I have brewed 2 batches of beer from kits, the first was a Corona style
Mexican beer and the second was Cooper's Australian Lager. Contrary to the
pictures on the kits both beers turned out to be a dark amber color. I was
advised by my local home brew shop that I would never achieve a light golden
color using kits but instead would have to brew with all-grain. Is this a
true statement? If not, does anyone have any ideas on what the problem might
be? I'm very new to home brewing and I'm not sure if I'm ready to make the
leap to all-grain brewing yet.

Thank you for your assistance.

Not sure why a kit would lead you to believe that you could make a light
colored brew and then not produce it. There is no reason that you can't
produce a light beer with a kit. And by light I don't mean as in low
calories but a light in color. The reason it is harder to make a light brew
is because straight malt has a lot of body and color to it. It is like
Coffey, the more it is roasted the darker it gets. To produce a light beer
you need adjuncts such as rice syrup which is very light in color. A beer
like Corona is made with different grains where as most home brew is made
from pure malt or malt and corn sugar. The corn sugar will lighten your
brew but it will also make it sour. You can purchase rice syrup. I would
try [url]www.williamsbrewing.com[/url] and order one of their lighter beer kits. I
think you just got the wrong kit. Your local home brew shop seems to be
suffering from a bad case of beer snobbery. There is no reason you can't
make a decent light beer from a kit. I think I would find another home brew
store or at least not take any of their advice.
"Mike" <mfeeley@core.com> wrote in message
news:104t2o0qqa3qe6a@corp.supernews.com...[color=blue]
> I have brewed 2 batches of beer from kits, the first was a Corona style
> Mexican beer and the second was Cooper's Australian Lager. Contrary to the
> pictures on the kits both beers turned out to be a dark amber color. I[/color]
was[color=blue]
> advised by my local home brew shop that I would never achieve a light[/color]
golden[color=blue]
> color using kits but instead would have to brew with all-grain. Is this a
> true statement? If not, does anyone have any ideas on what the problem[/color]
might[color=blue]
> be? I'm very new to home brewing and I'm not sure if I'm ready to make[/color]
the[color=blue]
> leap to all-grain brewing yet.
>
> Thank you for your assistance.
>
>[/color]

Mike wrote:[color=blue]
>
> I have brewed 2 batches of beer from kits, the first was a Corona style
> Mexican beer and the second was Cooper's Australian Lager. Contrary to the
> pictures on the kits both beers turned out to be a dark amber color. I was
> advised by my local home brew shop that I would never achieve a light golden
> color using kits but instead would have to brew with all-grain. Is this a
> true statement? If not, does anyone have any ideas on what the problem might
> be? I'm very new to home brewing and I'm not sure if I'm ready to make the
> leap to all-grain brewing yet.
>
> Thank you for your assistance.[/color]

In general, that is true. Because extract has in effect been "cooked"
once already, it darkens when you boil it again. Using dry extract as
oppsed to liquid will help somewhat. But I was not able to produce
truly light coloerd beers until I went to all grain. BTW, you list 2
lager kits that you've made. My guess would be that they're not true
lagers. A lager requires a special yeast that ferments at temps of
45-55F, and then is cold conditioned (that's the "lagering") at about
35F for several months after.

---------->Denny
--
Life begins at 60 - 1.060, that is.

Reply to denny_dot_g_dot_conn_at_ci_dot_eugene_dot_or_dot_us

"Mike" <mfeeley@core.com> wrote in message
news:104t2o0qqa3qe6a@corp.supernews.com...[color=blue]
> I have brewed 2 batches of beer from kits, the first was a Corona[/color]
style[color=blue]
> Mexican beer and the second was Cooper's Australian Lager. Contrary to[/color]
the[color=blue]
> pictures on the kits both beers turned out to be a dark amber color.[/color]
I was[color=blue]
> advised by my local home brew shop that I would never achieve a light[/color]
golden[color=blue]
> color using kits but instead would have to brew with all-grain. Is[/color]
this a[color=blue]
> true statement? If not, does anyone have any ideas on what the problem[/color]
might[color=blue]
> be? I'm very new to home brewing and I'm not sure if I'm ready to[/color]
make the[color=blue]
> leap to all-grain brewing yet.
>
> Thank you for your assistance.[/color]


It is pure, unadulterated BS. I have brewed many light-colored beers
from kits.

I like stouts, though, so I bought a stout kit and used a can of
unhopped dark malt instead of the sugar that was called for in the
recipe. I called it "double stout". :-)


Ray

I have made light colored beers from kits without adjuncts. If I want a
light colored beer, I'll buy the appropriate kit and use an extra can of
light malt instead of sugar.


