# Just Tasted My First All Grain



## 1974Alby (10/8/11)

it sucks cos it took hours and hour to make about 8L based on Dr SMURTOs JSGA, using Nick JDs stovetop guide and I vowed never to bother again becuse it was so time consuming for such a small volume...but it is simply THE BEST brew I have ever made. Now I will be forced to do it again..and again..and again.

will have to look into doing maxiBIAB to make 20L at a time. Hmmm think I need a bigger pot, and some bulk grain...and more free time!

thanks for the easy to follow guide NickJD, inspired me to give it a go and now Im hooked (ya bastard!  )


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## petesbrew (10/8/11)

Albainian said:


> it sucks cos it took hours and hour to make about 8L based on Dr SMURTOs JSGA, using Nick JDs stovetop guide and I vowed never to bother again becuse it was so time consuming for such a small volume...but it is simply THE BEST brew I have ever made. Now I will be forced to do it again..and again..and again.
> 
> will have to look into doing maxiBIAB to make 20L at a time. Hmmm think I need a bigger pot, and some bulk grain...and more free time!
> 
> thanks for the easy to follow guide NickJD, inspired me to give it a go and now Im hooked (ya bastard!  )


Don't you just love it!
Well done.


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## .DJ. (10/8/11)

I think you will find it will take the same amout of time for 8L as it will for 20-40L (depending on your pot size)


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## 1974Alby (10/8/11)

.DJ. said:


> I think you will find it will take the same amout of time for 8L as it will for 20-40L (depending on your pot size)




yeah, thats what I figured so I might as well make bigger volumes...at least to make the time and effort worthwhile and make better use of fermenter space!


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (10/8/11)

@OP - look at my last post on the last (or 2nd last) page of Nick's thread - I outline my methodology for 20-30L on the stove, using a 2nd big w pot (I got mine on special for $12 - and that special is fairly regular) with a couple of photos, just to show the differences.

9L sucks, and I got to the same point as you were, so I "upgraded" my process.

I tried the esky mashtun, and went back to stovetop pot method - it suited me better.

Goomba


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## chunckious (10/8/11)

Is there much difference in taste between doing a standard 23L BIAB and doing concentrated BIAB and adding clean water into the FV. Providing the processes are done correctly.


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## flano (10/8/11)

I find it like rooting.

The more I do it ..the quicker I get at it.


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## 1974Alby (10/8/11)

beernorks said:


> I find it like rooting.
> 
> The more I do it ..the quicker I get at it.



that's great news...I like rooting!!


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (10/8/11)

Chunkious said:


> Is there much difference in taste between doing a standard 23L BIAB and doing concentrated BIAB and adding clean water into the FV. Providing the processes are done correctly.



Assuming a higher gravity brew - you'll lose some efficiency by doing it that way (but lots of sparging can help with this), and the hops will dilute a little, which means you will underutilise your hops.

Get brew mate (free for windows) and in the tools menu, there is a dilution calculator. 

Calculate your maxi-BIAB recipe and the gravity and IBU you'll end up with before dilution and use the dilution calculator to see what it comes out like. 

Adjust your recipe (especially the IBU) upwards and run the calculator untill your diluted figures read what you want the actual beer to be.

I think that's why I prefer my two pot method - little stuffing around with calculations. I do (thanks to RdeVjun) have enough info on Maxi-BIAB to mean I can use my two-pots to do a double batch, should I need to. So I have flexibility either way for little extra cost.

I ended up with 1.080 out of the boil the other day (my fault for overdoing it) and 31 IBU, which ended up closer to 20IBU by the time I'd diluted it. So I was faced with "what do I do to get my IBU to what I want?" or "do I just leave it?". So I (for the very first time) experienced what hop utilisation losses really are like. I didn't like it much.

Goomba


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## chunckious (10/8/11)

So maybe the best idea would be maxi BIAB, doing separate late hop boil with chill(as per aragon I think) and add wort/hop/water together in FV.


