Mangrove Jack's Beer Kit — Brewing Instructions

IMPORTANT: Do not throw away your pouch before reading these instructions — it contains information required to successfully complete your brew. Note your kit's batch number (found on the back of the pouch) in case you need to contact us.

The Specific Gravity (SG) reference table is available online at mangrovejacks.com/pages/sg-readings.

Browse our full range of Mangrove Jack's Beer Kits, including Helles Lager, Pils, Brut IPA, Belgian Saison, Irish Stout, Baltic Porter, Red IPA, Kveik IPA, Bavarian Wheat, and more.

Equipment You'll Need

Brewing Steps

  1. Clean & sanitise your fermenter, lid, and mixing paddle using Harris SureSan No Rinse Sanitiser. Refer to the packaging for correct usage.
  2. Prepare the pouch. Remove the sachets from the 'dry' compartment and set aside. Pour the contents of the 'wet' compartment into your sanitised fermenter and squeeze out any remains.
  3. Add fermentables. Add 3 L (3 US qt) of boiling water to the fermenter. Add your chosen fermentable — check the label on the front of your pouch for the required amount: Add any other dry additives included (except hops and yeast) and stir until completely dissolved.
  4. Top up & add yeast. Top up with cold tap water to the volume specified on your pouch label (e.g. 23 L / 6 US Gal) and stir well. Check the temperature is below 25°C (77°F) — if not, stand the fermenter in a bath of icy water to cool it down. Add the contents of the yeast sachet and stir to mix. Do not add dry hops at this stage.
  5. Fit the airlock. Attach a fermentation airlock and grommet or bung to the fermenter lid and secure so the seal is airtight. Half-fill the airlock 'U' with cooled boiled water or sanitiser solution.
  6. Ferment. Leave to ferment for 7 days, or until bubbling in the airlock ceases. Follow the recommended temperature on the yeast sachet. General guidelines:
    • Hybrid lager yeast: 18–22°C (68–72°F)
    • Ale yeast: 20–23°C (67–74°F)
    • Saison: 26–32°C (79–90°F)
    • Belgian Tripel: 24–28°C (75–82°F)
    • Kveik: 20–40°C (67–104°F), optimum 30–40°C (86–104°F)

    Note: Cooler temperatures will extend fermentation time. Below 15°C (59°F) fermentation will stop altogether — use a heat belt in cold conditions. Fermenting above the recommended temperature will reduce beer quality.

  7. Dry hopping (if included). After 7 days, check the SG using a hydrometer:
    • If using dextrose or Brew Enhancer: add hops when SG is at or below 1.020.
    • If using Pure Liquid Malt Extract or Beer Enhancers: add hops when SG is at or below 1.025.
    Add the hop pellet sachet but do not stir — hops will disperse naturally. If the SG is higher, check again in 1–2 days. Once hops are added, replace the lid and leave to ferment for a further 2–3 days, or until the airlock stops bubbling. Check the SG again — fermentation is complete when the reading is approximately at or just below the SG table online.

    Tip: To avoid hop particles in the finished beer, use a hop bag for dry hopping — though this may reduce hop flavour and aroma. For best results, allow a minimum of 2 days infusion time between hop addition and bottling.

    Without dry hops: After 7 days (or when the airlock stops bubbling), check the SG. Fermentation is complete when the reading is approximately at or just below the SG table online. If not, leave for a few more days before checking again.

    Note: The online SG table is based on dextrose and Mangrove Jack's Pure Liquid Malt Extract. If using Brew Enhancer, use dextrose readings as a guide. If using Beer Enhancers, use Pure Liquid Malt Extract readings as a guide — your SG may differ slightly.

⚠️ IMPORTANT WARNING: Do not bottle until fermentation is complete. The only way to be completely sure fermentation has finished is by recording the same SG reading over a 48-hour period.
  1. Prepare bottles. Use good quality reusable bottles such as glass swing top bottles or amber glass beer bottles. Clean and sanitise bottles, syphon tube, or bottling wand before use. Reject any glass bottles with chips, cracks, or imperfections. Do not use non-reusable bottles.
  2. Bottle your beer. Transfer beer into bottles leaving 5 cm (2") of headspace. Before sealing, add Mangrove Jack's Carbonation Drops — one drop is equivalent to ½ tsp of sugar. Refer to the carbonation drops packaging for the correct quantity.
  3. Condition & clear. Seal bottles and store in a warm place for at least 2 weeks, then move to a cool, dark place for a further 7 days to clear.

Serving & Storage

Your beer is ready to drink as soon as it's clear, but for a smoother result leave it somewhere cool and dark for an extra 2 weeks. Serve chilled.

Browse Our Beer Range

Explore our full Mangrove Jack's Beer Kits range, or browse all Beer Kits, Ale Beer Kits, IPA Beer Kits, and Stout & Porter Beer Kits.