Hi guys I’m very new to home brewing. I bought the brew share enjoy essentials kit which included the Block Party Amber
Ale recipe. I can’t seem to find the instructions for this recipe anywhere. There are a lot of great instructions for a lot of other brews on the website, nothing for this. I could probably cobble it together on my own but would prefer to follow a
detailed step by step for my first batch.
Thanks
Dane
If you don’t have any instructions that come with the kit???, then I would look at the American amber ale extract kit listed under extract kits here on the site. Scroll down to further information and it will give you fairly detailed instructions. Don’t know why you wouldn’t get instructions with your kit, though. You could also call NB and ask. Their customer service is awesome. I’m sure somebody could help ya. And contrary to what the instructions will probably say, don’t pitch your yeast at 78 degrees, that’s too warm. Try to cool your wort to around mid 60’s and hold it there–google’swamp cooler’. It’s a cheap way to control fermentation temps.
And welcome to the forum–no question is too weird.
Cheers,
Ron
And be warned, this stuff can be addicting. Kiss bowling goodbye!
Thanks for reply Ron, no sir, no instructions in the box. At the time I was buying it, the guy and northern brewing said there would be a dvd, there is not. There is a laminated sheet with vague instructions on the brewing process but nothing detailed on things like, for example, when to add the hops. Do I add them and boil for an hour? Do I add them halfway through? Do I steep at 155 degrees? 170? Like I mentioned above, there are lots of nice instructions on the northern brewer website, just not for this kit.
Just go to the ‘shopping’ part of the website and go to extract kits and then search american amber ale. Just below the picture of the beer in a glass will be some options. Click “additional information” and then click on instructions. I would bet the recipes are similar. What are your dry grains, liquid extract, and hops?
I’d still call NB, though, and ask for the dvd or whatever.
Ron
Boy do I feel like a fool right now. I found the instructions just now at the bottom of the box when I was reaching for the ingredients to list them off to you. I have no idea how I missed them before since I have been in that box half dozen times before.
We have all been in that a half dozen times… Don’t feel bad 
Thanks for all the help and support. After all, I probably still wouldn’t have found them If I hadn’t come here for help LOL. I’m super stoked to get this batch going. Going to be a late night!!!
Just popping in to say the instructions are a good start. But they kind of miss the mark in places. The boil and hop addition portions are great. After that, though, I’d suggest the following adjustments:
cooling: Cool, add water, etc, but make sure your temp is at prime temp before pitching yeast. For ales, shoot for mid to low sixties. 70-80 will lead to off flavors.
If you can maintain the same temp, at least for the first few days, that’s ideal. Cool basement closet? Bucket with ice packs? Whatever keeps you in the low to mid sixties is great.
skip secondary. The instructions probably say go for a week, transfer to secondary for two weeks, then bottle. Leave it be for three weeks without a secondary and bottle. Decide on later batches whether or not to transfer.
Look at the website where you did buy the kit .open your beer .and it does say aditional instruction you find the recipy there .
I did eventually find the instructions. It’s all done and fermenting. I’m a little concerned about the lid of the bucket though…it doesn’t seem to seal well. Will this be an issue?
Most bucket lids do not have a positive seal. Will not be a problem. Some European fermentation buckets do not have a seal and no provision for an airlock. The CO2 escapes around the rim. Quite often you will not see any bubbling through the airlock. Can be very worrisome for the first couple of brews.
flars, thanks. That answers my question(s) completely. I think I may upgrade to a glass carboy for my next batch.
I started out with glass. I upgraded to plastic buckets. That glass stuff will kill ya. Many here stick with the plastic. It’s a matter of preference but I have never had an issue with the plastic and it’s so much easier to manage, lift, clean and store.
kill ya? How?
If it breaks, you have large, sharp shards of glass propelled by the force of 5 gallons of liquid. It will cut deep. Lots of horror stories out there.
I have curtailed my glass carboy usage to lagering only, especially for brews that require a longer lagering period. Always careful when I have to move or clean them and keep a death grip on it at all times…still, all it takes is one slip up.
If you like carboys consider the plastic big mouth bubblers.
Thanks for the perspective guys. I appreciate your knowledge and experience. I don’t recall ever being so excited about a
hobby. I’m so pumped. My airlock just started bubbling and think my fermentation temp is looking good ~68, got 6 small gatorade bottles of water freezing at the moment, so I hope to get that temp down a couple degrees now that I know fermentation is happening.
With reasonable care you don’t need to fear glass. I still have the first one I purchased in 1987. Basic rules for glass should be applied. Don’t bang them together or set them down on hard surfaces like concrete or granite… Don’t add hot water to a cold carboy. Don’t add cold water to a hot carboy. Never handle the carboy with soapy hands.
If you do go glass I would suggest a brew hauler. I don’t like the around the neck carboy boy handles even if just used for empty carrying. They make me nervous.
