to bear in mind that amber extracts have a relatively higher percentage of dextrins, compared to pale malt extract, thanks to the darker malts present in the extract.

You have 3.2kg of nice, yet darkish malt extract so a higher than "normal" finishing gravity is to be expected.

Bottle and just take it easy with the priming to be sure...and I agree that Muntons is a damn fine brew - it made many a Kilkenny clone here in the Farrer Ridge Brewery in the early days!!

Cheers,
TL

[sonictruth]

hey TL any chance you want to share the recipe for your killkenny clone?

[Ash]

hey TL any chance you want to share the recipe for your killkenny clone?

It isn't a kit & kilo type one though -->Click here

My own extract version has morphed to be closer to TL's recipie with a single hop addition, though I used golden syrup instead of the dark sugar.

[Trough Lolly]

....and I think the golden syrup addition is quite a good choice!

If you want to get a little more authentic, you should try to get some Lyle's Golden Syrup which my local Woolies has in stock...It's great in ESB's and Kilkenny's...

Cheers,
TL

[sonictruth]

how much golden syrup would you add? ive heard that it can be rather nasty if you add too much

[Ash]

200-300gm - too much does get overpowering IMO

[Trough Lolly]

200-300gm - too much does get overpowering IMO

...agreed.

Cheers,
TL

[ryan]

and if I may add- if you`re going to use Golden Syrup use the Lyles brand imported from UK, about $2.80 tin from bigger Coles supermarkets. While I hate to put an Aussie product 2nd, this stuff is really good. It`s in the Specialty section, not with other syrups.

[Ash]

specialty section?

[ryan]

That`s right- our Coles has an aisle solely for that sort of imported stuff - the aisle is marked "Specialty"