New to brewing.

[Melvict]

Hi all,
Just to introduce myself to the community. My brew experience are my grand mothers Gingerbeer and 2 x Coopers tin type brews but that is not what I want to do. The batches are too big for me, I like variety. I want to brew more often hence my decision to do AG, 2-3 gal batches. I think BIAB will be a good start.
I'm a fan of LCPA, Windhoek draught, Stella Artois, Duvel and fancy some forms of cherry beer. I like aroma.
I will be asking a lot of question.
Thanks in advance.

 

[pilgrimspiss]

Welcome Melvict! Good forum to join. LOTS of info available and a lot of experience.

Have a look through all the forums and a lot of the basic stuff is covered to help get you started.

Another tip, type what you are looking for into google then type aussiehomebrewer after it. Best way I've found to search the forums.

What kind of gear have you got so far? What are you planning for your first brew?

Best of luck!!

Cheers
Matty.

edit - linky for a BIAB start.

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/11694-a-guide-to-all-grain-brewing-in-a-bag/

 

[Melvict]

I have a couple big pots(12l, 28l), a couple 200w submersible heaters(still planning to incorporate then into some kind of 'temp controller' that has an output for a small circulation pump to keep the waterbath constant.) 25l plastic fermenter and airlock. Digital thermometer and slotted spoon. Bottles and a capper. Planning to make a supply of brew bags. Read that Swiss Voile is the correct material.
Because of my batch sizes(and my curiosity) I'm going to use glass as fermenters. I want to see the reaction of the fermentation. Think keeping it clean would also be easier too.
I'm planning in doing a LCPA in couple weeks time. Still reading up on all this grain and hop stuff, it is quite a lot of info to get my head around.

 

[Melvict]

I know someone will have the answer:
I'm going to do my first AG(BIAB) on the weekend, God willing but there are a lot of outstanding unknowns. My batch size is 4.6l. I have taken Argon's Little Fellas Pale Ale recipe and typed it into Beersmith to get the grains but when I do the hops the quantities are pretty small, in the order of 3.1g for the first addition. Is this correct?
Thanks in advance.

 

[jaypes]

Without knowing the recipe or IBU'S or AA% of the hops used it could very well be correct

 

[Melvict]

Thanks Jaypes. I'll post it from my pc in the morning. I just want to update my ingredient list too. Might pick an easier recipe to start off with.

 

[Yob]

Also check out biabrewer.com, lots of good info in a biab specific manner, good way to do small test batches

Been thinking of building a small biab rig to do 10lt trial brews.

Welcome aboard

 

[Melvict]

Thanks Yob, will read some more. For me 10l will be double batch.
Wife: Are you brewing again?
Me: Yes my dear, I'm just testing something for a mate..

All the reading I have done so far on BIAB is on +5gal batches. I'm kind of BIABnano.

 

[Yob]

All the reading I have done so far of BIAB is on +5gal batches.

Any more than a keg full is a PITA

If I do get round to making my little pilot biab, it'll be in a 19l BigW pot... Kinda teenyBIAB

 

[Melvict]

I turned into a bottle man, blame my mother for that.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Any more than a keg full is a PITA

If I do get round to making my little pilot biab, it'll be in a 19l BigW pot... Kinda teenyBIAB

I managed to get my 2 pot method to produce 2 different beers from the same base - a RIS and DIPA.

Both ended up being about 15L at 1.080-1.090.

That might be another method to increase beer production and variety but decrease the number of brew days.

 

[Melvict]

I have decided to do an easier brew as my first AG:

BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Dr Smurto's Golden Ale - Melvict
Brewer: BIABrewer.info
Asst Brewer: Designed by Mark Smith
Style: American Pale Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (45.0) Mash at 66 C or 151 F. This is Dr Smurto's favourite version. This beer is one of the most widely home-brewed beers in Australia, extremely popular to a wide range of palates and a robust recipe meaning that it can be varied in many ways with little risk. Source: Mark Smith

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.52 l
Post Boil Volume: 4.68 l
Batch Size (fermenter): 4.50 l
Bottling Volume: 3.90 l
Estimated OG: 1.047 SG
Estimated Color: 7.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 32.7 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 75.0 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
0.54 kg Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 58.5 %
0.18 kg Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 19.5 %
0.15 kg Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 3 16.7 %
0.05 kg Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 4 5.3 %
3.15 g Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 5 18.3 IBUs
4.10 g Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 6 14.4 IBUs
0.05 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 7 -
5.08 g Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 8 0.0 IBUs
0.2 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 9 -


Mash Schedule: BIAB, Medium Body
Total Grain Weight: 0.92 kg
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Saccharification Add 8.08 l of water at 68.6 C 66.7 C 75 min
Mash Out Heat to 75.6 C over 7 min 75.6 C 10 min


I bought the ingredients yesterday.There is one shop that WILL not see me again.
The Whirlfloc will be replaced with Irish Moss.
The bag will be cut and stiched a bit later today.

Questions I would like to get some answers on:

I first crush the grain and then let it steep (in the bag in the pot) for 1 hour at 66? Correct.

I read somewhere that boiling 90min instead of 60min is good idea. It gives you a clearer end product so I thought that might be a good idea.
With the 90 min boil in mind, do I adjust the times when I add the ingredients accordingly, ie.
Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 90.0 min
Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 20.0 min (you add this 20 min into the boil or is it 20 from the end of the boil?)
Irish Moss - Boil 15.0 min
Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 0.0 min (I confused about this one, You add it when you're done with the boiling. So you put it in then take it out immediately again :unsure When do you take all the hops and Irish Moss out or does it go into the fermenter?


What is this all about?

Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Saccharification Add 8.08 l of water at 68.6 C 66.7 C 75 min
Mash Out Heat to 75.6 C over 7 min 75.6 C 10 min

The last question is about yeast. How much yeast do I use? Do I put the left overs in a seal bottle (like I do with my cheese cultures) or does it go into the bin :unsure: or can I do something with it?

Thanks