A novice brewer here.

[Cian Doyle]

Hi, I am a novice brewer, made a few kits but now I am keen to pick brains for all grain brewing, I have spent a few months just reading up on the extensive and exceptional amount of information on this site. Looking forward to getting my queries answered, I shall probably have quite a few.

 

[awfulknauful]

Hi Cian, I have certainly learned a lot on this forum, have read quite a bit also, didn't think I would ever have made a serious reader there definitely a lot to absorb.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Greetings Cian, if you have been reading the threads I am sure you would have learned quite a bit already, have you got set up for your move into all grain?

 

[malt and barley blues]

Welcome mate, come to the right place, knowledge is as addictive as the drink.

 

[Cian Doyle]

Thanks for the welcome guys, I have taken in a lot already, got my head around the water treatment, mash temperatures etc. I will be ordering the Guten brewery and looking forward to getting to familiarise
myself with it.

 

[Reg Holt]

Welcome Cian, I picked a Guten up last night from a guy who had upgraded to the fifty litre, first time I have seen one, very impressed. Any questions and I am sure you will get the right answers.

 

[Cian Doyle]

Ordered my Guten yesterday, got a grain mill, just got to get a few more bits and pieces then I am ready to rock.

 

[malt and barley blues]

Hi Reg just interested to know how much you paid for the Guten second hand, if you don't mind me asking. I am thinking of selling mine and moving up to the 50 litre. Would yours be covered by warranty?

 

[Reg Holt]

Hi Reg just interested to know how much you paid for the Guten second hand, if you don't mind me asking. I am thinking of selling mine and moving up to the 50 litre. Would yours be covered by warranty?

I got it for $380 with KK insulated jacket only about 4 months old, got the original receipt so all good with the warranty. Now back on topic.

 

[Cian Doyle]

Will be popping my cherry on Saturday, first all grain brew, feeling confident but a little nervous.

 

[pnorkle]

Will be popping my cherry on Saturday, first all grain brew, feeling confident but a little nervous.

Meh - nothing to be nervous about. I'd do a dry run with some water first, just to identify any leaks or other issues you don't want popping up in the middle of your first brew.

And yes, I understand how "dry run with water" sounds.. wrong. But y'all know what I mean

 

[Schikitar]

Will be popping my cherry on Saturday, first all grain brew, feeling confident but a little nervous.

What are you brewing dude? Maybe post your recipe along with your brew day plan and we can help you avoid any potential hazards/gotchyas! Also, what is your approach to fermentation?

 

[Cian Doyle]

I will be doing all that with a good clean before I use it, just a bit nervous about the grain crush more than anything else. I have read so much, but not a lot of information about grain crush.

 

[Cian Doyle]

What are you brewing dude? Maybe post your recipe along with your brew day plan and we can help you avoid any potential hazards/gotchyas! Also, what is your approach to fermentation?

I am planning a SMaSH, just trying to keep it as simple as possible, I haven't put it through Brewers Friend yet I will be substituting Ella hops for Cascade the recipe is for 20 litre I am making 21 litres, the malt for 20l is 3.8 kg Light Munich, yeast is US-05 18 C fermentation temperature. I will put the recipe up when I have programmed it.

 

[captnhaddock]

3.8kg/8.4lbs seems like a really small beer if you're looking at 21L to the fermenter (or is that your boil volume?). I see about 3.8% abv on my calculator. Maybe consider 5kg of 2row (something in the 1*L - 2*L) range so you won't get quite level of malt & darker amber colour that the Munich would give (I'm assuming you're looking at about 10*L on the Munich). Otherise, love cascade as a smash hop.

 

[pnorkle]

I will be doing all that with a good clean before I use it, just a bit nervous about the grain crush more than anything else. I have read so much, but not a lot of information about grain crush.

Hmm.. if you're worried about the crush, why don't you do a test run on a handful or so of the base malt. What you're looking for is not too much flour, husks pretty much intact - but separated from the grain and the grain broken into varying sizes.

 

[Cian Doyle]

3.8kg/8.4lbs seems like a really small beer if you're looking at 21L to the fermenter (or is that your boil volume?). I see about 3.8% abv on my calculator. Maybe consider 5kg of 2row (something in the 1*L - 2*L) range so you won't get quite level of malt & darker amber colour that the Munich would give (I'm assuming you're looking at about 10*L on the Munich). Otherise, love cascade as a smash hop.

I will be putting it through the program probably tonight. I want to be looking for between 4.5 and 5% ABV .

Hmm.. if you're worried about the crush, why don't you do a test run on a handful or so of the base malt. What you're looking for is not too much flour, husks pretty much intact - but separated from the grain and the grain broken into varying sizes.

Will be trying that, hard to know what to look for when I haven't seen it. Hopefully I will recognise what I am wanting to achieve.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Having a bit of stage fright Cian is OK, as long as you don't loose confidence you will be good. Getting the grain crush right will come with experience, don't expect to get everything right with your first brew. You will not be making undrinkable beer.

 

[Cian Doyle]

Having a bit of stage fright Cian is OK, as long as you don't loose confidence you will be good. Getting the grain crush right will come with experience, don't expect to get everything right with your first brew. You will not be making undrinkable beer.

Thank's for those words of encouragement, confidence is in tact, I have manged to drink some bad beers which could have been classed as undrinkable, I will be making a beer which will surpass those.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Thank's for those words of encouragement, confidence is in tact, I have manged to drink some bad beers which could have been classed as undrinkable, I will be making a beer which will surpass those.

Seems the IRFU's confidence was awry when they played England.