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## Synthetase (10/8/11)

You could. When I was doing this method, I thought it was easier to take a pre-boil gravity reading, estimate how much boil-off I'd get over the hour (usually only a couple of litres in a stock pot) and plug those figures into the brew calculator I was using to get an updated hop utilisation and adjust the amount going in to hit desired IBU.

EDIT: I liked this as it allowed me to compensate for higher or lower than expected mashing efficiency. Especially good when I was starting out and had no idea what my efficiency was going to be.


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## Nick JD (10/8/11)

Hah HA! Another convert.

So many people have misinterpreted the 30 Buck thread as a regular method to produce beer. It's not. It's a teaching method that costs very little. 

Now you know how to make AG beer, and you know it's something you'd like to continue doing, I'd suggest looking into Urns.

Have a go at a few 15-20L batches in the 19L pot - and have a go at some other recipes.


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## 1974Alby (10/8/11)

Nick JD said:


> I'd suggest looking into Urns.




are you reading my mind???... was just browsing ebay for urns only 5 minutes ago!!


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## chunckious (10/8/11)

Nick JD said:


> Hah HA! Another convert.
> 
> So many people have misinterpreted the 30 Buck thread as a regular method to produce beer. It's not. It's a teaching method that costs very little.
> 
> ...



So if i go and buy a S/S pot and Rambo, can a BIAB technique produce a beer as good as 3V.


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## Nick JD (10/8/11)

Chunkious said:


> So if i go and buy a S/S pot and Rambo, can a BIAB technique produce a beer as good as 3V.



The brewer's brain is the most important piece of brewing equipment. Apologies for the cryptic answer, but the answer to this question is subjective, and can be volatile.

Those folk who have won competitions with BIAB gear would probably have won using any gear.


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## Gar (10/8/11)

Albainian said:


> will have to look into doing maxiBIAB to make 20L at a time. Hmmm think I need a bigger pot, and some bulk grain...and more free time!



It's a slippery slope into brauhalla isn't it :kooi: 

Why not give the three tier method a go if your upgrading your gear?


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## .DJ. (10/8/11)

Chunkious said:


> So if i go and buy a S/S pot and Rambo, can a BIAB technique produce a beer as good as 3V.



yeah, but not as good as a K&K batch...  h34r: 

:icon_cheers:


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## chunckious (10/8/11)

Think I'll just follow my own path. Only just done my 1st stovetop! I`ve still got eons worth of info to learn at this level.
This method is still gonna give me a warm fuzzy feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day.
Cheers!!!!!


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## fergi (10/8/11)

Nick JD said:


> Hah HA! Another convert.
> 
> So many people have misinterpreted the 30 Buck thread as a regular method to produce beer. It's not. It's a teaching method that costs very little.
> 
> ...




nick i am interested to know since you have the $30 guide sorted do you use it or do you still use the 3V method.

any difference in taste.
fergi


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## raven19 (10/8/11)

Nick JD said:


> The brewer's brain is the most important piece of brewing equipment. Apologies for the cryptic answer, but the answer to this question is subjective, and can be volatile.
> 
> Those folk who have won competitions with BIAB gear would probably have won using any gear.



+1. Furthermore, as fancy as your wort production side of things is (guilty here with a RIMS system!), it means nothing without proper cold side handling, including sanitation, healthy yeast pitching, temperature control and so on.


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## Gar (10/8/11)

Chunkious said:


> Think I'll just follow my own path. Only just done my 1st stovetop! I`ve still got eons worth of info to learn at this level.
> This method is still gonna give me a warm fuzzy feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day.
> Cheers!!!!!



True, glad your enjoying it  

I sometimes get the feeling "why do I do this to myself" during cleanup but as soon as I've sat down I'm already planning the next batch haha.


