Noob Brewer With Crazy Ideas

[JunkzOr]

Hi Aussiehomebrewers! Long time reader first time poster, mostly because I can find a buttload of answers to many of my questions already.

My very first batch is just over 2 weeks in the bottle after 3 weeks in the fermenter. Was the generic Munich Lager that came with my brewcraft brewery kit. I don't expect great things from that but have at least a benchmark to improve upon.

I like many of you guys took advantage of Coles floggin all their home brew gear cheap and picked up 2 cans of CPA and a banged up can of Coopers Canadian Blonde for 2 bux some coopers BE2, coopers LDME, carb drops and a can of Tooheys 'brewing sugaz'. Popped back in on Saturday to get more but all they have left at my local one is Tooheys lager kits at full price but I'm getting off track.

My next batch I'm going to use one of the CPA tins and would like feedback on the following

Coopers Pale Ale 1.7k
Coopers BE2 1k
LDME 500gm
US-05 yeast
30gm Amarillo pellets dry hopped after primary ferment.

Does this sound alright? I'm not confident going full fancy as it's only my second batch but definately want to try a 'proper' yeast at least and get a bit of aroma from the dry hop.

Thanks for all the great informations and help you didn't know you contributed.

 

[petesbrew]

Hi Aussiehomebrewers! Long time reader first time poster, mostly because I can find a buttload of answers to many of my questions already.

My very first batch is just over 2 weeks in the bottle after 3 weeks in the fermenter. Was the generic Munich Lager that came with my brewcraft brewery kit. I don't expect great things from that but have at least a benchmark to improve upon.

I like many of you guys took advantage of Coles floggin all their home brew gear cheap and picked up 2 cans of CPA and a banged up can of Coopers Canadian Blonde for 2 bux some coopers BE2, coopers LDME, carb drops and a can of Tooheys 'brewing sugaz'. Popped back in on Saturday to get more but all they have left at my local one is Tooheys lager kits at full price but I'm getting off track.

My next batch I'm going to use one of the CPA tins and would like feedback on the following

Coopers Pale Ale 1.7k
Coopers BE2 1k
LDME 500gm
US-05 yeast
30gm Amarillo pellets dry hopped after primary ferment.

Does this sound alright? I'm not confident going full fancy as it's only my second batch but definately want to try a 'proper' yeast at least and get a bit of aroma from the dry hop.

Thanks for all the great informations and help you didn't know you contributed.

That'll be a winner. Just make sure the temps are low 20s and it'll be great!
(my thoughts - maybe even split the Amarillo up as 15g each before & after primary fermentation)

 

[Pennywise]

I wouldn't change the recipe one bit being your second brew, and as above try to keep ferment temps lowish and stable. My prefered temp for us-05 is 17 degrees (some form of temp control is prolly necessary, but not always available), but the yeast will still produce a nice clean beer at 20 so if you can keep that stable temp you'll be fine

 

[raven19]

My thoughts would be it looks good, however dry hopping more than 1 gram per Litre may lead to some grassiness.

You could also try the french pressing of your hops, then add to secondary as an alternative.

It should still be a winning brew in anycase.

(Congrats on your first post also!)

 

[Scruffy]

Yep, good plan! So much better than your generic lager - keep the temperature around 20C throughout the ferment, keep it in the fermenter an extra week after its finished, and after the bottles have carbed, keep the bottles in the fridge and you should get a clear brew.

Next, splash out go AG and have a go at a Berliner Weisse, or if you have some time (three years...), a Gueuze...

Nah, kidding - enjoy your brewing! enjoy the drinking.

 

[JunkzOr]

wow thanks for the quick and positive replies guys.

Another question I have is about mixing it all up. Should I just heat up the can then mix it all straight into the fermenter with a couple litres of boiled water, or is mixing in a pot on the stove then pouring into the fermenter the preferred method?

I'm also using natural spring water (bought 10l containers) as the water from my kitchen tap is not awesome.

I did a lot of reading yesterday about activating yeast sachet's and there's many varying opinions about it. I keep the yeasti packets in the fridge should I let the sachet of US-05 get to room temp before pitching or can I pitch straight from the fridge into the wort as long as it's under 30c?

Thanks again.

 

[petesbrew]

wow thanks for the quick and positive replies guys.

Another question I have is about mixing it all up. Should I just heat up the can then mix it all straight into the fermenter with a couple litres of boiled water, or is mixing in a pot on the stove then pouring into the fermenter the preferred method?

I'm also using natural spring water (bought 10l containers) as the water from my kitchen tap is not awesome.

I did a lot of reading yesterday about activating yeast sachet's and there's many varying opinions about it. I keep the yeasti packets in the fridge should I let the sachet of US-05 get to room temp before pitching or can I pitch straight from the fridge into the wort as long as it's under 30c?

Thanks again.

