New To Brewing Idea's

[viligar]

G'day Guys,

Basically, just bought a brewcraft start kit, waiting for it in the mail. While that is happening, i want to get a idea as to what i should make for my first brew, the starterkit i got was 2nd hand, so no ingredients.

Basically, i just want to make something that tastes good, the whole kit seems too easy to me, and would like to do maybe a extract or partial, but i really have no idea where to start in terms of ingredients.

Any recomendations? I like most beers but my fav would be a James squire golden or amber ale.

Also enjoy fat yak and other similar beers.

Any help would be great!

Cheers!

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Based on that, search the recipedb for Neil's Centenamarillo Ale, which is an extract recipe.

If you wish, read up on BIAB (Brew in a bag) which is a cheap, relatively easy, and low cost entry point into AG brewing.

Links are here, here and here.

My cheap and noob friendly recipe (SMaSH - single malt and single hop) is here.

Edit: Temperature control is a must. Yeast is what converts wort to beer, so it needs to be treated with respect.

Cheers,

Goomba

 

[mwd]

Dr Smurtos Golden Ale for kits would be a good start Link to Recipe DB kit version shown on bottom. Dead easy and makes a fantastic brew better than the commercial offering.

All the bits you need can be got by mail from the sponsors at top of page.

 

[viligar]

Cheers for the responce, will check it out.

Yeah i have done some reading and understand that temps are crutial! being in canberra may be a pain in the ass. Currently house is sitting at about 19 Degree's no heating on and it is 9 Degree's outside.

In terms of keeping a stable tempreture without a fermentation fridge how effective are electric blankets, heater pads etc.

Cheers

 

[viligar]

KIT VERSION
1 can Thomas Coopers Sparkling Ale
1 can Coopers Wheat Malt
250g Caramalt (or other light crystal)
15g Amarillo @ 15, 5 and dry hop.
Yeast - US05

Thank You!!! that is perfect.

Two Questions.

15g Amarillo @ 15, 5 and dry hop. I have no clue what that means. Im assuming it means 15g Amarillo boiled at temp for 15 mins, remove. Add new hops boil for 5 mins Remove Dry hop? no clue.

Cheers

 

[Amber Fluid]

KIT VERSION
1 can Thomas Coopers Sparkling Ale
1 can Coopers Wheat Malt
250g Caramalt (or other light crystal)
15g Amarillo @ 15, 5 and dry hop.
Yeast - US05

Thank You!!! that is perfect.

Two Questions.

15g Amarillo @ 15, 5 and dry hop. I have no clue what that means. Im assuming it means 15g Amarillo boiled at temp for 15 mins, remove. Add new hops boil for 5 mins Remove Dry hop? no clue.

Cheers

15g Armarillo boiled at temp for 10 minutes, then add another 15g more and continue to boil for 5 more minutes (total=15minutes)
add 15g for dry hop.

 

[yum beer]

add grains to2 litres water at 65c...2/3 boiling, 1/3 tap water goes close..cover and let sit for 30-60 minutes.
then strain off the grain and boil this liquid for 60 minutes, with 15 min left add 15gm amarillo hops to pot, at 5 min to go add another 15gm.

after 60 min add strained liquid to fermenter as part of water.

after 4 days ferment or when racking to secondary add 15gm Amarillo directly into the fermenter..use a hop sock or something similar and leave till bottling.
hope this helps

 

[viligar]

Thanks! Helps a heap. So in terms of boiling boil the grain in 2/3 of 20L top with cold water?

Also if a recipie calls for hops @0 what would that mean is that dry hopping or?

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Look at the temp range for your chosen yeast (US05 is a good, readily available, stock standard yeast). 19 degrees (if I read it right) inside, if you are reasonably consistent, should be great for US05.

Goomba

 

[viligar]

Fantastic help you guys are! Will make a order now so grains and shiz should come when the kit does! Will post a progress report of what I did so can get some comments and help for next time!

 

[.DJ.]

dont boil the actual grain, boil the liquor you get from steeping it...

 

[Pennywise]

Two Questions.

15g Amarillo @ 15, 5 and dry hop. I have no clue what that means. Im assuming it means 15g Amarillo boiled at temp for 15 mins, remove. Add new hops boil for 5 mins Remove Dry hop? no clue.

Cheers

Do not remove the hops, leave all the hop additions in the brew pot untill the boil is over. If you feel the need to strain them out after that then do so, but it's not neccesary, the hops bits will settle to the bottom of the fermentor

 

[viligar]

Yes,

So basically from what i have understood.

1. Buy Ingredients.
2. Bring 2L of Water to 65Degree's C and then take off heat. Add grain for 60 mins. Remove and steep.
3. Boil the Grainwater and then at 15 mins left add hops 15g for 10 min, then add another 15g for 5 min.
4. Remove Hops and you have wort.
5. Pour into steralised fermentor and top with water and get to correct pitching temp.
6. Pitch Yeast.
7. Ferment for 4 days then add 15G hops to fermentor and let ferment to final gravity.

Unsure from here
8. Secondary Fement (i don't get this part) is that just bottling and letting sit for 14 days, or is that transfering to another fermentor or ?cube? and letting sit for a few days before bottling.
9. Where would i add the Cans of Goo?

Anything im missing or is that the general idea?

Thank again for all your help! ive been a long time reader and so keen to get started and figured you guys would be a great help!

 

[Camo1234]

As you are starting out I would recommend reading the online version of John Palmers "How to brew"... That will explain most of your questions above.