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## Nick JD (10/8/11)

fergi said:


> nick i am interested to know since you have the $30 guide sorted do you use it or do you still use the 3V method.
> 
> any difference in taste.
> fergi



Personally, I don't think there's a difference in taste between a simple 3V system, and BIAB - but I'm talking full-size BIAB, not high gravity Stovetop BIAB. There is a difference in taste when boiling 1.065 liquor in high-grav stovetop compared with 1.038 (no dilution BIAB) ... but for some styles of beer I actually think high gravity boiling can make the difference a positive one. Not all though. 

A simple (esky tun) system is less flexible in many ways as it's more difficult to do involved step mashing. Something easy with BIAB. 

But a recirculating system will make the best beer if the brewer knows how to use it properly just because it provides the most accurate control over the mash schedule.

I still use 30 bucks worth of gear to make a keg filler. I'm a lazy brewer. For me, spargeless Stovetop brewing has the greatest taste:effort ratio in beer making. I've made a few batches on a mate's HERMS system, and although I love the bling ... I don't love the cleanup. 

I still think perfect yeast selection and management is the real key to great beer.


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## big78sam (10/8/11)

Albainian said:


> are you reading my mind???... was just browsing ebay for urns only 5 minutes ago!!



Be careful. there are some dodgy urns on ebay that users here have had no end of problems with. I bought one and ended up buying a Birko a few months later. If I were you I'd try to find a way to go straight to a decent urn, even if it means doing stovetop for a bit longer until you get the money together.


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## 1974Alby (10/8/11)

big78sam said:


> Be careful. there are some dodgy urns on ebay that users here have had no end of problems with. I bought one and ended up buying a Birko a few months later. If I were you I'd try to find a way to go straight to a decent urn, even if it means doing stovetop for a bit longer until you get the money together.




thanks for the advice...I'll follow it!


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## [email protected] (10/8/11)

Nick JD said:


> Personally, I don't think there's a difference in taste between a simple 3V system, and BIAB - but I'm talking full-size BIAB, not high gravity Stovetop BIAB. There is a difference in taste when boiling 1.065 liquor in high-grav stovetop compared with 1.038 (no dilution BIAB) ... but for some styles of beer I actually think high gravity boiling can make the difference a positive one. Not all though.  out of interest, what styles have you found to be suited to what method ?
> 
> 
> I still think perfect yeast selection and management is the real key to great beer.  Agreed respect the yeasties




Thanks


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## Wolfman (10/8/11)

Ag beer, it's like an angel pissing in your mouth! Enjoy.


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## Gar (10/8/11)

shan0066 said:


> Ag beer, it's like an angel pissing in your mouth! Enjoy.



:lol: just don't put that on the label please


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## Hatchy (10/8/11)

beernorks said:


> I find it like rooting.
> 
> The more I do it ..the quicker I get at it.



I won't be mentioning that comparison to my wife. She'll start asking why it takes me longer than a minute to brew.

Brewing definitely gets quicker after a few batches. I got home from work at 8 on Friday night. I had 35L of stout in cubes & was cleaned up at 12:06.


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## Nick JD (10/8/11)

Beer4U said:


> Thanks



With very pale, hop-centered beers it's difficult to get the "sharp" bitterness. Say in an APA that's 45 IBUs, you need to use a lot more hops, and there seems to be a softer, mellower bitterness when they're boiled in a high gravity wort. But at the same time, this can work to your advantage. I used to boil hops for extract beers in a very low SG and it seems to me that the higher the SG of the boil, the mellower the bitterness at the same calculated IBUs. No idea why, just a personal experience thing.

Also, 90 minute boils that start at 1.065 end waaay high ... and you're getting into high rates of caramelisation/mailard reaction territory for sure boiling hard with high gravities. This affects the final beer - when you're making a 1.042 Pilsner by diluting a 90 minute boil, 1.084 wort by two, expect it to be malty and a bit darker than if you boiled down a 1.035 wort.

You get some characteristics of "big" beers in your little beers.


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## Bribie G (10/8/11)

The advantages of BIAB in an urn is that it's a no-sparge and quick method, but Maxi-BIAB also produces excellent brews. It would be great if a Maxi-BIABer could enter the system wars brew day for the forthcoming Brisbane beer Convention as it will be all the same recipe done on Braumeister, 3V, BIAB and maybe a Herms or Rims if anyone can get their gear to the brew day.


