Expert: John Snyder - 9/3/2006

Question
Hi, I brewed bitters about 10 yrs ago & have just come back to it, but I have forgotten some basic rules. I have just made 40 pints of bitter from a kit using brewers sugar instead of normal sugar, I fear I put it in the barrel a bit to soon as it has not cleared after 10 days, could I open the barrel to add finings & then re-prime. Also I added granulated hop extract, a bit too much I think as I checked the taste & it is very bitter, anything I can to to tone it down a bit ?
Whether you can help or not I would like to say thanks very much for giving your time to people like me.

Answer
You can use additional finings.Give it 10 days,then transfer to another barrel,or to bottles,then re-prime.Don't reprime in the same barrel.Be careful when opening the barrel,because of the CO2.

Sorry,but you are stuck with the bitter batch,unless you make another batch with reduced hopping,or no hopping and then blend the two together,when the other batch is finished

Need more help,just contact me again

                John