Just Tasted My First All Grain

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Think I'll just follow my own path. Only just done my 1st stovetop! I`ve still got eons worth of info to learn at this level.
This method is still gonna give me a warm fuzzy feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day.
Cheers!!!!!

True, glad your enjoying it :D

I sometimes get the feeling "why do I do this to myself" during cleanup but as soon as I've sat down I'm already planning the next batch haha.
 
nick i am interested to know since you have the $30 guide sorted do you use it or do you still use the 3V method.

any difference in taste.
fergi

Personally, I don't think there's a difference in taste between a simple 3V system, and BIAB - but I'm talking full-size BIAB, not high gravity Stovetop BIAB. There is a difference in taste when boiling 1.065 liquor in high-grav stovetop compared with 1.038 (no dilution BIAB) ... but for some styles of beer I actually think high gravity boiling can make the difference a positive one. Not all though.

A simple (esky tun) system is less flexible in many ways as it's more difficult to do involved step mashing. Something easy with BIAB.

But a recirculating system will make the best beer if the brewer knows how to use it properly just because it provides the most accurate control over the mash schedule.

I still use 30 bucks worth of gear to make a keg filler. I'm a lazy brewer. For me, spargeless Stovetop brewing has the greatest taste:effort ratio in beer making. I've made a few batches on a mate's HERMS system, and although I love the bling ... I don't love the cleanup.

I still think perfect yeast selection and management is the real key to great beer.
 
are you reading my mind???... was just browsing ebay for urns only 5 minutes ago!!

Be careful. there are some dodgy urns on ebay that users here have had no end of problems with. I bought one and ended up buying a Birko a few months later. If I were you I'd try to find a way to go straight to a decent urn, even if it means doing stovetop for a bit longer until you get the money together.
 
Be careful. there are some dodgy urns on ebay that users here have had no end of problems with. I bought one and ended up buying a Birko a few months later. If I were you I'd try to find a way to go straight to a decent urn, even if it means doing stovetop for a bit longer until you get the money together.


thanks for the advice...I'll follow it!
 
Personally, I don't think there's a difference in taste between a simple 3V system, and BIAB - but I'm talking full-size BIAB, not high gravity Stovetop BIAB. There is a difference in taste when boiling 1.065 liquor in high-grav stovetop compared with 1.038 (no dilution BIAB) ... but for some styles of beer I actually think high gravity boiling can make the difference a positive one. Not all though. out of interest, what styles have you found to be suited to what method ?


I still think perfect yeast selection and management is the real key to great beer. Agreed respect the yeasties


Thanks
 
Ag beer, it's like an angel pissing in your mouth! Enjoy.
 
I find it like rooting.

The more I do it ..the quicker I get at it.

I won't be mentioning that comparison to my wife. She'll start asking why it takes me longer than a minute to brew.

Brewing definitely gets quicker after a few batches. I got home from work at 8 on Friday night. I had 35L of stout in cubes & was cleaned up at 12:06.
 

With very pale, hop-centered beers it's difficult to get the "sharp" bitterness. Say in an APA that's 45 IBUs, you need to use a lot more hops, and there seems to be a softer, mellower bitterness when they're boiled in a high gravity wort. But at the same time, this can work to your advantage. I used to boil hops for extract beers in a very low SG and it seems to me that the higher the SG of the boil, the mellower the bitterness at the same calculated IBUs. No idea why, just a personal experience thing.

Also, 90 minute boils that start at 1.065 end waaay high ... and you're getting into high rates of caramelisation/mailard reaction territory for sure boiling hard with high gravities. This affects the final beer - when you're making a 1.042 Pilsner by diluting a 90 minute boil, 1.084 wort by two, expect it to be malty and a bit darker than if you boiled down a 1.035 wort.

You get some characteristics of "big" beers in your little beers.
 
The advantages of BIAB in an urn is that it's a no-sparge and quick method, but Maxi-BIAB also produces excellent brews. It would be great if a Maxi-BIABer could enter the system wars brew day for the forthcoming Brisbane beer Convention as it will be all the same recipe done on Braumeister, 3V, BIAB and maybe a Herms or Rims if anyone can get their gear to the brew day.
 
The advantages of BIAB in an urn is that it's a no-sparge and quick method, but Maxi-BIAB also produces excellent brews. It would be great if a Maxi-BIABer could enter the system wars brew day for the forthcoming Brisbane beer Convention as it will be all the same recipe done on Braumeister, 3V, BIAB and maybe a Herms or Rims if anyone can get their gear to the brew day.

Anyone know how to unplug a stove? :huh:
 
That's a good point, the day will be at Bacchus Brewing and they just have a microwave :p


Microwave... now there's a thought............
 
Anyone know how to unplug a stove? :huh:

butane_burner.jpg


?
 
I love BIAB I dont do it any more but wouldnt be where I am without it. I mean I could still do it but cleaning and maintaining the bags a pain. I just hose the esky out and the pot then fill pot with sod perc for a day whipe down and done. no hanging a big sheet of voile on the line and trying to hose it while it goes every where and I get wet lol
 
With very pale, hop-centered beers it's difficult to get the "sharp" bitterness. Say in an APA that's 45 IBUs, you need to use a lot more hops, and there seems to be a softer, mellower bitterness when they're boiled in a high gravity wort. But at the same time, this can work to your advantage. I used to boil hops for extract beers in a very low SG and it seems to me that the higher the SG of the boil, the mellower the bitterness at the same calculated IBUs. No idea why, just a personal experience thing.

Also, 90 minute boils that start at 1.065 end waaay high ... and you're getting into high rates of caramelisation/mailard reaction territory for sure boiling hard with high gravities. This affects the final beer - when you're making a 1.042 Pilsner by diluting a 90 minute boil, 1.084 wort by two, expect it to be malty and a bit darker than if you boiled down a 1.035 wort.

You get some characteristics of "big" beers in your little beers.

Just learnt something - I feel a big little beer coming on....... thanks for that!
 
I just hose the esky out and the pot then fill pot with sod perc for a day whipe down and done.
[/quote]

Thats exactly what i do with my bag and urn, except the bag fits inside the urn for the overnight soak. No hassles.

bah
 
I love BIAB I dont do it any more but wouldnt be where I am without it. I mean I could still do it but cleaning and maintaining the bags a pain. I just hose the esky out and the pot then fill pot with sod perc for a day whipe down and done. no hanging a big sheet of voile on the line and trying to hose it while it goes every where and I get wet lol

I just throw it on the floor and SWMBO washes it for me. Easy!!!
 
Just take your bag into the shower with you.
 
Just take your bag into the shower with you.

I just rinse the bag in the laundry sink

I basically hold it so the grains wash out, rather than deeper into the bag

I hang the bag out in the sun under the verandah

When I'm done *everything* except the burner goes back into the pot and it goes into the shed, on top of the burner stand


...

When the bag starts to go brown... I soak it in PBW for a bit and it goes white again :)
 
When the bag starts to go brown... I soak it in PBW for a bit and it goes white again :)


HAHA, sounds like an episode of the simpsons.....

*insert Homer voice here:

"bag goes white, bag goes brown, bag goes white, bag goes brown"
 
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