Last minute advice?

hoosbrewing · 07-03-2009, 04:46 AM

So my first foray into the AG world is tomorrow. I'm doing 5 gal of EdWort's Haus Pale, as it seems to be the equivalent of prom night for most of the AG folks here. I've got my checklist, ingredients in labeled baggies, and all of my equipment ready. Any last minute advice from the experienced masses? Things I should or should not do?

JMSetzler · 07-03-2009, 05:07 AM

Don't spill boiling water on your foot during your maiden voyage like I did

enderwig · 07-03-2009, 05:09 AM

Watch your mash temps, watch for boil overs, other than that, your in business! Brew some beer!!!!

JMSetzler · 07-03-2009, 05:13 AM

I guess the best tip that I could offer after only doing one AG brew is related to mash temps... I'm using beersmith, and my numbers provided by beersmith were pretty accurate. I overheated my strike water by 10 degrees and put it in the MLT and let it stabilize for about 12 or 13 mins and THEN let it cool down to the strike temp that Beersmith asked for to keep myself from undershooting my temperature...

enderwig · 07-03-2009, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMSetzler

I guess the best tip that I could offer after only doing one AG brew is related to mash temps... I'm using beersmith, and my numbers provided by beersmith were pretty accurate. I overheated my strike water by 10 degrees and put it in the MLT and let it stabilize for about 12 or 13 mins and THEN let it cool down to the strike temp that Beersmith asked for to keep myself from undershooting my temperature...

Yeah!! Do that. I should have mentioned that, it's a regular part of my brewing process, so i didn't even think of it......

pnj · 07-03-2009, 05:45 AM

drink a beer or two while you brew. it's the law. I wait until I get my boil going, or just before. ENJOY THE RIDE.

and of course.. Don't Worry. Relax. Have A Homebrew. (or store bought, if that's all you got)

Have fun. welcome to the addiction. and take good notes.

bakersbrew · 07-03-2009, 06:12 AM

just did my first AG on saturday. same recipe. i would set your strike temps a few degrees higher. when i added the grain it ended up being 2 - 3 degrees lower than it was supposed to be. if your strike temp calls for 163...i would shoot for 165.

**weirdboy** · 07-03-2009, 06:24 AM

My advice is this:

Something will probably not go as planned. Don't sweat it. RDWHAHB. The beer will still turn out OK. Just take good notes on everything as you go; temperatures, times, volumes, gravities, etc. so that you can duplicate the results later when it turns out to be the best beer you've ever had.

nutcase · 07-03-2009, 06:50 AM

Dont drink too much and just make sure you learn what you did wrong (you will do things wrong) and don't do them again.

**GilaMinumBeer** · 07-03-2009, 07:22 AM

Run! And don't look back! Once it has it's claws in you, you will never recover.