During a visit to Australia many years ago, we noticed that homebrew stores were selling Fresh Wort Kits. These are five-gallon containers of ready-to-ferment wort that a brewery produces and packages while still hot. Homebrewers buy these sterile jugs of wort at their local homebrew stores, bring them home, pour them into a fermenter with yeast, and perhaps more hops, and ferment away. Fresh Wort kits are extremely popular in Australia, and now in other parts of the world, for offering a very high-quality, fast way to brew beer.
We loved the idea and the quality of the Fresh Wort beer, but we did not like the expense and risks of shipping gallons of liquid over the vast USA.
So, over a five-year journey, we sourced, produced, and tested the ingredients that would allow us to replicate Fresh Wort kits without the water.
The Big Question is How Does it Taste?
We entered one of these into the American Pale Ale category at the National Homebrew Competition this year and it received a 34 in the first round, with the average entry in the category this year receiving a 31.9! Check out this video to learn more.
How are Flash Kits so fast to brew?
We’ve eliminated the need to boil, without impacting quality. This takes a brew day from several hours to 15 minutes! You mix all the ingredients into the fermenter with clean, good-tasting water and ferment. It’s that easy!
How did you eliminate the need to boil?
Our Flash Malts undergo boiling and whirlpooling to remove the hot break before being dried. We then use an innovative Hop Bite™ oil, which provides a smooth, clean bitterness without the need to be boiled.
Where does the hop flavor come from?
Traditional pellet hops or Cryo Hops® are added during the fermentation to supply all the hop flavor appropriate to the style of beer you are making. This process is very similar to dry hopping but it is done, for several reasons, at the start of fermentation.
What is Flash Yeast™?
Flash Yeast™ was selected from a two-year yeast trial to find a strain that ferments extremely fast but with a neutral flavor profile that lets the malt and hops shine. This strain starts and finishes fermentation very quickly, which in part puts the Flash in Flash Brewing™! All kits except for German Hefeweizen come with Flash Yeast™.
Is Flash Brewing™ only for beginners?
Nope! It’s a great introduction for new brewers, but we designed these kits for ourselves and fellow experienced homebrewers who don’t always have time for an all-grain batch. All levels of brewers will be delighted with the results.
But can you actually make good beer this way?
As the leader in homebrewing for nearly 30 years, we would not be doing this if the beer was not great. You're going to be surprised!
Can you make all beer styles?
No, not currently. Certain beer styles require yeast strains or special ingredients not currently suited for Flash Brewing™.
Are other beer styles in the works?
Oh yeah! We are currently working on additional Flash Recipe Kits. We have a Pale Ale kit called Best Buds with Mosaic and Citra in the pipeline as well as a pretty amazing Oktoberfest. Flash kits require more time to develop and test so the releases will be metered.
Are other size kits in the works?
Yes! We are considering 1 or 2 gallon size kits as well.
Why can I use clear bottles?
Traditional beer cannot be stored in clear bottles because the bittering acids develop a skunky aroma and flavor profile when exposed to sunlight. Flash Recipe Kits utilize HopBite™ which does not skunk. This allows Flash Beer to ferment in clear fermenters and be packaged in clear bottles.
Will the flash extract be available on its own or just in kits? Any dark beer kits in the pipeline?
We have experimented with some dark extract and are working on a Porter kit. Right now we are focused on making Flash Malt for kits.
Can we buy the hopbite separately please?
As of right now, HopBite is only available in Flash Brewing Kits. That may change in the future.
So what keeps this process safe from contaminants that may be in the water?
Flash yeast starts fermenting very fast and lowers the pH below a point at which bacteria can replicate.
How do you calculate ABV in flash brewing?
The ABV is pre- calculated for you as long as you add all the Flash Malt, fill with water to five gallons, and ferment to completion. However if you would like to take your own reading pre and post ferment with a hydrometer you certainly can.
What is "hopbite" ?
HopBite shots are a specially processed hop oil that provides bitterness with no need to boil. HopBites do not impart hop flavor. Impervious to light, using HopBite allows you to ferment in clear containers and package in clear bottles.
Does the Flash Yeast still perform well if fermenting under pressure?
Yes it does.
Why does the video say "flash yeast" takes 10-14 days? Is it necessary to use this specific yeast for these kits, and if so why?
It takes usually 3 days from fermentation but we allow it could take 10-14 days in case temps are cold and for settling. Just being careful new brewers don’t bottle too soon. The yeast is key to the success of these kits.
Can you use priming sugar for bottling instead of Pop Shots?
Using priming sugar complicates the bottling method. These are meant to go straight from the fermenter into the bottles with the pop shots. When using priming sugar you would have to transfer to a bottling bucket and stir up the whole batch. Using the pop shots makes it super simple, no stirring, racking, or bottling bucket needed and therefore less air exposure and better tasting beer.
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