When doing a recipe like yours I just do the old "heat the tin in the sink with boiling water method". Honestly it works fine for me.
As for the yeast - f##k it, call me lazy but it's just a case of sprinkle it in the fermenter once it's down to 20c (or near abouts).
30c is too high. I have rehydrated dried yeasts before when using a different one, but Safale ones are great.

 

[Pennywise]

Where are you located? What makes you think you tap water is no good for brewing? I used to use the water from woolies but when it got too expensive I started using my tap water (un-boiled) and couldn't tell the difference. Depends where your water is comming from though I guess

 

[JunkzOr]

Where are you located? What makes you think you tap water is no good for brewing? I used to use the water from woolies but when it got too expensive I started using my tap water (un-boiled) and couldn't tell the difference. Depends where your water is comming from though I guess

I live near Pascoe Vale in an old house with old pipes and the water has a bit of a tang, seldom drink out of the tap and have britta jugs in the fridge. Investing in a tap filter is an option but im payin like 8 bux for 20 litres of spring water.. and I like spring water

 

[BjornJ]

Hi,
great to hear you are stepping up to really improving on the kit beers, good stuff.

The recipe sounds good, either way the Amarillo will give you some more freshness.
Either just dump them in a small netting bag from the $2 store after fermentation has been going on for say 4 days, or boil a little water dump the hop bag in there and after 5 minutes take the hops out and dump this hop-tea in your fermenter.

Dont' over complicate it, either way will be great.
Boiling the hops for 5 min will give both aroma and hop flavor while the dryhopping is more about adding fresh hoppy aroma only.

I use the little Brita water jug to filter all the water I brew with into a 20 litre water jug before brewing, to make sure it all tastes nice. But it is a bit of work, running back and forth into the kitchen and pouring it into the jug, then back again a while later and doing it again, and again and again

I agree with your thinking though, if it's not great to drink you don't want to make beer with it.

Sound like you are on your way to good beers already, next thing to worry about is how low you can keep the temp.
The US-05 package will say 15-24 degrees on it, so if you can keep it under 20 it will be nice and clean,

Let us know how it went,

thanks
Bjorn

 

[Adbrewer]

Hi,

I read this post with interest and feeling a little de javu as I am in a similar situation with 2 similar brews in the fermenter, so i hope its ok to add my bit. This is my first post and have found this website very educational, thanks. Very new to brewing (15th brew). I currently have the following 2 fermenting at the moment and thought I would slightly alter each to see what the difference would be.

Brew #1
Coopers Pal Ale 1.7kg
LDME 500g
TCB Ultrabrew 1kg (500g Light Malt / 250g Maltodextrin / 250g Dextrose)
30g Amarillo pellets quick boil for 15mins with all of the LDME
Used the yeast that came with the can. Brewing temp 19-20deg

Brew #2
Coopers Pale Ale 1.7kg
LDME 500g
TCB Ultrabrew 1kg (500g Light Malt / 250g Maltodextrin / 250g Dextrose)
15g Amarillo pellets quick boil for 15mins with all of the LDME
15g Amarillo pellets dry hopped day 3
US-05 yeast 10g.

Temp has been 19-20deg and have been in the fermenter 10 days.

Is 15g too much to dry hop?

What can I expect from the different yeasts?

Thanks


Adbrewer

 

[JunkzOr]

Hi,

I read this post with interest and feeling a little de javu as I am in a similar situation with 2 similar brews in the fermenter, so i hope its ok to add my bit. This is my first post and have found this website very educational, thanks. Very new to brewing (15th brew). I currently have the following 2 fermenting at the moment and thought I would slightly alter each to see what the difference would be.

Brew #1
Coopers Pal Ale 1.7kg
LDME 500g
TCB Ultrabrew 1kg (500g Light Malt / 250g Maltodextrin / 250g Dextrose)
30g Amarillo pellets quick boil for 15mins with all of the LDME
Used the yeast that came with the can. Brewing temp 19-20deg

Brew #2
Coopers Pale Ale 1.7kg
LDME 500g
TCB Ultrabrew 1kg (500g Light Malt / 250g Maltodextrin / 250g Dextrose)
15g Amarillo pellets quick boil for 15mins with all of the LDME
15g Amarillo pellets dry hopped day 3
US-05 yeast 10g.

Temp has been 19-20deg and have been in the fermenter 10 days.

Is 15g too much to dry hop?

What can I expect from the different yeasts?

Thanks


Adbrewer

Adbrewer from all I've been reading up on the US-05 is a 'proper' brewers yeast where the kit yeasts tend to be a 'do the job' kinda yeast. My reading is fairly clear that a good yeast makes a huuuge difference to homebrew. I'm cooking up my brew as we speak and can't wait to taste the results.

 

[JunkzOr]

OK Gents (and ladies???) I have made my wort. I put the can'o'goo on a slow stove up to around 75c over half hour or so and it melted deliciously, so easy to pour rather than sitting it in a sink of hot water. I'll be doing that again.

