It does seem like a lot doesn't it? There's 3 lbs gold LME, and 3 lbs honey. I think it will end up somewhere around 6% abv. I was too lazy to make up more sanitizer solution and sanitize the thief to get a hydrometer reading, but based on the recipe's info and some reading I did about this kit on the Midwest Supplies forum I am now a member of, that's my estimation.
The bag is a nylon boiling bag for the hops. I just dumped them in the kettle the first batch, but it added so much extra floaty crap to the wort which subsequently stuck to the sides of the fermenter when the krausen fell and fell back in when bottling....blah blah blah...I just didn't like it. So I tried this method. Seemed to get plenty of wort through it, so we'll see what happens.
I had Glacier hops in for 60 min, and then added the honey with 10 min to go, which brought the boil down. It kept heating for a couple min and just started boiling again and then I added the Vanguard hops for 2 min. Seemed to retain a fair amount of honey aroma. I tasted a bit of the wort, and there was definitely honey flavor and plenty of sweetness, but it was more bitter than I expected. This is supposed to be a pretty easy drinking ale, so I am really hoping that it mellows in the fermenter and bottles. Might have to mature longer in the bottles than the red ale. I don't know, I'm pretty new to all this. Just trying not to screw things up.
I also tried something different with this batch in that I went with the upgrade to White Labs vial instead of the Munton's dry yeast that comes standard. It's pretty easy; just let it warm for a couple hours, shake up the vial and pitch it. Hoping that higher quality liquid yeast improves the brew.
Sooo many variables, it's hard to get it all straight. Either way, it'll still be beer.
