New here with a few questions

[r055c0]

Hey okie1, there's some good advice from everyone above but I think the best bit of advice I ever got was to write everything down. If you keep good records of what you did with every brew you can refer back to them when something goes wrong and use them to figure out why. More importantly, when something goes right and you make a beer you really like you'll be able to reproduce it.

While I understand what people are getting at when they say take it slow I think you are far better off pimping your beers from the start. Why would you want to go to the trouble of fermenting a beer for a couple of weeks, bottling and waiting a few more weeks just to drink something you know you could have made better by adding some hops or grain?

Cheers!

 

[okie1]

I was just thinking of changing the yeast to Safale US-05 & adding some amount Pale Briess DME but don't know how much to add to the mix, that is my sticking point.

 

[manticle]

Use ianh's kit and extract sheet to calculate the gravity you want.
For 23 litres, I'd look at between 750g and 1 kg and add in 150- 250g of dextrose. I think 5 galloms is around 19 L from memory.

 

[manticle]

Spreadsheet is pinned at the top of the kit/extract forum.

 

[okie1]

Star San came in the other evening so that is taken care of now, when ready, I can be sure everything is sanitized. I had read a lot of reviews stating Star San was an excellent product, we shall see.

 

[unclebarrel]

+1 for above post okie1
Ianh's spreadsheet makes brewing petty easy.

Also as ro55co mentioned, try pimping your brews a little. Try to do heaps of reading on adding things like specialty grains, hop additions to the boil or dry hopping.
I found the more research I did the easier it was to have a go at changing my brews, there is a lot of info and very learned brewers here to help.
Im sure you will find it to be simple enough and it will give your brews a little more magic !

Good luck with it all mate !

UB

Slightly off topic…sorry, but are you a Thunder fan ?? Whats the latest on Westbrook ??? Damn shame he got injured.
I'm a very long time Laker tragic….I'm not so happy at the moment

 

[okie1]

Yes, I am a Thunder fan, this is the only real professional sports team we have here in Oklahoma, a lot of minor teams though. I was concerned we would not have the population to support a pro team, I was wrong, the turn out has been unbelievable, we love the team and in turn they love OKC & Oklahoma and they contribute back to the community in so many ways, crazy good. OKC has grown so much over the last 10 years & the new downtown is a sight to behold.
Westbrook I think came back too soon & was not completely healed, we have enough good player to sub him till he is good to go.
Thanks for asking!!!!

I have been reading for a long while till my head hurts about brewing beer, I must wait till the weather settles some before I can dig in and give it a go, most everything is ready, just waiting.

 

[unclebarrel]

You're right in saying you have enough to cover him. You have one of the best players going around in Durant, he will be a star for years to come. Plenty of others in there too. It's a shame the Sonics folded, but great for OKC.


Back on topic !!
Good luck with all of your research and future brewing adventures.
I have just moved from extracts to 15L AG stovetop AG brews. I'm drinking a little less so I thought I would brew a little less and make the move to all grain.
Will probably be going BIAB in an urn sometime this year anyway.


Catch
UB

 

[okie1]

Right now the Thunder has the best record in the NBA & they have almost all young players that will be around a while. Carry on.

 

[unclebarrel]

Hahahaha. Nice.
You sound proud and so you should !!!

 

[BeardedWonder]

"The difference between 'messing around' and 'science' is taking detailed notes"
-Mythbusters

......dunno which one....probably the Ranga

 

[okie1]

Just an update, I studied for the last few months & read everything I could & did tons of research on the subject of home brewing, finally on April the 4th I went for it. Funny, with all the studying, when the day came to brew it went off without a hitch, everything went perfectly. Today is the 15th day and all looks good, the best thing about the Coopers DIY is you can observe the process being a clear FV. I will wait one more week & then bottle & condition for three weeks, then give it a try. I will keep you posted

Thanks for all the help