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## Nick JD (10/8/11)

Bribie G said:


> The advantages of BIAB in an urn is that it's a no-sparge and quick method, but Maxi-BIAB also produces excellent brews. It would be great if a Maxi-BIABer could enter the system wars brew day for the forthcoming Brisbane beer Convention as it will be all the same recipe done on Braumeister, 3V, BIAB and maybe a Herms or Rims if anyone can get their gear to the brew day.



Anyone know how to unplug a stove? :huh:


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## Bribie G (10/8/11)

That's a good point, the day will be at Bacchus Brewing and they just have a microwave  


Microwave... now there's a thought............


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## stux (10/8/11)

Nick JD said:


> Anyone know how to unplug a stove? :huh:









?


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## kelbygreen (10/8/11)

I love BIAB I dont do it any more but wouldnt be where I am without it. I mean I could still do it but cleaning and maintaining the bags a pain. I just hose the esky out and the pot then fill pot with sod perc for a day whipe down and done. no hanging a big sheet of voile on the line and trying to hose it while it goes every where and I get wet lol


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## Newbee(r) (10/8/11)

Nick JD said:


> With very pale, hop-centered beers it's difficult to get the "sharp" bitterness. Say in an APA that's 45 IBUs, you need to use a lot more hops, and there seems to be a softer, mellower bitterness when they're boiled in a high gravity wort. But at the same time, this can work to your advantage. I used to boil hops for extract beers in a very low SG and it seems to me that the higher the SG of the boil, the mellower the bitterness at the same calculated IBUs. No idea why, just a personal experience thing.
> 
> Also, 90 minute boils that start at 1.065 end waaay high ... and you're getting into high rates of caramelisation/mailard reaction territory for sure boiling hard with high gravities. This affects the final beer - when you're making a 1.042 Pilsner by diluting a 90 minute boil, 1.084 wort by two, expect it to be malty and a bit darker than if you boiled down a 1.035 wort.
> 
> You get some characteristics of "big" beers in your little beers.



Just learnt something - I feel a big little beer coming on....... thanks for that!


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## bigandhairy (10/8/11)

I just hose the esky out and the pot then fill pot with sod perc for a day whipe down and done. 
[/quote]

Thats exactly what i do with my bag and urn, except the bag fits inside the urn for the overnight soak. No hassles. 

bah


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## big78sam (10/8/11)

kelbygreen said:


> I love BIAB I dont do it any more but wouldnt be where I am without it. I mean I could still do it but cleaning and maintaining the bags a pain. I just hose the esky out and the pot then fill pot with sod perc for a day whipe down and done. no hanging a big sheet of voile on the line and trying to hose it while it goes every where and I get wet lol



I just throw it on the floor and SWMBO washes it for me. Easy!!!


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## felten (10/8/11)

Just take your bag into the shower with you.


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## stux (10/8/11)

felten said:


> Just take your bag into the shower with you.



I just rinse the bag in the laundry sink

I basically hold it so the grains wash out, rather than deeper into the bag

I hang the bag out in the sun under the verandah

When I'm done *everything* except the burner goes back into the pot and it goes into the shed, on top of the burner stand


...

When the bag starts to go brown... I soak it in PBW for a bit and it goes white again


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## bignath (10/8/11)

Stux said:


> When the bag starts to go brown... I soak it in PBW for a bit and it goes white again




HAHA, sounds like an episode of the simpsons.....

*insert Homer voice here:

"bag goes white, bag goes brown, bag goes white, bag goes brown"


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## Nick JD (10/8/11)

Bribie G said:


> That's a good point, the day will be at Bacchus Brewing and they just have a microwave
> 
> 
> Microwave... now there's a thought............



I will be more than happy to promote BIAM.


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## Cocko (10/8/11)

Oh yeah  ... I remember my first AG...

