# First time AG



## AJH (10/5/18)

I am looking for a smash recipe I have a new Robobrew and want to put a batch through that is simple. I have never done an all grain before I am looking for something that is not dark more like the normal stuff you get across the bar.I have no idea what grains or hops there are or how much I would need If anyone can help I would be grateful I have tried the local homebrew shop but the bloke there doesn't Know about such things?


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## Drewgong (10/5/18)

AJH said:


> I am looking for a smash recipe I have a new Robobrew and want to put a batch through that is simple. I have never done an all grain before I am looking for something that is not dark more like the normal stuff you get across the bar.I have no idea what grains or hops there are or how much I would need If anyone can help I would be grateful I have tried the local homebrew shop but the bloke there doesn't Know about such things?


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## Drewgong (10/5/18)

This was my first all grain brew of I were to do it again I would halve the 60min hop addition or even drop it all together. the aroma was awesome tasted beautiful but had a very bitter after taste which did subside after about three weeks in the keg


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## AJH (10/5/18)

Drewgong said:


> This was my first all grain brew of I were to do it again I would halve the 60min hop addition or even drop it all together. the aroma was awesome tasted beautiful but had a very bitter after taste which did subside after about three weeks in the keg View attachment 112537


 
Thanks Drewgong I have copied that and will give it a go , when you say halve the 60 min hop add you mean 30 min simcoe or possibly give that add a miss altogether or make it 10g simcoeat @60. As you have no doubt worked out I don't know much about all grain brewing


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## Drewgong (10/5/18)

AJH said:


> Thanks Drewgong I have copied that and will give it a go , when you say halve the 60 min hop add you mean 30 min simcoe or possibly give that add a miss altogether or make it 10g simcoeat @60. As you have no doubt worked out I don't know much about all grain brewing


All good mate I myself am only learning I've been brewing for over a year just started ag a few months back . So from what I understand whatever hops you add at the start of the boil (60mins) is what gives you your bitterness after 30 mins of boiling all hop additions will mostly affect the flavor after boil is complete and during fermentation all hop additions affect aroma. you can mix and match whatever hops you like simcoe goes well with centennial. it's all about experimentation to see what flavors you like.


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## AJH (10/5/18)

Thanks Drewgong, it all makes sense I wont feel so stupid when I go in tomorrow and get the gear.


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## solidute (10/5/18)

Only a new brewer myself so relied on YouTube and forums etc for help. Then i had a mate who is opening a distillery come give me a few pointers. He said my processes were ok just need to fine tune things which will come with experience so i was pretty happy with that. Below is a recipe that im using until im happy with my brewday so i have something to compare each batch to. Only my hops change just to mix the flavours a little, quality should get better each time.

While not a smash recipe i use 6.5kg malt - 4.5kg ale malt 2kg wheat - the wheat is for head retention. 

My hop additions are 5g magnum at 60min for bittering - magnum is meant to be a nice bittering hop
Next hop i use is what i try to use for flavour last one was mosaic 
20g at 20min
30g at 10min 
20g at flameout 

Then I dry hop 50g with either the flavour hop or i use galaxy.

Plenty of smash recipes out there


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## AJH (11/5/18)

Thanks solidude, All good info, I have been watching utube and just when I recon I have gotit some one does it different so I,ll just doit and hope for the best.


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## solidute (11/5/18)

I follow fast homebrew (ruddager on this forum) as my main homebrewer on YouTube. Gash slugg is one who uses a robobrew so be worthwhile following him too.

Craigtube is another but i havent watched his stuff for ages.

personally I think im getting a better understanding of what im doing as i go, but nowhere near where I want to be. Just focusing on the one recipe, with only minor tweaks as already mentioned, for now and when im happy I'll look into other aspects


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## Quokka42 (12/5/18)

If you are looking for a typical draught beer I would try 75% Joe White Traditional Ale, 20% wheat and 5% crystal. Bitter to the mid to high 20s with Super Pride, then a 1/2oz addition of Cluster, Pride of Ringwood or East Kent Goldings. It will be a bit richer than most commercial beers, but until you have mastered "lagering" it's better to head for a more "old fashioned" beer - this is probably what most commercial draughts were like before refrigeration became economical.
Oh, and my personal choice would be Nottingham yeast at 18-20C or Coopers kit yeast at 21C.


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## mashmaniac (12/5/18)

You have a robobrew, if it came with the pump then you can recirculate, and easily maintain temps. Only thing you really need to watch out for is starting the re circulation. (I'm assuming LHBS has milled your grain for you and the crush is good for redic)

So mash in and mix, break up any dough balls, then let it rest the grain will still be absorbing water (around 1L per kilo)
After around 10 mins start your re-circulation slowly, and gradually increase over the next 10-15mins.

