Move To All Grain For Thirty Bucks

[WarmBeer]

'Swiss' is the type of voille, not the brand. There were other types of 'voille' in Spotlight when I went in there to buy mine, with other weaves, some with patterns, and some in a very nice shade of lime

Voille will be great for a hop bag, just buy an extra half metre of it, and get your mother in law to sew it into a couple of 'money-bags', with a draw string. At least, that's what I did!

 

[corcatraz]

Thanks Nick. Appreciate it. It's enticing for a noob like me to want to try something new.

Do you find this method to produce noticeably better results than extract brewing?

 

[PistolPatch]

Regarding the material questions above, cotton or any natural fibres are best avoided. Stick with the polyester.

People have tried things like calico and have had problems. Polyester is inert, has the very high melting point and does not seem to deteriorate or lose strength - several years/brews of my bags bear witness.

The bag will develop "tea-stains," quite quickly but this is fine. I would recommend just washing the bag in your washing machine. Avoid things like bleach which is very aggressive on any material.

I will be interested to read this new Brew In A Brewer website :icon_drunk:

The site has been up for over a year (BIABrewer) and hasn't changed at all since then as I have found the computer/web side of things extremely difficult to firstly envisage and then find someone who could make it happen. Until two weeks ago, I had not been able to find the final right person to get this site up to a a very high standard on a zero budget so I have had to let it sit idly. The final and main ingredient has finally arrived (an AHB member) so all should change in the New Year!!! I have the stuff written or collected, the techno side is all that remains but it is a big ask and it is not simple. When it is done, I hope that to the reader, of any brewing level, it looks VERY simple and is VERY easy to access the best and most appropriate information.

BIAB is now being practiced in several continents - America being the first. I can't tell you how hard it is finding the time to write guides etc that suit everyone let alone trying to correct myths

BIABrewer was the best domain I could think of at the time. It stands for, "Brew in A Bag Brewer." As always though, I am open to suggestions. I always take on board suggestions/questions/PMs from enthusiastic/constructive, inexperienced/experienced brewers who like to see brewing education move forward. Sometimes I don't have time to answer individually but most of the time I do.

:icon_cheers:

 

[PistolPatch]

Do you find this method to produce noticeably better results than extract brewing?

If you are brewing beer with kits and you like the result, I see very little reason to move to all-grain. Occasionally, I taste extremely good, actually excellent kit beers. What annoys me is that more often than not, these beers have been brewed totally contrary to accepted brewing advice. I have tasted kit beers from InCider a few years ago who fermented his beers in his back shed in QLD which must have sat at about 35 degrees on average.

You hear a lot of bullshit in the brewing world but, trust me, if I could get the same result as some kit brewers get, I would not brew all-grain for several of my beers.

My palate is highly susceptible to sourness and kits are more susceptible to this. This cidery taste is commonly known as, "Extract Twang." If you get or taste this personally in your kit beers, you should move on to a different way of brewing assuming you are a clean brewer. Don't question your brewing skills too much. The hardest beer to brew well is a kit beer. Some people do but they are a rarity and they often are maverick.

Fresh Wort Kits (FWK) are the next thing you should consider. Whilst they are twice the cost of tins they are easy and reliable and do not require any capital cost. You will not get extract twang from them and they are the least labour-intensive form of brewing available. I have never had a bad beer from a FWK.

If you are brewing with FWK and not having any problems but want to be able to start creating your own recipes then all-grain is the way to go.

BIAB (a single vessel system - this thread is a mini-version of BIAB) will give you the same quality beer as a more traditional system (batch or fly-sparging which requires three vessels). It is certainly the most sensible way to start all-graining and I am yet to see a good reason to change from BIAB to a three vessel system. The beer you get is the same as from a three-vessel system. I used to have a three vessel system. Now I have two single vessel systems that can both do double-batches. On my brew day, in the same amount of time, with the same capital cost (a bit less actually) I produce 4 x the amount of beer than you can get from three vessels and this is of 2 different styles! You've gotta love that!

But, in saying all that, I seriously recommend Kit brewers who are struggling to brew a decent beer (they find anything they brew sour) to first try Fresh Wort Kits.

