My First Ag....what Should I Brew?

[pokolbinguy]

G'day folks,

Alright so once I get my hands on some washers (that Batz was kind enough to offer me) things should be ready to finally do my first AG.....given something doesn't break before I finally get to use it.

So I am after a simple recipe that will give me a half decent beer...taking into account I have never done this before.

Also any simple instructions you can give me that might help would be great, I plan on doing a bundle of reading of things I have read in the past to get myself back up to speed but suggestions are always welcome.

One Q i have though is if I "no chill" do I just put the wort from the kettle straight into a cube or similar and then push all the air out????

Anyway thanks in advance for any help,

Cheers, Pok

P.S off to work on my fermenting fridge so I can get the sucker up and running.

 

[white.grant]

What do you like to drink?

I did a simple American Brown Ale for my first AG, it had a straightforward grain bill with a couple of hop additions. I was aiming for a forgiving flavour profile. Any simple recipe will do really, and there are plenty of them around.

Apart from the advice I got here and from my fellow IBUs, I relied on John Palmer's How To Brew to guide me through the process. If you are no chilling read Cortez the Killer's excellent article in the wiki.

My brown ale was delicious and the process was very satisfying.

cheers

grant

 

[petesbrew]

Brew whatever the hell you like! It's a good time for Belgians too, with these temps right?

My first AG was a porter, which after I forgot about evaporation, turned into a very robust porter. F...ing beautiful.

My 2 cents, have a Safale yeast on hand as a backup, if you're using liquid yeast.

 

[jonocarroll]

Without trying to hijack this thread from pokolbinguy (sorry!), I am also contemplating what to do for a first AG, and am looking for suggestions. I like the idea of doing something that wouldn't work out as well via K&K (no dragging [topic="27399"]THAT[/topic] thread in here please).

My current idea is doing a really fruity Pilsener. Maybe the [topic="20715"]JSP clone[/topic] I saw in the RecipeDB? Is this too complicated for a first AG?

I'm hoping to do this (with the assistance of some local AGers) over the xmas/new year break, so this should be nicely ready for some warmer weather. I've done a few partials and heaps of K&K and I'll hopefully have help on hand. Comments welcome.

 

[Effect]

Without trying to hijack this thread from pokolbinguy (sorry!), I am also contemplating what to do for a first AG, and am looking for suggestions. I like the idea of doing something that wouldn't work out as well via K&K (no dragging [topic="27399"]THAT[/topic] thread in here please).

My current idea is doing a really fruity Pilsener. Maybe the [topic="20715"]JSP clone[/topic] I saw in the RecipeDB? Is this too complicated for a first AG?

I'm hoping to do this (with the assistance of some local AGers) over the xmas/new year break, so this should be nicely ready for some warmer weather. I've done a few partials and heaps of K&K and I'll hopefully have help on hand. Comments welcome.

doing a lager for your first AG is asking for a problem.

I did a bavarian hefeweizen.

Why?

Equal quantities of 2 grains (pilsner and wheat)
1 bittering hop
1 dried yeast.

Very simple.

Most AG I find is much of a muchness. Brew what you want to drink, but just keep it simple. Don't go double decocting, fly sparging, first wort hopping or brewing something with too much wheat or rye (asking for a stuck sparge).

Get an AG brewer around to help you out with it. It is a simple process, but because they have lots of experience, when something starts to go wrong, they can start the motions to fixing it (e.g. not hitting temps etc).

Hope that helps you choose a recipe.

You could go with Dr Smurto's Golden Ale, everyone has made it and could give you pointers on the finished product etc.

 

[Effect]

Also, get your LHBS to crush you grain.

I crushed mine myself and got a well bad crush, going from ultra fine to whole grain....not good for the efficiency or sparging...good thing I had a beerbelly falsie to help me out

 

[Katherine]

Ross's NS Summer Ale is a great starter... 2 grain 1 hop... And its such a nice beer.

That's what I did then just changed one variable (hop)...or mash temp etc... branching at a little now.

 

[jonocarroll]

That summer (english) ale does indeed sound okay - and if people from Adelaide have made it before it will make for good comparison. I think we have a winner. I'll have a good look through the discussion to see if there are any good comments there.

Works out nicely too for the local AWBC feb. comp - good way to get feedback.

Cheers for the warning about first-time lagers - is it just that the ferment temp is more demanding? My plan is to have a ferment fridge with a FridgeMate (if anyone in Adelaide has a surplus fridge, let me know! my planned ferment fridge ended up being no good).

I'll be sure to have the LHBS do the crush. I'm not at all set up for it myself.

Cheers! :icon_cheers:

 

[Katherine]

Cheers for the warning about first-time lagers - is it just that the ferment temp is more demanding? My plan is to have a ferment fridge with a FridgeMate (if anyone in Adelaide has a surplus fridge, let me know! my planned ferment fridge ended up being no good).

