# Beginners Grain Purchase



## bobban (10/10/12)

I am just putting together my first ag brewing set and when I placed the order for some gear from brewbelly they said there was an extra 3.5kg space in my box if I wanted to use that. I was planning to look into grain and hops after I got my set so I don't know what to get.

Can someone suggest a cookiecutter brew recipe for a beginner from their stock for a single batch?

Beerbelly grain

Beerbelly hops

Thank you


----------



## barls (10/10/12)

dr smurto golden ale seems to be the standard one. dont even need to send them the recipe just ask Amanda for it.
theres a few others.


----------



## Northside Novice (10/10/12)

uk mild is a style that doesnt use much grain for a 20 litre batch , it is only about 2.8-3.5 % alc but full of malty flavour 

Mild 

Type: All Grain

Batch Size 20 ltr 
2.9 kg Pale Malt, Maris Otter 
0.20 kg Caraaroma 
0.20 kg Caramunich II 
0.15 kg Carafa II 
25.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [4.80%] (60 min) 

1 London ESB Ale (Wyeast Labs #1968) Yeast-Ale


----------



## bobban (11/10/12)

Thanks for those tips. I can't see all the ingredients for the uk mild brew in the beerbelly lists so I might leave that one to later but cheers for the suggestion it sounds good. 

Since smurto seems pretty well known I might give that a go first and I can see all ingredients in beerbelly's list. I have one dumb question about the recipe. It says "secondary 14 days". I only have a primary fermeneter so I guess leaving in bottle for 14 days is the equivalent? :unsure:


----------



## sponge (11/10/12)

Just leave the brew in the primary for 2 weeks, not the bottle as if it hasnt finished fermenting yet, you'll have some nice bottle bombs on your hands.


----------



## bignath (11/10/12)

bobban said:


> It says "secondary 14 days". I only have a primary fermeneter so I guess leaving in bottle for 14 days is the equivalent? :unsure:



Nah mate, not really. As it sounds like you are aware already (pointing out you only have 1 fermenter) secondary refers to the use of a second vessel to allow the yummy beer to get off of the yeast cake into a different vessel allowing it to condition and clarify.

If you don't have another vessel (barrel, cube, jerry can etc) i'd just skip this step and bottle/keg, and not worry about secondary stuff.
I used to rack to a secondary vessel but have now stopped after weighing up the pro's and con's for the beer styles that i make. It didn't balance out in my head with the infection/oxidation risks vs clarity/condition (alleged) improvements. 

My beers come out of my kegs quite clear from the first pour by merely conditioning my beer in the primary vessel at 1deg for 5 days after fermentation has finished. Halfway through the keg it pours REAL clear, not crystal, but very clear indeed. 

I don't filter or anything either. 

If you have access to a big enough fridge??? I'd just put the FV in that for a week or so as cold as you can get it without freezing it, then let it warm up to room temp to bottle, or if kegging, straight in the keg from the cold conditioning.


----------



## bobban (12/10/12)

Thanks for clarifying about the secondary fermenter and your tips on alternate methods Big Nath. B)


----------



## Helles (12/10/12)

Id go with a simple brew like a SMASH (Single Malt And Single Hop)
Maris Otter and some Cascade Yeast US-05
Learn how this works as in flavours of malt and hops
Best to start from the beginning and work from there
Add a bit of Crystal a little of this and little of that as you go
Get the basics down first
If you dont mess with the grain bill too much 
It will make a great beer 
Learn the flavours you like
I wish i had have done it this way


----------



## micblair (13/10/12)

Good call. U can make exceptional beers with just two ingredients. The other thing is up developing the vocabulary to describe different hops, which is only possible I find when you've got a couple of single hopped beers on hand as you will be able to differentiate citrusy from piney from florally. There are hops like Nelson and Galaxy which are quite pronounced but I would have a tough time describing centennial vs cascade and maybe amarillo as they are all floral/citrusy!


----------



## raven19 (15/10/12)

I started a topic on 'Tell me your top 5 grains' a while back - some good specialty malt lists in there if you need a top up on your order.


----------



## HoppingMad (15/10/12)

Dr Smurto is the way. Converted me to the dark side that one did. h34r: 

Once you find your feet it's a great idea to get a larger quantity of 'base grain' that you can put into most beers you make and have a ready supply of to save multiple trips to brewstores. You will go through base more than other grain types.

When we say base malt this is typically pilsener malt or ale malt. 

Popular local base grain brands are - Joe White Export Pilsener, Joe White Traditional Ale or Barrett Burston Ale Malt.

Another popular base malt is Marris Otter - basically a UK ale malt.

All the very best with your first AG Brew. Once you're in there's no going back! That stuff tastes too darn good. <insert evil laugh here>

Hopper.


----------