Good work mate, as they say - slippery slope!

Look forward to your full volume AG rig pics!


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## Nick JD (10/8/11)

Cocko said:


> Look forward to your full volume AG rig pics!



This kind of attitude will only prompt me to brew a 750ml batch. 

I will individually manicure each grain, to see that it has no extraneous husk. Each one will be hand picked. 

The corked 750ml bottle of Belgian Triple will be presented to a Prince of U.A.E so that he, in his abstaining manner, will pour it over his Bugatti. 

And we'll never know whether small batches lead to better care. 

Oh, the poor, poor barleyz.


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## Cocko (10/8/11)

Nick JD said:


> This kind of attitude will only prompt me to brew a 750ml batch.
> 
> I will individually manicure each grain, to see that it has no extraneous husk. Each one will be hand picked.
> 
> ...



750ml ??

WHY! Why would you brew such a big batch? what a waste of grain!

I did a 40ml brew last week with 2 grain of ale and a perfectly sliced dark crystal grain to 1/4....

Thats all I can tell you, as I am developing this recipe.. 

Lets just say I used a WHOLE hop pallet!

Interested now huh!

Well back off....


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## Synthetase (10/8/11)

Nick JD said:


> This kind of attitude will only prompt me to brew a 750ml batch.
> 
> I will individually manicure each grain, to see that it has no extraneous husk. Each one will be hand picked.
> 
> ...



Although, you might discover that small batch Belgian ales make great car polish and become a millionaire...


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## Spork (11/8/11)

I think I'm on that slippery slope as well.
I did 3 kits. The toucan is OK, the Wizards Miff is drinkable (just) the Chimay Blue clone is shit...
Have done 3 stovetop BIAB's. The basic (Nick JD recipe) one is very nice, but a touch undercarbonated. The 1st 1/2 batch Dr Smurto's didn't work properly (mash temp too high, failed to convert starch to fermentables) The 2nd 1/2 batch is great! very nearly as good a beer as I've tasted, and I've tasted a few...
As a result, I've just placed an order with Ross for a 40 litre crown urn and a few kilos of grain. Next week I'll prob. get a "better" bag (for BIAB) and a mill... Soon I'll be buying bulk grain, and growing my own hops, and culturing my own yeast and...
Luckily (?) I don't have a shed so my brewing space is limited, so no plans for 3V in the near future. It's BIAB for me, but at least with the urn I'll be able to do full size (23 litre) batches.


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## CosmicBertie (11/8/11)

My method is a bit more involved, but i end up with 23L. I got myself a 35L s/s stock pot off eBay and I have a seperate 16L s/s stock pot.

I use an iPhone app which calculates the water volumes based on the grain recipe I've entered. A typical brew day would be:

- Grind grain in coffee grinder whilst heating up strike water (4L/kg of grain, so generally around 20L) in the 35L pot, and boil the kettle (for a cup of tea.)
- Put BIAB bag in pot, slowly adding grain and stirring/mashing with a potato masher. Add any salts (calcium chloride, etc) at the same time.
- Measure temperature, adjust with boiling water from kettle
- Put on lid, wrap in my dressing gown, cover with a folded bath towel and leave for 90mins.
- Measure out all hop additions during this time.
- With 30mins to go in the mash, heat up approx 10L of water in second pot to about 76C for sparging.
- At 90mins, check temperature lift bag and put a large colander under it (so it drains into the mash pot). Give it a bit of a squeeze.
- Once sparge water is at 76C, slowly lower the grain bag into it. Heat up the mash pot to boil the wort. Open up the bag in the sparge water and give the grains a good stirring. Leave this for 10 mins.
- Lift bag from sparge water. Let it drain and put colander under it. Give it a squeeze. Drop bag in bucket.
- Start heating up sparge water (technically, its now wort, not sparge water).

From here, its doing the usual hop additions, and also gradually adding in the 'sparge' water into the main pot over a 90 min boil.

Once the boil is done, chill by dunking the pot in the swimming pool for an hour, then syphon into the fermenter and pitch.