Wait for Winter to brew your lagers.... then you wont have a house full of fridges to ferment... During Summer use your ferment fridge for ales in Winter you wont need to put your ales in the fridge so do your lagers.... which then will be ready for Spring/Summer. Ale's are much easier to make I HEAR...

Make sure you let us know when you have down your first one.... Have fun!

 

[Effect]

That summer (english) ale does indeed sound okay - and if people from Adelaide have made it before it will make for good comparison. I think we have a winner. I'll have a good look through the discussion to see if there are any good comments there.

Works out nicely too for the local AWBC feb. comp - good way to get feedback.

Cheers for the warning about first-time lagers - is it just that the ferment temp is more demanding? My plan is to have a ferment fridge with a FridgeMate (if anyone in Adelaide has a surplus fridge, let me know! my planned ferment fridge ended up being no good).

I'll be sure to have the LHBS do the crush. I'm not at all set up for it myself.

Cheers! :icon_cheers:

Need a bigger starter, fermentation smell is bad and yes the fermentation temp is more demanding - you will also need 2 fermenters (as well as a fermentation fridge).

But with an ale, you can just use one fermenter and basically bottle within 2 weeks of fermentation.

Break your system in with something that will have less problems and then tackle the more thought consuming beers later.

 

[Katherine]

fermentation smell is bad

Why is that????

 

[raven19]

Best to start with an ale, porter or similar that will help hide any unwanted flavours.

That is what I shall be starting with once my kettle arrives...

 

[jonocarroll]

Cool, thanks! Second fermenter is for conditioning (lagering), yes? SWMBO is able to get her hands on plenty of empty, clean 20L cubes for free. Planning on using a fair few of them (and yes, keeping them identified as NC/CONDIT/etc).

Phillip & raven19 (and anyone else from Adelaide) - you're first up for tastings once it's ready.

Many thanks to all.

<hands thread back to pokolbinguy, slightly damaged> I'm not getting my deposit back on this, am I?

 

[Effect]

Why is that????

well, only from what I have heard, it is normal for a lager to put out a sulphur (rotten egg smell).

And I am thinking of this as I smell my hefeweizen ferment right now (mmmmm banana!)

 

[bonj]

Some of the advice above about lagers simply isn't true. You don't need a bigger starter unless you intend to pitch at fermentation temperature, which isn't necessary. Both people I have spoken to from both Wyeast (Jess Caudill) and White Labs (Chris White) (both at ANHC and the White Labs presentation in Brisbane) have said there is no issues at all with pitching at ale temps and cooling down to fermentation temps over the next 24 hours. This is because the yeast is only multiplying during that time and not creating the off flavours associated with high fermentation temperatures.

You won't need 2 fermenters. It is much debated whether secondary is needed. I personally don't believe it is, and that was backed up by Jamil's talk at ANHC, where he said he doesn't secondary at all anymore.

Lagers however, do need lower fermentation temperatures, generally take longer to ferment, and for a first AG, you will be impatient as it is, so an ale will be ready for you to drink sooner. A wheat beer would be even quicker.... ready to drink once carbed. Lagers are also generally more subtle, paler beers which will show flaws in your process more readily than your typical ale.

Many recommend a dark beer for your first AG, simply because they disguise flaws better. I don't agree. I think a nice pale ale would be perfect, and is what I did for my first AG.

 

[Katherine]

Bonj

Could you please be kind enough to let me know what the smell you get from fermenting lagers... I asked it earlier but it was ignored?

 

[white.grant]

Why is that????

Lager yeast often throw off sulphury smells as one of their bi-products. Some yeasts are worse than others though.

cheers

Grant

 

[Effect]

You don't need a bigger starter unless you intend to pitch at fermentation temperature, which isn't necessary

You won't need 2 fermenters. It is much debated whether secondary is needed. I personally don't believe it is, and that was backed up by Jamil's talk at ANHC, where he said he doesn't secondary at all anymore.

Ok, I was told that you need a bigger starter (they must have been talking about pitching at fermentation temp). I thought that if you pitched at a higher temp, and forced the temperature down the yeast would go into shock....but if those big wigs say it is ok...

In regards to the 2 fermenters, this is the first I have heard of not needing them. All recipies and how-tos have had them as pretty much standard....after hearing this I think I will endeavor into brewing lagers faster then I would have. I went with ales and weizens as I could pretty much bottle from the primary.

And...as for the smell of fermentation?

 

[Katherine]

Lager yeast often throw off sulphury smells as one of their bi-products. Some yeasts are worse than others though.

cheers

Grant

Thank you !!!!

 

[raven19]

Phillip & raven19 (and anyone else from Adelaide) - you're first up for tastings once it's ready.

<hands thread back to pokolbinguy, slightly damaged> I'm not getting my deposit back on this, am I?

I like tastings, I like beer. :icon_cheers:

Dont be too worry re: hijacking threads, as long as its on topic, I find it usually ends up benefiting more than just the original poster.