One Base Grain And One Hop

[Beer&Kebab]

I am new to AG and am thinking of starting out basic in terms of everything.. I am using BIAB principles and I am brewing half size batches.. I am wondering what people think about just using one base grain - in this case JW ale malt and one hop - in this case galaxy as 60 - 15 - 5 min additions. I have used xtal, and a number of the caraxxxx grains and dont much like the sweetness.. I don't really feel the need for specialty grains.. Is my thinking crazy or a good place to start ?

 

[peas_and_corn]

Far from crazy. Many members of this forum have done this before, in order to understand what the base ingredients do for their beer. Apparently it brews a nice albeit quite simple beer.

 

[Tony]

Ahhh yes........... this is what i like to see.

Start simple and work up. The fundimentals of education.

brew the beer and then change one thing......... say ass 5 to 8% crystal of change the hop to experience the difference the one change makes. Keep doing that and you can built to a great range of brewing knowledge far beyond anything you will read in a book or on the net.

You will learn what effect different ingredients have on the final product. This is the key to becoming a good brewer.

I have done this for years and you never stop learning or changing things to see what it does.

research what your going to change each time............ ask questions on here about it, its a good chance we have tried it before and will be able to say ya or na to help you along the path.

do it!

one thing........... dont go overboard with the galaxy........... its potent stuff!

cheers

 

[scrogster]

I've done this a few times with good results:

JW Pils + Hersbrucker
JW Trad Ale + Northdown
Marris Otter + Northdown

Simple, but nice beers. Great way to get a feel for the flavours of particular ingredients.

 

[Tony]

A few years back i brewed an aussie pale ale that beat countless APA's to a 1st place at a state comp and got a 4th out of about 30 beers by only a couple of points at the AABC

It was just JW ale malt and POR FWH and 45 min

mashed at 66, fermented with 1318 at 19 deg.

1.050, 28 IBU

Bloody top summer beer!

I still brew it now and then and always enjoy it as does everyone who tries it. Its been described as mothers milk

Like cornflakes............ the simple things in life are often the best

cheers

 

[peas_and_corn]

I'll have to steal that.

 

[buttersd70]

Nothing wrong at all with 'simple'. To expand the principle into the world of fine food, some of the best chefs in the world gained their michelin stars with the principle of simply letting the ingredients speak for themselves.

 

[drsmurto]

100% weyermann pils
100% czech saaz

Nothing boring about that! :beerbang:

 

[Tony]

boiling this right now. going to ferment it as an ale with 1272 american ale 2.

you could do it with just JW ale malt and it would be just ......... well almost as good



Pips 30th Summer Ale

A ProMash Recipe Report

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (L): 52.00 Wort Size (L): 52.00
Total Grain (kg): 9.40
Anticipated OG: 1.048 Plato: 12.01
Anticipated EBC: 7.2
Anticipated IBU: 30.8
Brewhouse Efficiency: 85 %
Wort Boil Time: 75 Minutes


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential EBC
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
87.2 8.20 kg. IMC Pilsner Australia 1.038 3
6.4 0.60 kg. Weyermann Carahell Germany 1.035 26
5.3 0.50 kg. Weyermann Carapils Germany 1.037 3
1.1 0.10 kg. Weyermann Acidulated Germany 1.035 5

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
120.00 g. Czech Saaz Pellet 4.50 27.1 45 min.
30.00 g. Czech Saaz Pellet 4.50 3.7 15 min.


Yeast
-----

WYeast 1272 American Ale II

 

[reg]

My first AG was a one grain, one hop ale.
BIAB No chill.

Yet to try as been a bit busy but Barramundi brewed it for the xmas in july case swap and got some good reviews.
As Tony said start with a simple grain bill and work up from there.

 

[hewy]

one thing........... dont go overboard with the galaxy........... its potent stuff!

I'll second that!

