Brewers Please Give Your Honest A Opinion

[Bogan333]

Lager AG 4th
This brew will be my 4th a temp at AG. The other three ones just did not work out so I hope keep it simple will work

The cost of this should be around $72.00 through BrewMate Bayswater

Grain Bill
4.300kg JW EXPORT PILSNER MALT
489gm JW WHEAT MALT

Hop Bill
Perle Pellet 29g 60min's Boil
Perle Pellet 13g 40min's Boil
Hallertau Pellet 12g 15min's Boil
Perle Pellet 12g 15 min's Boil
Hallertau 12g Flame out

Whirlfloc 1 Talbet 15 min's boil
Wyeast 2007 - Pilsen Lager Temperature Range 9-13C
23 L Spring Water


Batch size 23.0L
OG 1.049
FG 1.011
ABV 5.0
EBC 6.3
IBU 36.3
Efficiency 76%
BU:GU Ratio 0.74
Balance Vale 1.74
AA% 78
Boil Time 60 min's

 

[mxd]

apart from the fact it looks too expensive

Are you a no chiller or a chiller ?

What was wrong with the previous ones ?

you may want to look at doing an acid rest in your mash or add some salts.

For your fermentation, make sure you get "the right quantity/quality" of yeast for pitching.

Look at doing a D-Rest when the Gravity is down 1.020

 

[eamonnfoley]

Lager AG 4th
This brew will be my 4th a temp at AG. The other three ones just did not work out so I hope keep it simple will work.

The cost of this should be around $72.00 through BrewMate Bayswater

Grain Bill
4.300kg JW EXPORT PILSNER MALT
489gm JW WHEAT MALT

Hop Bill
Perle Pellet 29g 60min's Boil
Perle Pellet 13g 40min's Boil
Hallertau Pellet 12g 15min's Boil
Perle Pellet 12g 15 min's Boil
Hallertau 12g Flame out

Whirlfloc 1 Talbet 15 min's boil
Wyeast 2007 - Pilsen Lager Temperature Range 9-13C
23 L Spring Water


Batch size 23.0L
OG 1.049
FG 1.011
ABV 5.0
EBC 6.3
IBU 36.3
Efficiency 76%
BU:GU Ratio 0.74
Balance Vale 1.74
AA% 78
Boil Time 60 min's

Recipe looks fine - but $72 for a batch?? That sounds very high, your better off buying beer at that price. Even paying for grain per kg. If your not having success, stick with a simple ale recipe with dry yeast, and only bittering hops (high alpha hops). Keep the price down until you get yourself sorted. And don't worry, a simple ale recipe will taste very nice if brewed well.

Go to Nev at Gryphon in Bassendean (Success Hill) he will sort you out.

 

[bignath]

$72 for a single batch? Holy shit....you need to find a better source for ingredients.

I could, (as most brewers who own a mill and bulk buy etc...) could make twice that amount for around half the price...seriously.

Apart from that, how do you end up with a batch size of 23lt by using 23lt of water? Not too sure about that one :icon_cheers:

 

[QldKev]

I hope your allowing to buy a carton of beer for brewday in that price?

My 69L batch would cost less than that for the same beer.

Since you said "The other three ones just did not work out so I hope keep it simple will work" I would not be doing a lager. Look up Dr Smurto's Golden Ale, or any decent ale that will help hide a lot of flaws from the brewing process.

edit: Also there are a few brewers in your area, get someone who has a few brews under their belt around on the day, you will pick up so much with someone there and brewday will be so much smoother.


QldKev

 

[Bogan333]

Yes I using a chiller.
With the previous ones they all had a over powering biscuit taste.
I'm just reading up on PH and brewing salts
I now have a old fridge, all I got to do is buy is a temperature controller


On BrewMart website
4.300kg Kg JW EXPORT PILSNER MALT $28.75
489g JW WHEAT MALT $ 4.95
100g PERLE PELLETS HOPS $ 9.95
2x FINISHING HOPS-HALLERTAU 12g $ 7.00
WYEAST - 2007 PILSEN LAGER $14.95
23 L Spring Water $10.00

 

[Bogan333]

$72 for a single batch? Holy shit....you need to find a better source for ingredients.