:icon_cheers:
Pat

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Excuse me while I ruthlessly plug....

I can't promise AG for less than $30 ... but I am helping to run a BIAB demo at G&G on the 14th and you will be able to see how its done on a larger scale than shown in this thread. Should give you a better handle on the general processes and then you can apply them to either the quite nice set of instructions found right here, or to a bigger system that would run you $100-150 for all new gear.

Enough from me - here's a link to the post I made in the appropriate section. Just thought it might be interesting to prospective new AG brewers.

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...st&p=547332

Thirsty

 

[James_B]

Another quick Q :

20 g Amarillo (Pellets, 8.9 AA%, 60 mins)
15 g Amarillo (Pellets, 8.9 AA%, 10 mins)
15 g Amarillo (Pellets, 8.9 AA%, 5 mins)
15 g Amarillo (Pellets, 8.9 AA%, 0 mins)

Am I reading that right as with 60 mins left on the boil add 20g of Amarillo, at 10 mins left remove that and add a fresh 15g, at 5 mins left remove and add another 15g? Do you just leave those hops dangling in there till the end?

 

[Bribie G]

Another quick Q :

20 g Amarillo (Pellets, 8.9 AA%, 60 mins)
15 g Amarillo (Pellets, 8.9 AA%, 10 mins)
15 g Amarillo (Pellets, 8.9 AA%, 5 mins)
15 g Amarillo (Pellets, 8.9 AA%, 0 mins)

Am I reading that right as with 60 mins left on the boil add 20g of Amarillo, at 10 mins left remove that and add a fresh 15g, at 5 mins left remove and add another 15g? Do you just leave those hops dangling in there till the end?

No you keep each addition in the wort, don't take anything out. That's why they are called hop additions and the last addition just floats around there releasing a final hit of aroma while you are doing your end of boil thing (letting it settle, arranging your syphoning gear, having a sit down and a beer, whatever)

 

[James_B]

Then remove all hops before racking it to a cube or still leave it?

 

[MarkBastard]

Then remove all hops before racking it to a cube or still leave it?

Remove them if possible.

 

[corcatraz]

If you are brewing beer with kits and you like the result, I see very little reason to move to all-grain. Occasionally, I taste extremely good, actually excellent kit beers. What annoys me is that more often than not, these beers have been brewed totally contrary to accepted brewing advice. I have tasted kit beers from InCider a few years ago who fermented his beers in his back shed in QLD which must have sat at about 35 degrees on average.

You hear a lot of bullshit in the brewing world but, trust me, if I could get the same result as some kit brewers get, I would not brew all-grain for several of my beers.

My palate is highly susceptible to sourness and kits are more susceptible to this. This cidery taste is commonly known as, "Extract Twang." If you get or taste this personally in your kit beers, you should move on to a different way of brewing assuming you are a clean brewer. Don't question your brewing skills too much. The hardest beer to brew well is a kit beer. Some people do but they are a rarity and they often are maverick.

Fresh Wort Kits (FWK) are the next thing you should consider. Whilst they are twice the cost of tins they are easy and reliable and do not require any capital cost. You will not get extract twang from them and they are the least labour-intensive form of brewing available. I have never had a bad beer from a FWK.

If you are brewing with FWK and not having any problems but want to be able to start creating your own recipes then all-grain is the way to go.

BIAB (a single vessel system - this thread is a mini-version of BIAB) will give you the same quality beer as a more traditional system (batch or fly-sparging which requires three vessels). It is certainly the most sensible way to start all-graining and I am yet to see a good reason to change from BIAB to a three vessel system. The beer you get is the same as from a three-vessel system. I used to have a three vessel system. Now I have two single vessel systems that can both do double-batches. On my brew day, in the same amount of time, with the same capital cost (a bit less actually) I produce 4 x the amount of beer than you can get from three vessels and this is of 2 different styles! You've gotta love that!

But, in saying all that, I seriously recommend Kit brewers who are struggling to brew a decent beer (they find anything they brew sour) to first try Fresh Wort Kits.