And mate, I am sure you will have no worries drinking the final product! :icon_drunk:

 

[buttersd70]

And one thing that hasn't been brought up yet....if you're just moving into AG, even if it is just 1 grain and one hop, and even if there are errors along the way.....you'll still think that an angel took a dump in your fermenter, and marvel at the wonderful taste. :icon_drool2:

 

[Tony]

AG = Angel Shit :lol:

thats gold

and true

I did make a lager and added amber malt to it for the "amber hue" it said it had on the spec sheet

Tipped it all down the drain. tasted like dirt. the amber malt made it dry and harsh. good in a bitter in small amounts but not in a pale clean lager

one little slip up but i wouldnt have learnt if i hadnt tried it.

cheers

 

[Beer&Kebab]

Thanks guys.. I will (in scientific geek speak) establish a baseline using one hop and ale malt.. The reason for the ale malt is I jumped in head 1st and bought a 25kg bag milled.. I will do the same brew malt wise but using different hops.. Galaxy appeals coz it is high alpha and I read good reports about it..I got Neville to send me a few packs of it.. I don't have beersmith so I use a brew calculus tool (only prob is it is blinkin US imperial).. This will help me work out hop additions.. I don't much care about style at this stage.. The only judge I care about is me.. Hopefully I will create some lovley Angels Piss :icon_cheers:

 

[buttersd70]

The only judge I care about is me.. Hopefully I will create some lovley Angels Piss

And don't forget to carbonate it properly....Angel Farts give the most stable carbonation. :lol:

Seriously, though...home brew beer should be brewed the way you like it, to your tastes, and to your own judgement. Too many people get hung up on style guidlines, and brewing to meet them. It's you thats going to be drinking it, after all....but some people forget that style guidleines are guidelines, not gospel...

 

[Tony]

And if you have 25 kg of milled grain.......... use it fast. It doesnt last long once its cracked. The enzymes die in the arse and it will go stale.

Keep it sealed, airtight and out of sunlight.

Even better get someone to vac pack it in lots you will use to brew. Will last a lot longer.

cheers

 

[rclemmett]

Thanks guys.. I will (in scientific geek speak) establish a baseline using one hop and ale malt.. The reason for the ale malt is I jumped in head 1st and bought a 25kg bag milled.. I will do the same brew malt wise but using different hops.. Galaxy appeals coz it is high alpha and I read good reports about it..I got Neville to send me a few packs of it.. I don't have beersmith so I use a brew calculus tool (only prob is it is blinkin US imperial).. This will help me work out hop additions.. I don't much care about style at this stage.. The only judge I care about is me.. Hopefully I will create some lovley Angels Piss :icon_cheers:

Beer&Kebab I have an excell spread sheet in metric that does the calc's for hop additions, if you want a copy PM me an email address and I'll forward it.

 

[Beer&Kebab]

And if you have 25 kg of milled grain.......... use it fast. It doesnt last long once its cracked. The enzymes die in the arse and it will go stale.

Keep it sealed, airtight and out of sunlight.

Even better get someone to vac pack it in lots you will use to brew. Will last a lot longer.

cheers

I am brewing like a demon as I type.. I got the bag 9 days ago and have already used over half.. It aint gunna get a chance to go too stale.. When I get a 25kg bag I will go crazy for a few weeks filling every fermenter and bottle in the place (when weather conditions are cool enough). Then sit back let them age and prepare for my next onslaught of brewing :beerbang:

Thanks for all the great advice.. Today is the galaxy ale.. I just had a knaw on the edge of one of the pellets.. They certainly have some kick..

 

[mikem108]

Did one that worked out really well 100% Munich and Galaxy hops at 60,15 and 0

 

[beers]

I'm drinking a 100% JW Ale & 100% Summer Saaz Ale now Good stuff. I'm on a roll one malt & one hop beers at the moment (Sth X with JW Vienna, Pacific Gem with JW Munich, Bramblin X with TF Maris Otter, Pacific Hallertau with Wey Pils are some combos I can think off). I find it helps to give you a better understanding of your base malt & hops. For instance in this beer I'm finding the Summer Saaz more subtle than I expected, & I think it would be lost if I used another hop with it. & even though I've used JW Ale many times before (along with specialty grains), the beer is darker & maltier than I expected it would be. I think I'll be doing a lot more single malt single hop beers.