LCPA recipe


The link above is an extract recipe and it has a fair few questions answered which will help you as well.

Another idea is to order a few fresh wort kits from Craft Brewer and get your sanitation and fermentation down pat before going gun ho into extract or BIAB etc..... At least this way you will bottle some outstanding beer that you can enjoy right from the beginning!


Good luck!

 

[viligar]

Camo1234, Thanks!

I kind of like the idea of going GUN Ho =]

Thought about the Wort kits, but i dunno. I like the idea of just making it more!

 

[Pennywise]

I like the idea of just making it more!

You've come to the right place

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

at step 4, add in goo.

As for secondary, there was a big debate a couple of weeks ago as to its necessity. Ross from craftbrewer says no, and I've tasted his beers, so I take his word on it.

Make sure the wort is fermented in the middle of the yeast's ideal range.

After fermentation is finished, leave it for another week (this allows the yeast to clean up after itself). You may wish to cold condition (leave it at less than fermentation temps but above freezing), as this will help yeast drop out of suspension. I don't personally cold condition (though I know it's a good idea), so search the forums on it, before taking my opinion on this.

I never bottle a beer within two weeks of pitching yeast. It is more a heuristic than anything else, but it effectively acts as my secondary.

Goomba

 

[Gormand]

Yes,

So basically from what i have understood.

1. Buy Ingredients.
2. Bring 2L of Water to 65Degree's C and then take off heat. Add grain for 60 mins. Remove and steep.
3. Boil the Grainwater and then at 15 mins left add hops 15g for 10 min, then add another 15g for 5 min.
4. Remove Hops and you have wort.
5. Pour into steralised fermentor and top with water and get to correct pitching temp.
6. Pitch Yeast.
7. Ferment for 4 days then add 15G hops to fermentor and let ferment to final gravity.

Correct (Remove and sparge though, which prob isnt needed), someone may be able to correct me (As I am still reletivly new myself and so may be wrong) But I dont see the point in boiling for 60 minutes. Normally this is done to add bittering hops which you dont need. So I would think that bringing it to the boil then add hops 15g for 10 min, then add another 15g for 5 min. 60min of boiling on 2L is going to leave you with not a lot of wort... which isnt a big deal either.
If you go to the fabric store and buy some voile you can use it to line the pot when you steep the grains (So bring water to 65, add cloth, hold in place with bulldog clips, add grain to bag and steep in the bag) this makes removing the grain a lot easier, you can also make hop bags out of it (I just cut big squares and tie them up with some cord) which allows easy adding and removal of hops for boiling. Just make sure to make the bags big enough so when the hops swell they still have room to move in the bag.

Unsure from here
8. Secondary Fement (i don't get this part) is that just bottling and letting sit for 14 days, or is that transfering to another fermentor or ?cube? and letting sit for a few days before bottling.
9. Where would i add the Cans of Goo?

Anything im missing or is that the general idea?

Thank again for all your help! ive been a long time reader and so keen to get started and figured you guys would be a great help!

Secondary ferment is usually done by moving it from 1 vessel to another. This removes all the old yeast cake and a lot of the settlesd out particals. Usually the move is done sometime around day 4-7 IIRC. Its not needed but should give you a cleaner beer. This is when you add the dry hops as well. 2nd vessals can be picked up pretty cheap from a LHBS (Local home brew store) under $30 for tub, tap, grommet and airlock for most places. This is not needed, I dont have a second tub yet, but thats mainly because I will be getting 2 free ones at some point so I didnt see a point. A second tub makes bottling easier as you can bulk prime your beer as well(Ive been borrowing someone elses spare), so consider getting one

You add the cans into the fermenter when you add your boiled wort. Do it while the water is warm and it will be easier to get it all dissolved. Soak the cans in hot water (Tap is fine) for 5-10 minutes before opening to loosen up the stuff, makes pouring it out easier.

I think thats it for now. Welcome to the obsession.

 

[viligar]

Cheers Gormand some good tips!

Well its just a matter of waiting and trying i think, i mean worst comes to worst i have shit beer =[

But will learn a shit load!

 

[spongebob]

As you are starting out I would recommend reading the online version of John Palmers "How to brew"... That will explain most of your questions above.


LCPA recipe


The link above is an extract recipe and it has a fair few questions answered which will help you as well.

Another idea is to order a few fresh wort kits from Craft Brewer and get your sanitation and fermentation down pat before going gun ho into extract or BIAB etc..... At least this way you will bottle some outstanding beer that you can enjoy right from the beginning!


Good luck!

I'm with Camo on this one...

I've only just started - onto my 7th brew in 4 months, and I started off with a Fat Yak and then a Golden Ale funnily enough! (both kits from my LHBS). The kits came with the ingredients and the recipe to follow - step by step!, and advice from the people in the store which is invaluable when you are trying to learn about steeping, boiling, hopping schedules and dry hopping etc.

Once I had the kits under my belt I've now experimented with my own Stone & Wood Ale (loving!), a Mid Strength Golden ale, and have a Red Hill wheat bubbling away....
But again, I always run my recipes past the LHBS rep before giving it a crack...

have fun enjoy the experimentation, but it's like learning to cook - start slowly and learn as much as you can on the way - and seek advice on anything and everything. So far I'm loving the beer I've made, and this forum is fantastic!!

-SB-
PS. happy to give you my take on the fat yak, and golden ale as a k&K brew!