New to Brewing

[Mathewsbrew]

Hi all,

I'm looking at getting into brewing my own beer and thought I'd go into the AG systems.
What is a good simple recipe to get started in brewing my first batch?

I'd like to try something similar to either carlton draught or pure blonde as a few of us here tend to drink that.

Any tips would be fantastic.

 

[Blind Dog]

What equipment do you have? All grain brewing is a steep learning curve and most (not all) start off with Coopers kits (or similar) or fresh wort kits to test the waters first and start the learning journey.

 

[Mathewsbrew]

What equipment do you have? All grain brewing is a steep learning curve and most (not all) start off with Coopers kits (or similar) or fresh wort kits to test the waters first and start the learning journey.

At this stage I don't have any equipment but putting together a shopping list atm.
I was looking at starting with the coopers kits however after lots of research I have found that the AG offers a far better product. Although a lot harder to get started with in the long run the quality should be better.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

I'm with Bling Dogs suggestion. As probably most home brewers.
Get the: Sanitation/ fermentation/ bottling/ kegging down in experience first. Its the crucial learning curve to start with.
You will make good beer with kits. You can also experiment like short boils with additional ingrediences like finishing hops, all malt instead of dextrose etc. Instead of just tipping the can in with water etc.

 

[Bbowzky1]

Yeah im a new brewer. I just got 4 brews under my belt and bottling my first 2 brews tomorrow.
I woulda lover to jump straigt into allgrain but so glad I didnt. Sanitation temp control knowing the stages of fermentation is important.
If you wanna start at an intermediate level like did dtart by using unhopped malt extracts and steep grains and hopps in full volume boils,
John palmers how to brew book is amazing for lerning how to brew cold and hot breaks yeast starters all that.
Just my 2 cents

 

[panzerd18]

Get something like a Grainfather if you can spare the money.

 

[boybrewer]

Hi all,

I'm looking at getting into brewing my own beer and thought I'd go into the AG systems.
What is a good simple recipe to get started in brewing my first batch?

I'd like to try something similar to either carlton draught or pure blonde as a few of us here tend to drink that.

Any tips would be fantastic.

If you want to jump in the deep end buy a turnkey system like Panzerd 18 said . The grainfather is an all in one system from New Zealand cost is around $900 . The other is German called a Braumeister for around $2500 . As far as the rest of brewing goes it is a steep learning curve . Eg :- What yeast to use for the different types of beers , like CUB you could use the standard US - 05 yeast which is a dehydrated ale yeast fermented at around 18* C for a lager you would need the proper Lager yeast either a liquid yeast or a dry yeast which ferments at around 12*C for a longer period of time . So temperature control is important and most important is your cleaning and sanitation of anything that will touch your beer after boiling. If you know anyone who does AG hit them up for a brewday and see what is involved in the brewing process . Some home brew shops have brew days look for one around your area the blokes in this community are only too happy to show off their prowess in brewing . We have no secrets we are only too happy to share our ideas and processes .

 

[Mathewsbrew]

Thanks for the tips everyone i'll check out the options :kooi:

 

[Pogierob]

Where do you live mate? Best advice, if you are going to jump in the deep end, watch someone who can swim already. There are a heap of.homebrew clubs around and most guys would.be more than happy to have a drinking, I mean brewing partner on the day.

 

[CoxR]

The first thing I ever fermented was an All Grain Bright Ale from the data base on this site.
Granted I did take the time time to read a fair bit of info here but I really learn better by doing. The first thing I setup was a temp controlled fridge next was a keg and a borrowed burner then went to the brew shop for a bag, grain/ ingredients.
I do not know how to put a recipe together, haven't bothered as so many great recipes are all done anyway. I have a screw up from time to time but that's learning. I have still yet to throw out a brew touch wood.
I can't compare myself to the seasoned brewers here with their knowledge and experience, but I would say if you want to go AG straight up do it, it's not that hard. **** some cooking you do in the kitchen is more complicated and time consuming. The brewing is the easy part
I must admit though since I went to an electric element with PID control it is even easier, I copied QLDKevs single vessel and love it however I was lucky that the only cost to me was the BigW pot and the element the rest was, well I didn't have to pay for it. If I did have to pay for all the gear a Grainfather would of been purchased.

 

[Mathewsbrew]

Where do you live mate? Best advice, if you are going to jump in the deep end, watch someone who can swim already. There are a heap of.homebrew clubs around and most guys would.be more than happy to have a drinking, I mean brewing partner on the day.

Im South West of Sydney. Do you know of any homebrew clubs around Sydney?

The first thing I ever fermented was an All Grain Bright Ale from the data base on this site.
Granted I did take the time time to read a fair bit of info here but I really learn better by doing. The first thing I setup was a temp controlled fridge next was a keg and a borrowed burner then went to the brew shop for a bag, grain/ ingredients.
I do not know how to put a recipe together, haven't bothered as so many great recipes are all done anyway. I have a screw up from time to time but that's learning. I have still yet to throw out a brew touch wood.
I can't compare myself to the seasoned brewers here with their knowledge and experience, but I would say if you want to go AG straight up do it, it's not that hard. **** some cooking you do in the kitchen is more complicated and time consuming. The brewing is the easy part
I must admit though since I went to an electric element with PID control it is even easier, I copied QLDKevs single vessel and love it however I was lucky that the only cost to me was the BigW pot and the element the rest was, well I didn't have to pay for it. If I did have to pay for all the gear a Grainfather would of been purchased.