Ray


"cc0112453" <dougfollett@SPAMLESScomcast.net> wrote in message
news:kNKdnRNhn7oaBNPdRVn-jA@comcast.com...[color=blue]
> Not sure why a kit would lead you to believe that you could make a[/color]
light[color=blue]
> colored brew and then not produce it. There is no reason that you[/color]
can't[color=blue]
> produce a light beer with a kit. And by light I don't mean as in low
> calories but a light in color. The reason it is harder to make a[/color]
light brew[color=blue]
> is because straight malt has a lot of body and color to it. It is[/color]
like[color=blue]
> Coffey, the more it is roasted the darker it gets. To produce a light[/color]
beer[color=blue]
> you need adjuncts such as rice syrup which is very light in color. A[/color]
beer[color=blue]
> like Corona is made with different grains where as most home brew is[/color]
made[color=blue]
> from pure malt or malt and corn sugar. The corn sugar will lighten[/color]
your[color=blue]
> brew but it will also make it sour. You can purchase rice syrup. I[/color]
would[color=blue]
> try [url]www.williamsbrewing.com[/url] and order one of their lighter beer kits.[/color]
I[color=blue]
> think you just got the wrong kit. Your local home brew shop seems to[/color]
be[color=blue]
> suffering from a bad case of beer snobbery. There is no reason you[/color]
can't[color=blue]
> make a decent light beer from a kit. I think I would find another[/color]
home brew[color=blue]
> store or at least not take any of their advice.
> "Mike" <mfeeley@core.com> wrote in message
> news:104t2o0qqa3qe6a@corp.supernews.com...[color=green]
> > I have brewed 2 batches of beer from kits, the first was a Corona[/color][/color]
style[color=blue][color=green]
> > Mexican beer and the second was Cooper's Australian Lager. Contrary[/color][/color]
to the[color=blue][color=green]
> > pictures on the kits both beers turned out to be a dark amber color.[/color][/color]
I[color=blue]
> was[color=green]
> > advised by my local home brew shop that I would never achieve a[/color][/color]
light[color=blue]
> golden[color=green]
> > color using kits but instead would have to brew with all-grain. Is[/color][/color]
this a[color=blue][color=green]
> > true statement? If not, does anyone have any ideas on what the[/color][/color]
problem[color=blue]
> might[color=green]
> > be? I'm very new to home brewing and I'm not sure if I'm ready to[/color][/color]
make[color=blue]
> the[color=green]
> > leap to all-grain brewing yet.
> >
> > Thank you for your assistance.
> >
> >[/color]
>
>[/color]

I have used Muntons Dry malt Extracts and Liquid Malt extracts both. Dry
malts are relatively expensive but consistently make pale yellow light color
(sp gravity ~~1.060). The brew shop always try to sell me over the self
Liquid malt extracts that are slightly damaged (half price) or the shelf
life near expiration.
The conclusion is " Dry malts extracts for consistency. All grain hops
lightly roasted grade 30 or below should make lighter color"

sarbjit/
"Ray Drouillard" <cosmicNospam@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:c2nn51$1vpd34$1@ID-193109.news.uni-berlin.de...[color=blue]
>
> "Mike" <mfeeley@core.com> wrote in message
> news:104t2o0qqa3qe6a@corp.supernews.com...[color=green]
> > I have brewed 2 batches of beer from kits, the first was a Corona[/color]
> style[color=green]
> > Mexican beer and the second was Cooper's Australian Lager. Contrary to[/color]
> the[color=green]
> > pictures on the kits both beers turned out to be a dark amber color.[/color]
> I was[color=green]
> > advised by my local home brew shop that I would never achieve a light[/color]
> golden[color=green]
> > color using kits but instead would have to brew with all-grain. Is[/color]
> this a[color=green]
> > true statement? If not, does anyone have any ideas on what the problem[/color]
> might[color=green]
> > be? I'm very new to home brewing and I'm not sure if I'm ready to[/color]
> make the[color=green]
> > leap to all-grain brewing yet.
> >
> > Thank you for your assistance.[/color]
>
>
> It is pure, unadulterated BS. I have brewed many light-colored beers
> from kits.
>
> I like stouts, though, so I bought a stout kit and used a can of
> unhopped dark malt instead of the sugar that was called for in the
> recipe. I called it "double stout". :-)
>
>
> Ray
>
>
>[/color]