:icon_cheers:
Pat

Thanks for the info Pistol. I wasnt happy with the kits I brewed and I'm drinking my first extract brew atm. Its a nice step up from my kits but if there is better beer to be made I'd be keen to try it. I'm more interested in making quality beer than saving money. I'd say I will try something like this in the future as my resources are fairly limited but for now I'm happy gaining experience with every brew.
:beer:

 

[Nick JD]

Do you find this method to produce noticeably better results than extract brewing?

Yes.

I really enjoyed Pat's "The hardest beer to brew well is a kit beer", quote. This is very true.

Making beer this way will produce a beer that IMO, doesn't taste like "homebrew". Mainly because it's how beer is supposed to be made.

The best instant coffee in the world will not taste like fresh ground, brewed coffee.

 

[mintsauce]

The best instant coffee in the world will not taste like fresh ground, brewed coffee.

Touch great leader!

Anyhow, does anyone have a list of simple ales & hops etc which can be brewed with a small list of hops? I see the recipy database as a bit daughtning and everything seems to have a list of different ingredients (I do realise this is how things are made to be different but I'm just after a couple slightly different things from the same base malt with perhaps just some different specialty hops.

 

[MarkBastard]

Look for beers called 'SMASH' beers. SMASH stands for single malt and single hop.

 

[humper_zim]

Touch great leader!

Anyhow, does anyone have a list of simple ales & hops etc which can be brewed with a small list of hops? I see the recipy database as a bit daughtning and everything seems to have a list of different ingredients (I do realise this is how things are made to be different but I'm just after a couple slightly different things from the same base malt with perhaps just some different specialty hops.

Likewise MS. I have mostly been doing K&K, but have also helped out with a friends' extract and AG brews so Im pretty keen to try a few small BIAB brew when I have the time (soon). I just want to try a few simple brews with a small grain bill +/- a few diff specialty grains and hops to get a feel for them.

Any help would be much appreciated. I have been browsing the recipe db and will probably put a few recipes up for ppl to comment on before I try them.

Awesome threat btw! Thanks!

 

[humper_zim]

Look for beers called 'SMASH' beers. SMASH stands for single malt and single hop.

Will do, thanks

 

[Nick JD]

If you are doing a small scale AG like this thread shows and want to start simple...

9L
2kg Ale Malt
12g POR for 60 minutes
Safale US05 yeast

That's all you need. Problem is - it'll taste a lot like Melborne Bitter :blink: .

EDIT:

I think it needs explaining that bad/good combinations of ingredients do not make bad/good beers. If you are brewing to a "style" and entering competitions, then yes - you might be making "bad" versions of great beers. But you will still be making damn fine beer.

Like with cooking, if you use good base ingredients, add nice amounts of herbs and spices, you'll get a great meal - whether you are aiming for french quisine, or fish and chips ... there's more to cooking than accurate recreation of another recipe. Make YOUR beer!

For me, the whole point of AG is you get to create your own beer. If you don't make up your own recipes, to your own tastes, well, you're not in the game for the win.

Here's a 12L (maxing out my stovetop capabilities) SMASH. The 0 minute hop addition is in the fermenter.

 

[humper_zim]

Here's a 12L (maxing out my stovetop capabilities) SMASH. The 0 minute hop addition is in the fermenter.
[/quote]


Thanks Nick, I did actually see that on the recipe db and its on my list to brew

 

[Ales_Away]

Nick, thanks heaps, sweet thread.
Put down my 2nd extract brew last night, but will now definitely be getting setup for BIAB.

Awesomely simple, love it.

 

[mintsauce]

Thanks for the tips, it's not so much that I want to copy other beers or brew to style, I just don't know where to start - being in Kalgoorlie I can't just go buy some cheap hops and grains, I have to order everything with $30 freight on it....after a few idea's where to start without breaking the bank.

Cheers,

 

[whitegoose]

I'm planning on using this technique as the basis for a partial in a couple of weeks - can someone do the maths to tell me if I mashed the 2kg of base grain and ~600g of speciality grains in 10L of water - approximately how much LME or DME would I need to add if I wanted to top up the 9L wort to 23L?