I just picked up a copy of John Palmers how to brew book from my local brew shop so i'll tackle some of the important aspects and give it a try.

 

[jaywalkar]

I just picked up a copy of John Palmers how to brew book from my local brew shop so i'll tackle some of the important aspects and give it a try.

A very wise move. That book is literally what got me from extract brewing right into the all grain deep end.

As everyone has mentioned, diving head first into all grain isn't a good idea. In my opinion, its not just the experience that is essential, its also the fact that you need to invest a lot more time in all grain. So if and when you make a bad beer (and trust me, everyone does), it's not so disappointing with extract brewing. With all grain, it sucks when it doesn't turn out as the investment of time in brewing is a lot more.

Also, the beer's you have mentioned that you would like to clone are both lagers, which are a more advance style to brew. Lagers require fermentation at lower temperatures, so you would need, ideally, a fridge with a temperature controller for fermentation. Additionally, back on the time investment issue, lagers take a lot longer to brew compared to an ale.

Brewing beer can be extremely fun an exciting, especially when all grain brewing. But heed the words from the experienced on this forum, it would be highly advisable to start with extract and move up from there.

 

[butisitart]

i just bought a grainfather after 41 brews - of which i did 2 all grains, about 15 partial mash, about 10 with steeping grains and finishing hops, and the earliest ones straight out of the can.
that's how most brewers start, and you can make perfectly good beer from the outset.

tips - check the useby date on anything in a can. get the newest. you'll only ever buy the 1/2 price hitting use by date sale can once. (or twice just to be sure that beer can really be so vile).

use dry or liquid malts instead of dextrose. (dextrose for bottling only). malts will give good flavours, dextrose is pretty much tasteless.

try (eg) safale 04 yeast if making an ale - then research how to save the yeast after fermenting for re-use. any of the bought yeasts are better than the ones that come with a can.

steep or boil maybe 5 - 10 gms of hops for 10 or so minutes in a separate saucepan, then strain well and add to brew. no more than 10 gms until you learn to gauge just what sort of impact it will have. remember that the can will already have hops. do a little research on which hops to add eg 5-8 gms cluster hops adds class to a qld ale can, cos that's the main hops in fourex. (and you'll make fourex look pretty ordinairy).

the hops not only introduces you to that step but it also kills the 'homebrew' taste you can get from cans.

steep some steeping grains. (research or ask you brew supplier cos some grains have to be mashed, some can be steeped. crystal malts are good for steeping (like steeping tealeaves. again, in separate saucepan, strain and add to brew. this really lifts brew cans and works great on darker beers.

going from cans to partials to full grains is a big learning curve, and you'll be in a big learning curve from brew to brew anyway.
there's a lot of timing involved on a brewday - when to sterilise this, or heat water for that, or deydrate the yeast so it's optimal at pitch. i'd strongly suggest start with the simple, get the rythym, then add little processes. and your beers will start off better than anything in a shop, and they just get better and better.

oh - finally - you won't be able to actually clone anything unless you strip all the goodness out of it. commercial beer is made at the lowest cost of product v maximum output. so, for example, i make fivex, which is one better than fourex. same recipe, but 4% alc and MASSIVE flavour.

enjoy

 

[ebyelyakov]

Listen no one, but John Palmer. He will guide you through your first extract, first steeping, first all grain.

Equipment wise -- so not to be overwhelmed nor scared -- I started with a glass carboy and syphon. Still serve me... As you will grow, you will upgrade your kettle, construct a mash tun etc... Give it a few years...

Stick with dry yeast for now (Danstar are good) unless feel ready to play with starters (erlenmeyer flask, stir plates etc) or willing to spend $20-30 per brew just in yeast costs

So many people, so many opinions... I cannot understand how Mr Palmer could remain so impartial and objective. Read it. Also online, for free -- www.howtobrew.com

 

[butisitart]

yeah - palmer is king for info without some rabid ego going on.

although i don't think anyone on this thread has said you HAVE to do it a certain way or you'll crash.

and actually - a large part of the reason for my sometmes slow step ups to new ways of brewing was to do with gettnig new hardware past the wife. so numbers of beers i made in a particular setting ain't strict advice, although i stick by the evolution of how you brew as a good way of learning a new step here, a new method there.

just did my 4th batch on gf - wheat beer - working with a gf is a bit like going from a moped to a private jet in terms of it's a lot more sensitive and responsive to what you do with it, pretty exciting stuff and another huge learning curve.

 

[contrarian]

Nothing wrong with giving all grain a go. It adds a few more steps to the process but it is all manageable.

Have a read through this thread http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/38674-move-to-all-grain-for-thirty-bucks/ it's a pretty good jumping off point.

Another way to start is some fresh wort kits. They will teach you about the fermentation process including sanitisation and also help you build a stock of cubes for when you eventually start no chilling your own wort.

Brewing is a very simple process and easy learn, watching as many people as possible brew on their rigs is a fantastic way to learn.

 

[Bribie G]

A very reasonably priced method of getting into All grain is to buy an electric 40 litre hot water urn and do Brew In a Bag. Dead easy and very compact.

As posted several times above you really need to get comfortable with sanitising, fermenting, bottling or kegging and a kit such as the Coopers home brewery outfit will give you the equipment you are going to need anyway such as fermenting vessel, hydrometer etc.

Kits, extracts and all grain methods are just one step in the journey of the grain to the brain, namely the production of the fermentable "wort" that gets turned into beer. All the other steps are the same no matter what method, and these are the steps you need to get familiar with first.