I could, (as most brewers who own a mill and bulk buy etc...) could make twice that amount for around half the price...seriously.

Apart from that, how do you end up with a batch size of 23lt by using 23lt of water? Not too sure about that one :icon_cheers:

Total water requied is 30L after boil off it should be about 23L going by the program

 

[Malted]

I now have a old fridge, all I got to do is buy is a temperature controller

Essential for making good beer. Controlling the temperature at which the beer is fermented is absolutely critical to good beer versus bad beer.

Look around for other sources of Grain. A couple of examples from over this way: Beerbelly - Barret Burston Pilsner - $4.00/kg, Brewmaker JW Pilsner $4.20/kg. You are paying $6.68/kg.

Whole heartedly agree with Kev, stick with a simple Ale at this stage. I would NOT even consider brewing a lager without that temp controller for the fridge. You know they take a lot longer to brew at lower temps? And you have to cold lager them for a couple of months? Do you want your fridge occupied with a lager for that long when you could have had crap loads of batches of ales through in that time?

 

[pimpsqueak]

I hope Brewmart bought you a drink before ******* you that hard.

 

[mwd]

For that kind of money and with your previous success rate I would be inclined to get a Fresh Wort Kit from one of the site sponsors then you only need to worry about adding yeast and fermenting and also save yourself some dollars.

As others have said better off starting out simple keep away from lagers until you have everything sorted with your techniques.

 

[bowie in space]

I just ordered 10kg of malt today from craftbrewer and it only cost $5 more than your 4.8kg. Plus, I usually pay $10 for a pack of wyeast that reculture and use in four brews. The 12g of hallertau hops for $7 seems a bit outrageous too. No need to spend money on spring water either.

The only thing on your list that sounds like roughly the right price are the perle hops.

My double batches, which usually cost around $50, would be even cheaper if I had a mill.

 

[clay]

don't forget that your going to need to make a starter for that Wyeast

 

[QldKev]

I hope Brewmart bought you a drink before ******* you that hard.

:lol:

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

On BrewMart website
4.300kg Kg JW EXPORT PILSNER MALT $28.75 Should be no more than $5/kg for JW - $7 saved
489g JW WHEAT MALT $ 4.95 - waaay too expensive as above - should be around $2.40 for this.
100g PERLE PELLETS HOPS $ 9.95 reasonable for a shop
2x FINISHING HOPS-HALLERTAU 12g $ 7.00 "finishing hops" are an expensive way to buy hops and are generally never fresh. For that price, you're better off buying a 100g bag and saving it for another time, or use one bag of hops (say 100g of Hallertauer) some for bittering and some for aroma and save buying the Perle.
WYEAST - 2007 PILSEN LAGER $14.95 A tad expensive
23 L Spring Water $10.00 why not use RO water and reconstruct with the appropriate chemicals? It's cheaper.

BTW - I calc your purchase as close to $76.

For the record, I don't bulk buy and my average brew is around the $25 mark for 25L.

If I'm saving money, it's because:

1. My brew shop offers a discount for 5kg or more of base grain.
2. My brew shop has good prices on any malts at any rate.
3. Most of my hops are bulk bought, and if they aren't, it's because I get the cheaper varieties for bittering from my brew shop, or jump on a special like craftbrewer's clearance of Saaz pellets for $2.90/90g bag.
4. Wet yeast is generally around $10, dry around $5.
5. I don't buy a hop specifically for bittering only. I either use leftovers of a high AA% hop (or even a low AA% hop I have on hand, if I have enough), and save all hop purchases for aroma/flavour hops. Buying 90-100g packs means that will almost always have some leftovers, seal them and put them in the freezer and use them for something else next time.