I reckon it takes about 4 to 5 hours for me.


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## bignath (11/8/11)

Cocko said:


> 750ml ??
> 
> WHY! Why would you brew such a big batch? what a waste of grain!
> 
> ...



That must be a bitch trying to weigh out a 4 grain, 80/10/5/5 bill.....

Also, what was your boil off???


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## Nick JD (11/8/11)

Cosmic Bertie said:


> From here, its doing the usual hop additions, and also gradually adding in the 'sparge' water into the main pot over a 90 min boil.



You'd be best to get that sparge water in there earlier rather than later. Especially with pale Pilsner grains.


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## CosmicBertie (11/8/11)

Nick JD said:


> You'd be best to get that sparge water in there earlier rather than later. Especially with pale Pilsner grains.



Noted, I'll add that to the 'to do' list.


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## Brewer_010 (14/8/11)

drinking my first AG at the moment, 100% Maris Otter bittered with Magnum flavoured with Simcoe - the palest beer I've brewed, really tasty although a PITA as my kit struggled with sparging 3.5kg of grain. Will be buying a 40L urn as soon as my tax return comes in and will take the bitching from the wife cos I don't care :beerbang: - have so many other beers to try and make!


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## 1974Alby (16/8/11)

just placed an order for 20kg of Joe White Pilsener.....will try a few high gravity stovetop SMaSH brews over the next month to get an understanding of the differing Hop influences on a basic beer. Once Ive done that I will look at complicating things more by adding/combining different grains. 

Thanks for all the replies!


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (16/8/11)

Might Consider using Bairds (or TF now CB has it) Perle Malt. At $3.50 per kg milled it's cheap and if you are looking for a good, highly modified base malt with a good malty flavour, you can't go wrong.

I like pilsener malt, and it'll certainly showcase your hops (unless you go with a decoction mash) because it's low-ish in malty flavour - IMO.

But if you're looking for a malt that can produce a good balanced beer, cheaply, I highly recommend perle malt - it's my base for all malty ales, and I've even used it in a german lager (more like an alt, but I won't go there).

Goomba


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## kjparker (25/8/11)

Stux said:


> ?


Hmm. Funny you should post that.... I was just banned from brewing in the kitchen the other night because the aroma from the hops I was using was making her feel ill! (I was making a rather hoppy Pale Ale Kit and bits brew).

How well do those burners handle a small boil? Talking a 20l pot with maybe 5 or so litres in it? I have one of those I could use outside on the deck....


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## bignath (25/8/11)

clueless said:


> How well do those burners handle a small boil? Talking a 20l pot with maybe 5 or so litres in it? I have one of those I could use outside on the deck....



It'll do it easily.

I've used those to boil 26lt in aluminium crab cooker for a 20lt fermenter batch. Admittedly, it was inside on a warm day, but it still got me over the line. Wasn't a massive rolling boil, but it did do the job to get me out of trouble.

5lt's for one of those will be piss easy.


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## Nick JD (25/8/11)

I wondered for a while why people got kicked out of the kitchen for making beer and then it occured to me - most kitchens are SWMBO's.

Mine isn't; SWMBO isn't the primary chef in da houz. 

I can also see that she stands there complaining about the smell when she's actually complaining about, _why you fuckin' have got 4 hours to make beer and mess, when you haven't got 30 minutes to make me and the kids something tasty._

GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN!  :lol:


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## kjparker (25/8/11)

Nick JD said:


> I wondered for a while why people got kicked out of the kitchen for making beer and then it occured to me - most kitchens are SWMBO's.
> 
> Mine isn't; SWMBO isn't the primary chef in da houz.
> 
> ...



Lol. I'll just remind you of something someone much older and wiser than I once said.

"Happy Wife, Happy Life."


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## bignath (25/8/11)

Mine wonders why i've got 4hours to make beer, but don't have 10mins to fix the leaking shower nozzle.


