Budget brew anyone ?

[JimRobbo]

Hey Gang,

I'll take the opportunity to introduce myself and ask for a few pointers.

I've been BIABing for a little while and have mainly focused on clone recipes that use multiple grain types. Including international varieties, Weyermann etc.

As i have recently become a poverty stricken student (again) i need to make use of the bulk grain kits that are sold near me.

Can anyone bestow upon me some simple recipes using only 1 or 2 varieties of basic malt ? The local establishment seems to have a decent range of Joe White, Breiss and Best Maltz grain.

A basic grain pack looks like this:

Malt:
25kg Joe White Traditional Pale
1kg Best Maltz Dark Crystal
1kg Best Maltz Caramel Pilsener
500g Joe White Chocolate
Hops:
3 x 100g bags of any variety.


Any feedback would be cool,

Cheers Jimbo

 

[spryzie]

I'm about to try to make an Oktoberfest:

49% JW Pilsner
49% JW Munich
2% JW Dark Crystal
Hallertau Hops to 25'ish IBUs with 60 minute boil.
Saflager S-23

Just as soon as my fermenter is free...

 

[lukiferj]

What kind of beer do you like to drink? Plenty of different beers you could make with that.

 

[vykuza]

You could make a range of beers with that selection.

Pale ales and IPAs with the base malt and carapils and english or US hops of your choice
Milds and bitters with the base malt and dark crystal if you like lighter beers
Australian ales, with the pale malt, sugar and some of the chocolate for colour + pride of ringwood hops and coopers yeast

 

[JimRobbo]

Thanks for the quick reply guys !

Spryzie: The Oktoberfest sounds great and exactly what i was looking for. Cheers !

Hi lukiferj, mate i am not a fussy man when it comes to beer. As long as it not to heavy on the wheat flavour. I do enjoy a good bitter tho!

Nick R, Thanks for the advice mate, that's the kind of basic stuff i need to pick up on. Cheers!

Jim

You could make a range of beers with that selection.

Pale ales and IPAs with the base malt and carapils and english or US hops of your choice
Milds and bitters with the base malt and dark crystal if you like lighter beers
Australian ales, with the pale malt, sugar and some of the chocolate for colour + pride of ringwood hops and coopers yeast

What kind of beer do you like to drink? Plenty of different beers you could make with that.

I'm about to try to make an Oktoberfest:

49% JW Pilsner
49% JW Munich
2% JW Dark Crystal
Hallertau Hops to 25'ish IBUs with 60 minute boil.
Saflager S-23

Just as soon as my fermenter is free...

 

[sp0rk]

I think my Maris Otter/Fuggles SMaSH is not only one of my cheapest beers, but also one of my best

Mother Fuggles (Standard/Ordinary Bitter)

Original Gravity (OG): 1.044 (°P): 11.0
Final Gravity (FG): 1.011 (°P): 2.8
Alcohol (ABV): 4.32 %
Colour (SRM): 5.5 (EBC): 10.8
Bitterness (IBU): 29.4 (Average)

100% Maris Otter Malt

1.2 g/L Fuggles (4.8% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
0.7 g/L Fuggles (4.8% Alpha) @ 30 Minutes (Boil)
1.2 g/L Fuggles (4.8% Alpha) @ 15 Minutes (Boil)


Single step Infusion at 66°C for 60 Minutes. Boil for 60 Minutes

Fermented at 20°C with Safale S-04


Recipe Generated with BrewMate

I no chill, but forgot to click the no chill box in brewmate

 

[431neb]

...i need to make use of the bulk grain kits that are sold near me.

A basic grain pack looks like this:

Malt:
25kg Joe White Traditional Pale
1kg Best Maltz Dark Crystal
1kg Best Maltz Caramel Pilsener
500g Joe White Chocolate
Hops:
3 x 100g bags of any variety.


Any feedback would be cool,

Cheers Jimbo

What a good idea. Does anyone in Melbourne do that? Is that good value?

 

[NewtownClown]

This vid has been linked to previously.
I am sure you will find it helpful.

 

[Bribie G]

I would also recommend the SMASH (single malt and single hop) route as you are impoverished
Most of the Worlds beers are made that way, or basically.

5k base malt
Any hop
some recultured yeast.

It's amazing what nice brews you can make, for example my Yorkshire Gold which is just Golden Promise malt, Challenger (oops some Styrian Goldings at the End that would make it a SMADH) and wyeast 1469 yeast.

You would think that it would turn out fairly bland and indistinguishable from - for example -

Joe White Ale, Pride of Ringwood, Coopers Yeast recultured from bottle.

But no, completely different character.

If you are into lager style or blonde ale style beers and want to save even more money, try exploring the wonderful world of cereal mashing. Australian malts are ideal for this and can easily convert and extra third weight of cooked rice or maize (polenta) to make a lovely smooth drinkable beer.

For example
4 kg Joe White
1 kg cheap rice cooked to a porridge

Ale yeast
NZ Hallertau aroma.