Maybe next bulk buy of grain, I'll be in.

Let us know why the other brews "failed". And find a well commented, well liked recipe on the db - use that.

Goomba

 

[glenwal]

I now have a old fridge, all I got to do is buy is a temperature controller

Just wondering how you did the last 3 lagers without a temp controlled fridge?

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

don't forget that your going to need to make a starter for that Wyeast

And check the date ? there has been quite few getting sold out of date in Perth recently which is bad for business.
Not pointing fingers but my customers do talk.
Nev

 

[keifer33]

Im with foles on this one. Try a simple ale even a smash (single malt / single hop) with a clean dry yeast like us05 or nottingham and control temps to be about 18c (not that hard in perth atm). Have you had other brewers taste your beer? West coast brewers meeting is coming up soon so would be a good opportunity to get some feedback.

 

[Bogan333]

Just wondering how you did the last 3 lagers without a temp controlled fridge?

First All Grain
Grain Bill
Joe White Traditional Ale 4 kg
Joe White Wheat Malt .500 g
Maltodextrin .400 g
Dextrose .600 g
Rice Hulls .500 g

Hop Bill
SPOR 18.00g 60min's Boil
SPOR 15g 10 mins Boil
Galaxy 15g 10 min's Boil
SPOR 15 g Flame out
Galaxy 15 g Flame out
Whirlfloc 1g 15 min's boil
14 g Coopers Brewing Yeast

Fermentation 14 Days

Just a over powering biscuit taste went down the sink undrinkable


Second ALL Grain
Grain Bill
Joe White Traditional Ale 4.5 kg
Joe White Munich Light Malt .500 g
Joe White Crystal Light Malt .250 g
Joe White Chocolate Malt .100 g
Rice Hulls .500 g

Hop Bill
SPOR 15g 60min's Boil
SPOR 10g 10 mins Boil

Whirlfloc 1g 15 min's boil
15g English Ale Yeast

Fermentation 14 Days

It was drinkable No bitterness taste a little biscuit taste no where near like my best Extract brew

Third ALL Grain
This is a 25L batch size

Grain Bill
5.673kg JW EXPORT PILSNER MALT
630g JW MUNICH LIGHT MALT
315gm JW CRYSTAL LIGHT
126gm JW WHEAT MALT


Hop Bill
SPOR Flowers 35g 60min's Boil
SPOR Flowers 16g 40 min's Boil
SPOR Flowers 15g 15min's Boil
SPOR Flowers 15g 0 min's Aroma
Galaxy Pellet 15g 0 min;s Aroma

Whirlfloc 1 Talbet 15 min's boil
15g Brew Cellar Premium Lager Yeast

The Brew day was 30/04/2012 current in my Kegerator at 15c
A taste of the wort sweet with a very small amount of biscuit taste

when the Primary fermentation is done I will rack the beer and than see how long the Secondary fermentation takes
I will store it for about 4 weeks in the old fridge at very low temperature before I keg it

 

[QldKev]

And check the date ? there has been quite few getting sold out of date in Perth recently which is bad for business.
Not pointing fingers but my customers do talk.
Nev

Now Nev has posted you even have a link to his shop,

Using Wey Pils and Wheat, the grain bill drops from your quoted $34 to $20.45

For a simple ale, just use something like BB Ale, should be cheaper again. I love the stuff, and always have a couple of bags on hand.

Then replace the hop tea bags with real hops, and you have heaps spare for next brew.

Also with the Ale you could just use a dry yeast say US-05 from Gryphon @ $4.75, look after it and reuse it for another brew too.

Don't worry about spring water with an ale, just the local tap water will be ok, another saving.


QldKev

 

[MarkT]

I would really like to know or see what set up you are using to AG and I agree with previous posters (although I am a newbie) the temp control fridge is a must have.

All the best
MarkT