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## Amber Fluid (25/8/11)

Big Nath said:


> Mine wonders why i've got 4hours to make beer, but don't have 10mins to fix the leaking shower nozzle.




LMFAO!!... I can relate to that sooooo much. I swear they are all tar of the same brush!!


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## bowie in space (25/8/11)

Albainian said:


> just placed an order for 20kg of Joe White Pilsener.....will try a few high gravity stovetop SMaSH brews over the next month to get an understanding of the differing Hop influences on a basic beer. Once Ive done that I will look at complicating things more by adding/combining different grains.
> 
> Thanks for all the replies!



That's a sensible idea. I'm only just starting to do that now. One hop, one base malt, and one specialty malt at a time. It's the only way you'll get a full understanding of each variety. It's easy to get carried away with making complex beers. You just end up wondering which taste/smell is which. Then you can go from there. The issue with that theory is that there are sooooooooo many different hops, malt and yeast to try!


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (25/8/11)

bowie in space said:


> That's a sensible idea. I'm only just starting to do that now. One hop, one base malt, and one specialty malt at a time. It's the only way you'll get a full understanding of each variety. It's easy to get carried away with making complex beers. You just end up wondering which taste/smell is which. Then you can go from there. The issue with that theory is that there are sooooooooo many different hops, malt and yeast to try!



I went the Smash routine - it's a bit annoying short term (beers can be one dimensional) but great long term, because you get a way better understanding of your ingredients.

I know what NS at 10min smells and tastes like, how Citra and Galaxy differ (despite being similar), english vs us hops, First Gold vs EKG, etc etc etc.

As a result, my choice of ingredients is far more precise, and better, and the beers I make, I know approx what the end result will be.

My house ale is the same base malt + 1 spec malt, and I rotate through a few different hop varieties just for the variation.

And I managed a lager with cheap malt and hops, and nailed it.

SMaSH got me there.

Goomba


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## warra48 (25/8/11)

Big Nath said:


> Mine wonders why i've got 4hours to make beer, but don't have 10mins to fix the leaking shower nozzle.



Eerrrrr, I'm the chief cook in our house. Mrs warra advised me when I retired that she'd cooked for the two of us and our family for 30+ years, and it was my turn. Besides, she doesn't like cooking. I like cooking, and even she admits I'm much better at it than she is.

The real issue is why I can spend 6 hours on an AG brew but the other husbandly duties/pleasures are done and dusted in much much less time.
My answer is I only brew once every 3 to 4 weeks, and if she wants a 6 hour session, it will be limited to once only every 3 to 4 weeks.
I'm still brewing.


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## yum beer (25/8/11)

Nick JD said:


> I wondered for a while why people got kicked out of the kitchen for making beer and then it occured to me - most kitchens are SWMBO's.
> 
> Mine isn't; SWMBO isn't the primary chef in da houz.
> 
> ...



Right on Nick,

same at my place, its my fucken kitchen...luckily I recently started doing part time 3pm to 7pm 4 nights a week, she goes to work at 8.30 in the morning. 

Ive got pretty much all day to do what I want with the kitchen,



2 weeks ago my daughter complained about the smell when she was home off school....I told her to not get sick on a brew day...get outta my fucken kitchen


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## 1974Alby (26/8/11)

my first smash (pilsner + PoR) has been in the fermentor now for about 5 days...and the krausen keeps on growing!!! by far the most vigorous Ive ever experienced. Though it would have settled down by now, but got home from work yesterday and it was trying to climb through the glad wrap...

I have much room for improvement in my method, specifically need to get more of the boiled liquid into the fermenter, as I reckon I left 1 - 2 litres behind...largely a result of loosely boiling hop pellets without a hop bag...Overall iirc I ended with about 11 litres of 1077 at room temp in the fermentor (used 4kg pilsner malt), which I topped up to about 18L before pitching yeast....not the 20 Litres I was aiming for, but much more beer for effort than the 8 Litres I got with my first stovetop minibiab.

will try another smash variation soon..maybe pilsner + galaxy??


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