A Cheap Kit Brew With a Small Hops Twist

Keeping it simple

This batch was meant to stay simple.

I used the same base beer I already know works, then changed one small part of it to see what difference it made. This time the change was Simcoe and Lemon Drop hops.

Not enough to dominate the beer. Just enough to change it slightly.

Cleaning first

The first part is always cleaning and sanitising.

It’s not exciting, but it matters. I keep it simple: clean first, then sanitise everything that will touch the beer. Even the drying rack gets sanitised before things are left to drip dry.

I’m not trying to make it perfect. I just want it clean and repeatable.

The base I keep using

The base for most of my beers is a Coopers pale malt kit with Brew Enhancer 2.

It’s affordable, reliable, and gives me a good starting point. Once the base is stable, it makes it easier to test one small change at a time.

Brew day basics

I soften the malt can with hot water first so it pours more easily.

Then I top the batch up to 23 litres, using some hot water first and then cold so it doesn’t get too warm. The Brew Enhancer goes in just after the malt so it dissolves properly.

After a good stir, the batch is basically ready.

The hop change

On brew day, I add 12.5 grams of Simcoe and 12.5 grams of Lemon Drop.

That’s enough to add a bit more flavour without turning it into something overly hoppy. I still want it to feel like the same basic beer, just with a bit more interest.

Yeast and fermentation

Once the wort is down to around 21 degrees, I pitch the yeast.

If it’s hot, temperature control helps. But the main goal is stability, not perfection. After that, I leave it alone and let it ferment.

Repeating the hops on day six

On day six, I add the same amount of hops again.

Another 12.5 grams of Simcoe and another 12.5 grams of Lemon Drop.

I do it the same way because if the result turns out well, I want to be able to repeat it easily.

Packaging day

By day fourteen, it’s time to bottle.

That part is just routine: sanitise, fill, add carbonation tablets, and cap. It’s repetitive, but that’s part of the process.

Why I like this approach

The full batch cost about $39.20, which works out to roughly $1.30 cents a bottle.

That’s cheap, simple, and still gives me room to change one thing at a time and learn from it. That’s really all I want from brewing at the moment.