OG is about 1045 with my proposed recipe @ 25.5 degrees c, I feel that to be quite OK.

Remind me to never use coopers LDME again.. that shit clumps like a mofo! But a good stir with some hot to boiling water broke it up eventually.

Sitting at around 25c with 23l in the fermenter.. OK to pitch my US-05 outta the fridge?

 

[Lecterfan]

I've done that a few times without too many problems, but if I use dry yeast now I take it out of the fridge for an hour or two, then rehydrate (don't actually botherfeeding it any wort/malt anymore) for 15 mins then off you go.

Short answer (in my experience): pitch out of the fridge? Not optimal (or a practice to make a habit out of) but can be done.

Good luck with it all.

 

[JunkzOr]

Hi everyone thanks for the encouragment and positive feedback.

after 48 hours my jCPA is actively fermenting and krausen has formed and temp is steady at 18 (+ or - 1*). I'm very excited about this beer even though it's my second attempt

I'm not sure if I'll be racking this one to secondary, depends how soon I can get another fermenter (might see if Coles are still flogging the coopers kits dirt cheap). And a question to you experienced k&k/k&b brewers. If I want to dry hop this bad boy like I'm going to with some Amarillo; should I rack then dry hop?

Thanks again for being awesome peoples.

 

[kelbygreen]

no need to rack just dry hop on day 5 or after fermentation is finished. I racked 1 beer out of prob 30 or so and the only reason was it was a lager and cold conditioned for 5 weeks. Just dry hop and leave another 3-5 days then put it in the fridge (if you can) at about 1-4c leave there for 2-4 days for everything to drop out of suspension

 

[JunkzOr]

Hello again! Quick question plz folks..

I bought a stainless steel tea-ball strainer thinggy after a suggestion from a friend to sterilize and pop my 20g of pellets in for dry-hopping but the tea-ball I got is a cup size one and after the fact my mate said he bought a teapot sized one.. Details aren't important to him apparently. (I know you're reading this p%@f)

Anyway.. I don't have a hop sock and my little girly tea-ball probably wont hold 20gm's of pellets.. Shall I just toss the pellets straight into the fermenter and risk delicious green floaties in my beer?

Thanks again.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Hello again! Quick question plz folks..

I bought a stainless steel tea-ball strainer thinggy after a suggestion from a friend to sterilize and pop my 20g of pellets in for dry-hopping but the tea-ball I got is a cup size one and after the fact my mate said he bought a teapot sized one.. Details aren't important to him apparently. (I know you're reading this p%@f)

Anyway.. I don't have a hop sock and my little girly tea-ball probably wont hold 20gm's of pellets.. Shall I just toss the pellets straight into the fermenter and risk delicious green floaties in my beer?

Thanks again.

Yeah, or head down to spotlight and get some polyester or nylon semi-see through curtain material (popularly called Swiss Voile on here - something used for All Grain Brew in a Bag brews) and make a hop bag to your size requirements. Or buy a hop from one of the sponsors.

Goomba

 

[petesbrew]

Hello again! Quick question plz folks..

I bought a stainless steel tea-ball strainer thinggy after a suggestion from a friend to sterilize and pop my 20g of pellets in for dry-hopping but the tea-ball I got is a cup size one and after the fact my mate said he bought a teapot sized one.. Details aren't important to him apparently. (I know you're reading this p%@f)

Anyway.. I don't have a hop sock and my little girly tea-ball probably wont hold 20gm's of pellets.. Shall I just toss the pellets straight into the fermenter and risk delicious green floaties in my beer?

Thanks again.

I don't have a hop sock also, and just throw mine straight in the fermenter. When the beer's fully fermented out, leave it another week, and the yeast "should" drop the hops to the bottom, otherwise you can read up on using gelatin as finings.

 

[Bubba]

Hello again! Quick question plz folks..

I bought a stainless steel tea-ball strainer thinggy after a suggestion from a friend to sterilize and pop my 20g of pellets in for dry-hopping but the tea-ball I got is a cup size one and after the fact my mate said he bought a teapot sized one.. Details aren't important to him apparently. (I know you're reading this p%@f)

Anyway.. I don't have a hop sock and my little girly tea-ball probably wont hold 20gm's of pellets.. Shall I just toss the pellets straight into the fermenter and risk delicious green floaties in my beer?

Thanks again.

I hop with pellets all the time, and found the sock thing just something else to clean and sanitise so I dont use it, and no issue at all.
The hops all settle into your trub at the end of fermentation. Be patient, I always ferment for 2 weeks even with my standard ales.
Just to be sure, and on suggestions from this site when I bottle or keg I put a cut of stocking over my fermenter tap to catch anything that hasnt settled or gets sucked in past the sediment reducer in the tap.
No floaties at all!