If you recycle your yeast and assuming the base grain sets you back $3 a kilo then you've got a brew for around $18.

 

[QldKev]

SMaSH recipes
Try roasting some of your base grain in the oven for homemade spec malts.
Adjuncts, as BribieG mentioned rice, but also oats etc
Reusing yeast saves a lot of $.
Get some high AA% hops for your bittering needs. Super Alpha is a great hop that can be used in a lot of beers.It can even be used as a later addition in a lager.

 

[JimRobbo]

I think my Maris Otter/Fuggles SMaSH is not only one of my cheapest beers, but also one of my best

Mother Fuggles (Standard/Ordinary Bitter)

Original Gravity (OG): 1.044 (°P): 11.0
Final Gravity (FG): 1.011 (°P): 2.8
Alcohol (ABV): 4.32 %
Colour (SRM): 5.5 (EBC): 10.8
Bitterness (IBU): 29.4 (Average)

100% Maris Otter Malt

1.2 g/L Fuggles (4.8% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
0.7 g/L Fuggles (4.8% Alpha) @ 30 Minutes (Boil)
1.2 g/L Fuggles (4.8% Alpha) @ 15 Minutes (Boil)


Single step Infusion at 66°C for 60 Minutes. Boil for 60 Minutes

Fermented at 20°C with Safale S-04


Recipe Generated with BrewMate

I no chill, but forgot to click the no chill box in brewmate

Cheers Sp0rk,

This sounds like a nice simple one. I have to admit the SMaSH option is a new concept to me.

I shall investigate ! Thanks again.

 

[JimRobbo]

What a good idea. Does anyone in Melbourne do that? Is that good value?

Hey Mate,

That list is from a supplier in Bendigo. I guess freight will be your issue ? Here's a link

http://www.bendigomaltnhops.com/

I won't mention the prices, but they are on the website.

It does seem to be good value in comparison to the Melbourne mob that i've been using.

Cheers Jim

 

[JimRobbo]

This vid has been linked to previously.
I am sure you will find it helpful.

Thanks Newtown,

When I get half an hour i'll take a look !

Cheers Jim

 

[JimRobbo]

I would also recommend the SMASH (single malt and single hop) route as you are impoverished
Most of the Worlds beers are made that way, or basically.

5k base malt
Any hop
some recultured yeast.

It's amazing what nice brews you can make, for example my Yorkshire Gold which is just Golden Promise malt, Challenger (oops some Styrian Goldings at the End that would make it a SMADH) and wyeast 1469 yeast.

You would think that it would turn out fairly bland and indistinguishable from - for example -

Joe White Ale, Pride of Ringwood, Coopers Yeast recultured from bottle.

But no, completely different character.

If you are into lager style or blonde ale style beers and want to save even more money, try exploring the wonderful world of cereal mashing. Australian malts are ideal for this and can easily convert and extra third weight of cooked rice or maize (polenta) to make a lovely smooth drinkable beer.

For example
4 kg Joe White
1 kg cheap rice cooked to a porridge

Ale yeast
NZ Hallertau aroma.

If you recycle your yeast and assuming the base grain sets you back $3 a kilo then you've got a brew for around $18.

Hi Bribie,

Wow, there are some interesting methods out there and cheap too !

I'll have to try one of these just out of curiosity. Thanks for the budget brews mate, Cheers

 

[JimRobbo]

SMaSH recipes
Try roasting some of your base grain in the oven for homemade spec malts.
Adjuncts, as BribieG mentioned rice, but also oats etc
Reusing yeast saves a lot of $.
Get some high AA% hops for your bittering needs. Super Alpha is a great hop that can be used in a lot of beers.It can even be used as a later addition in a lager.

Hi Kev,

Thanks for the reply.

Homemaking specialised malts sounds interesting. Much of a process ?

Reusing yeast is something i haven't tried either.

Cheers

Jim

 

[lukiferj]

Plenty of ways to reuse yeast and plenty of info here on different ways. That and bulk grain have made my beers considerably cheaper to make. Didn't get into it to save money (luckily) but every bit counts towards more ingredients or equipment

Try a simple APA using between 1.5-5 % crystal and the rest base malt. My house APA is 98.5% pilsner (or ale) malt and 1.5% caramunich I. Super easy and pretty tasty. Any US hops to between 30-40 IBUs.

 

[The Village Idiot]

Hey Mate,

That list is from a supplier in Bendigo. I guess freight will be your issue ? Here's a link

http://www.bendigomaltnhops.com/

I won't mention the prices, but they are on the website.

It does seem to be good value in comparison to the Melbourne mob that i've been using.

Cheers Jim

Top idea that some other suppliers should embrace.

 

[QldKev]

Hi Kev,

Thanks for the reply.

Homemaking specialised malts sounds interesting. Much of a process ?

Reusing yeast is something i haven't tried either.

Cheers

Jim

Have a search on here for "toasting grain" and "roasting grain" using the google option. Not a huge amount of money to save, but it's part of the fun.

 

[JimRobbo]

Thanks to all for the feedback.

Cheers !