Dumb ass newbie question

[Duude]

a dumb ass question from a dumb ass newbie.....

been flicking through a few recipes for a first AG brew & am a bit lost about mash times/boil times & temps.

take this one for example:
http://aussiehomebrewer.com/recipe/301-little-creatures-bright-ale-clone/

- how long am i mashing for?
- how long am i boiling for? do i assume the boil is 45mins (by the hop listing) or am i way off?
- are the 0min hops added at the start or at the end (and this list is backwards?)

my head hurts.

 

[slash22000]

Always assume minimum 60 minute mash unless noted otherwise.

Always assume minimum 60 minute boil unless noted otherwise.

Yes, the list seems to be backwards, the recipe database is broken at the moment. Traditionally, 0 minute hops go into the wort directly after you turn off the boil. So boil for 60 minutes, turn off the heat, and plop in the 0 minute hops.

 

[bignath]

Hey duude,

very good recipe that one.

Mash it for 60mins. 60mins is considered standard mash length for most people, for most recipes. Unless otherwise noted, i'd personally always mash for 60mins with a standard mash temp of 65-67 or so. Going hotter or colder than that, other brewers would alter the mash time, but because I usually mash in between that range, i'm always 60mins.

The way that hop additions are "listed" on that recipe look backward. It gives the impression that the larger additions are first, and the smaller ones are last, but i can tell you from brewing it before, that the smaller additions are the bittering additions, and the larger additions are for flavour/aroma (later in the boil)

Unless otherwise stated, i'd also assume a 60min boil for most recipes. Unless using a huge majority of Pilsner or similar malt where a 90min boil would be a good idea. Read up about DMS and all that...

So, the smaller additions (45mins) would be added 15mins into a 60min boil. The 0min addition would by typically added as you turn off the heat, and allowed to isomerise whilst you get ready to either chill or transfer to a cube depending on your methods.

If i remember correctly, that recipe is for a chiller and transfer to fermenter type recipe. If you are cubing and using the no chill method, i'd most likely (not guaranteed) bring the additions back in time a little. Maybe do the same additions but make the 45min a 30min one, take 15min off the middle addition, and maybe move the 0min addition to just before you screw the lid on the cube.

It's an awesome recipe.


EDIT: beaten 'cause it took me way too long to type out

 

[RelaxedBrewer]

I would mash for 1 hr.

Most recipes assume a 60 min boil unless stated otherwise.

Yes, I think the hops are listed in the wrong order. Bottom of the list is added first (the 45 min hops)


Some other things:
This recipe is for 52L so make sure you scale it down to your brew size.
If you are going to use the saaz make sure they are saaz B. I don't think saaz CZ would be very nice at flameout (0 min).

edit... to slow as well

 

[Duude]

Cool - thanks for that - appreciated.

It's the obvious things that don't get spoken of much as they are assumed & therefore harder to pickup!

Now to get to work.......

 

[Hippy]

I agree.
Great recipe that one.

 

[Black Devil Dog]

I might be going against the general consensus here, but nearly everything I've read about boil times recommends a 90 min boil for recipes that contain majority Pilsner malt.

In fact a 90 min boil is pretty much my standard now.

 

[MartinOC]

Cool - thanks for that - appreciated.

It's the obvious things that don't get spoken of much as they are assumed & therefore harder to pickup!

Now to get to work.......

So now you know - there's no such thing as a dumb question....You just gotta ask the RIGHT ones to get the answer you need, but you probably already knew the answer anyway, right?

 

[bradmccoy]

I remember finding beer recipes so confusing when I first saw them. Like a different language. The single most important thing I did to learn about brewing (and what all the recipe guff means) was read How to Brew by John Palmer (i.e. the man). The whole thing is online.