What To Brew (extract)

[JaffaMan]

I got my special package in the mail , got ingredients to make DSGA extract, after I make it I'll have:

.75kg of Cara malt
1kg of Crystal (didnt get this for DSGA, just thought I'd give it a go)
100g Saaz AA 3.2% (maybe 55g of amarillo, depending on if I can get us-05 tommoz)
left over..

The DSGA will be my first for steeping grains and second small hop boil, so I'm keen to keep these standards up for the next few brews.

Anyone got any nice recipes or links. I can get most kits and extract cans easily, just not hops or grain (have to wait for them). Commercial beers I drink include LCPA, JSGA, JSHT, and a few of the Matilda Bay (BN, FY) and of course one of my favourite Bridge Road from my hometown Beechworth.

The cara malt is cracked, so I want to try use that within the next week or so. The crystal is whole so Im not so worried bout using it drastically.

Just to check: I've placed the hops and grain in the fridge, are they right to stay there for now?

Sorry bout the yarn, and thanks for your time, Jaff.

 

[archie82]

Just to check: I've placed the hops and grain in the fridge, are they right to stay there for now?

Not sure about the grains but the hops should be fine, i have kept my leftover hops in an airtight sandwich bag as per advice from my LHBS.

 

[buttersd70]

I've placed the hops and grain in the fridge, are they right to stay there for now?

as for the hops, as archie said. Sandwihich bag (or vac sealed if you have one) in the frigge/freezer is fine.

For the grain....cool, dry environment....so I'd think a cool dark cupboard would be better than the fridge...well, better than my fridge, that gets a lot of condensation in it.
For the cracked grain, just store in a ziplock, it'll be fine for ages.

 

[glaab]

i'm getting a real "rock hydson " vibe from this thread

 

[Phoney]

For the cracked grain, just store in a ziplock, it'll be fine for ages.

Just be careful f%#$!g mice dont get into it. :angry:

 

[buttersd70]

Just be careful f%#$!g mice dont get into it. :angry:

Oh, yea. Good point. :lol:

If this is likely to me an issue, then a nice thick tupperware container would be a better choice.

 

[Fourstar]

Just to check: I've placed the hops and grain in the fridge, are they right to stay there for now?

I;d go fro keeping the grain in a cupboard. you dont want condensation moulding up your grain in the fridge.

As for recipes you have plenty of options. a decent crystal malt Pale ale springs to mind with the amarillo. as for a saaz you could pop that into a 'aussie pilsner' with some of the caramalt. caramalt = macro lager sweetner to most around here. Tony and I love it

 

[boingk]

I'd go the following if it were my ingredients. Not shooting at a particular style, but I reckon it'd work alright.

1.7kg kit (something clean and uncomplicated, I like Coopers Lager and Coopers Real Ale for bases)
500g LDME
250g Crystal
50g Cara
30g Amarillo @ 15min
20g Saaz @ 0min
20g Saaz (dry) for 4 days before bottling.

Try US-05 yeast to let all those nice hops shine through, and up the Cara a tad if you want. If you do, possibly up the Amarillo a bit as well, its up to you.

Righteo, thats my 2c.

Cheers - boingk

 

[brettprevans]

maybe play with this recipe

either go all extract or add a can of euro lager. sub the maltodex for some crystal and add 100g carapils, the cara would be a nice touch. saaz all thw way. nice a beauty of drink

edit: if all extract use hop additions at 60, 30, 15, 10 and 0. if using a tin just go the 15, 10 and 0 additons. I love saaz but you could easily drop off the 10min addition to cut back.

 

[JaffaMan]

Just be careful f%#$!g mice dont get into it. :angry:

Ha, very good point, I spent 3 hours last night trying to get a mouse to fall victim to the ol mouse trap.

Thanks for the info, i'll store the grain in my bottle conditioning cupboard.

 

[JaffaMan]

maybe play with this recipe

either go all extract or add a can of euro lager. sub the maltodex for some crystal and add 100g carapils, the cara would be a nice touch. saaz all thw way. nice a beauty of drink

edit: if all extract use hop additions at 60, 30, 15, 10 and 0. if using a tin just go the 15, 10 and 0 additons. I love saaz but you could easily drop off the 10min addition to cut back.

Nice one, thats what I'll do after DSGA.

 

[cdbrown]

Ha, very good point, I spent 3 hours last night trying to get a mouse to fall victim to the ol mouse trap.

Thanks for the info, i'll store the grain in my bottle conditioning cupboard.

Peanut butter smeared on the trigger and place it where you know they run, soon enough the trap will get 'em.

Do you have a mill to crack the grain?

I get all my grain milled and store in zip lock bags inside large plastic containers. Not problems so far. Hops go in the beer fridge also in ziplock bags to try and keep moisture out as well as any unwanted fridge smells penetrating the hops.

 

[Phoney]

Thanks for the info, i'll store the grain in my bottle conditioning cupboard.

Those big plastic storage tubs from discount stores = win.

Also if you have a mice or rats around the place, dont discard your spent grains in the garden! It attracts them like moths to a flame.

 

[JaffaMan]

Do you have a mill to crack the grain?

No, I dont. But I have a friend who works at a small brewery .

Do you have to use a mill? Thought I read somewhere that putting it in cloth and running a rolling pin over it would work, oviously not as effective as a mill.

 

[loikar]

maybe play with this recipe

Gonna give this a crack with a euro lager, LDME and crystal, I'll use up the US-05 in the fridge....cheers CM2

 

[loikar]

No, I dont. But I have a friend who works at a small brewery .

Do you have to use a mill? Thought I read somewhere that putting it in cloth and running a rolling pin over it would work, oviously not as effective as a mill.

Nothing like chucking grain into muslin cloth and leaning on a heavy based saucepan.
Does the job for small amounts of grain B)

 

[manticle]

No, I dont. But I have a friend who works at a small brewery .

Do you have to use a mill? Thought I read somewhere that putting it in cloth and running a rolling pin over it would work, oviously not as effective as a mill.

Would work with small amounts. AG brews of 4 - 9 kgs would be far too painful. Eventually look at getting grains already cracked or buy a mill. I use a cheapo cereal mill I got from ebay - hand driven but it does the job. I tried the rolling pin method once with 4 kg pislner malt and got woeful efficiency after 2 hours of grain cracking work.

I have kept small amounts of grains in the fridge with no issue (2 kg type bags) . It may depend how long you aim to keep them there before using (due to condensation) but small amounts of time in airtight conatiners/bags should be fine. There may be better spots but it's worked for me and is convenient. Now I have large bags of grain that won't fit in my fridge so I just squeeze air out and tie up with twine. The cats take care of any rat issues for me.

 

[Brewer_010]

Ha, very good point, I spent 3 hours last night trying to get a mouse to fall victim to the ol mouse trap.

Thanks for the info, i'll store the grain in my bottle conditioning cupboard.

Offtopic:
Use peanut butter on the traps, the little bastards can't leave it alone. Got rid of 10 mice in a couple of weeks last year with that, and haven't had a single mouse all this winter...