Why do guys make their first all-grain so complicated?
I advocate starting out in all-grain with a simple recipe. A simple recipe can and WILL make good beer! I've already read two posts this morning from noobs listing their grain bills and problems. One is almost all wheat malt, and the other has five grains. Why do they so often go overboard? Is it a good thing to let your enthusiasm get you at this point or should you be a little more reserved for that first all-grain brew?
Sure, a simple recipe is good so that you can learn your all-grain process and improve on the execution on the next iteration, without having to add stress worrying about a stuck sparge with tons of wheat. I don't really think having five grains is a problem or means it's going to complicate the mash though.
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Primary: Empty :( Secondary: SMaSH (MO/Zeus) Bottled: Ohioan Dark Ale, Scottish 80-/, Maple Pumpkin Porter, Ginger Mead Kegged: Best Bitter, 180 Saison, Belgian Wit
Simple and cheap is better for your first IMO. You should know and understand how your equipment works for you before you try more complicated recipes. And then if the first one is a failure, at least it was a cheap recipe and not an expensive one.
My first was a SMaSH recipe with Cascade.
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"Stop giving me credit for those stupid quotes! For that last time it wasn't me! STFU NOOB!" <-- Benjamin Franklin
In fact, I advocate simplicity all the way along. Figuring out your equipment and getting your processes down will make everything easier in the long run. It keeps things cheap and it keeps my brewing very impromptu. I'm pretty sure I almost always have ingredients for something that I can brew. I may not be able to do some big IPA or RIS but I can get a 5 gallon batch done and in primary on a moment's notice.
Honestly I think some people read tooooooo much. I know that might sound strange but it is true. You have a new brewer trying to learn everything he/she can. They get all these great ideas in their head and then go for it. I agree a simple beer is best but what is a simple beer? If your equipment is good they are all about the same to make. Unless your doing step mashes or something like that. My first all grain was a simple pale. My second was the Imperial Vanilla Porter from Denny. They were the same as far as brewing goes. People tend to make things harder then they need to be. Beer is harder to screw up then some here would leave you to believe. I know I might be nuts but I always secondary....dont say that to loud you might get a pile on. I have never ruined a beer because of oxidation. Around here you would think that any little bit of oxygen is going to ruin your suds. Brewing is more about your process then it is the recipe your doing. Most screw ups are because they are not paying attention and might be having a few . I have about the lowest low budget set up and have never had a stuck sparge...have done multiple wheat brews and without rice (they are not needed with the right manifold)granted my beer sucks but that is design not fault of process. I dont know everything ...heck I barely know anything about brewing but common sence has to come into play here. I feel KISS is more important then recipe.
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Beer.....the lubricant to social intercourse.
Why do guys make their first all-grain so complicated?
. I have about the lowest low budget set up and have never had a stuck sparge...have done multiple wheat brews and without rice (they are not needed with the right manifold)granted my beer sucks but that is design not fault of process. I dont know everything ...heck I barely know anything about brewing but common sence has to come into play here. I feel KISS is more important then recipe.
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