Mash temps for your first brew aren't criticle your just trying to get a handle on the process and gear, say 64-66c for an hour.

Mash out, Baibers don't do one, MHB would tell you all the stuff that takes place at mash out with enzymes and such, but one of the biggest things that happens is the sugars are more liquid and more able to be filtered from the grain, so again if your recircing you can raise the temp to 76-78 for 15-20mins.

Sparge (rinsing the grain with clean water) temps are usually the same as mash out 2 methods:

Fly sparging is adding water to the mash (slowly) at the same rate and time as you drain it to the kettle.

Batch sparging is draining the kettle and then filling with sparge water then draining that to the kettle(you can recirc your sparge).

Then boil for 60-90 mins (LID OFF) and hops per timings from the end of the boil.
Chill and add yeast



End of the day you'll make beer, get the ferment right and you'll make good beer.

ED: sparge info is generic I do realise you'll be raising a malt pipe and probably rinsing in place, however if you drain the mash({first runnings}to a bucket or spare vessel) with malt pipe still in place and re fill with sparge water you can batch sparge these systems.


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## Bonenose (12/5/18)

Check out the recipe builder on brewman great way to start and plenty of ready to go recipes, I also use brewers friend and can recommend that when you want to get a bit more adventurous.


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## AJH (14/5/18)

Quokka42 said:


> If you are looking for a typical draught beer I would try 75% Joe White Traditional Ale, 20% wheat and 5% crystal. Bitter to the mid to high 20s with Super Pride, then a 1/2oz addition of Cluster, Pride of Ringwood or East Kent Goldings. It will be a bit richer than most commercial beers, but until you have mastered "lagering" it's better to head for a more "old fashioned" beer - this is probably what most commercial draughts were like before refrigeration became economical.
> Oh, and my personal choice would be Nottingham yeast at 18-20C or Coopers kit yeast at 21C.



sorry for the late reply I will add that brew to the list there are a few that I cant wait to try, I just have to be able to get the malt/hops not easy where I am


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## AJH (14/5/18)

Bonenose said:


> Check out the recipe builder on brewman great way to start and plenty of ready to go recipes, I also use brewers friend and can recommend that when you want to get a bit more adventurous.


I,ll give brewman a look I am looking at brewers friend there,s a lot there


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## AJH (14/5/18)

mashmaniac said:


> You have a robobrew, if it came with the pump then you can recirculate, and easily maintain temps. Only thing you really need to watch out for is starting the re circulation. (I'm assuming LHBS has milled your grain for you and the crush is good for redic)
> 
> So mash in and mix, break up any dough balls, then let it rest the grain will still be absorbing water (around 1L per kilo)
> After around 10 mins start your re-circulation slowly, and gradually increase over the next 10-15mins.
> ...



Thanks Mashmaniac you have answered a few questions I have forgotten to ask( fly sparging) my robobrew is the V3 with pump you have been a big help thank you.


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## AJH (14/5/18)

solidute said:


> I follow fast homebrew (ruddager on this forum) as my main homebrewer on YouTube. Gash slugg is one who uses a robobrew so be worthwhile following him too.
> 
> Craigtube is another but i havent watched his stuff for ages.
> 
> personally I think im getting a better understanding of what im doing as i go, but nowhere near where I want to be. Just focusing on the one recipe, with only minor tweaks as already mentioned, for now and when im happy I'll look into other aspects


I also follow Gashslug but he tends to woffel a abit but I am getting good info from him Allso ruddger all thou I think he just does BIAB.

My intention is to focus on one beer or one base malt and twitch it abit to work out what hops and yeasts do Thanks again


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## solidute (14/5/18)

AJH said:


> I also follow Gashslug but he tends to woffel a abit but I am getting good info from him Allso ruddger all thou I think he just does BIAB.
> 
> My intention is to focus on one beer or one base malt and twitch it abit to work out what hops and yeasts do Thanks again


He does do biab but aside from quantities and methods a smash recipe is a smash recipe and he's done a few - at least that was where I was heading with the suggestion anyway. 

Good luck with brew day keep us posted with results


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## AJH (14/5/18)

solidute said:


> He does do biab but aside from quantities and methods a smash recipe is a smash recipe and he's done a few - at least that was where I was heading with the suggestion anyway.
> 
> Good luck with brew day keep us posted with results


No worries


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