Palmetto33
Active Member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2008
- Messages
- 43
- Reaction score
- 0
I have been brewing only for a few months now and have produced three beers from extract, the first two a combination of LME and DME and the last all LME. The first was a brown, the second an IPA, and the third a red ale.
Thing is, they sorta all taste the same to me; that twangy character from extract that I've been reading a lot about is so present in them that, other than in their hopping differences, they aren't that characteristic to their styles. By the way the first two only attenuated around 55 and 65% respectively (these are estimates, the exact figures are in an earlier post I had). The red ale got to its FG but for that one I used an Irish Ale WL yeast.
Other thing is, while the beers didn't come out exactly like I had hoped, they are still drinkable, one, and, two, I love the process of brewing. I want to make it better though; want to make it a beer that I like drinking as much as I like making.
So, more to the point of my post, I want to figure out what exactly I need to do to make better beer (from extract right now, but I do see all grain in my future). Here's what I'm thinking:
1. I want to start doing full boils. I plan on going out and buying a turkey fryer kit tomorrow but I am curious as to some of ya'll's feedback on what you use. I am thinking along the lines of an 8 gallon aluminum pot with a burner. This is about the size I've seen available and I think it'd be perfect for brewing a 6.5g starting boil - correct me if I'm wrong, or with any other possibilities (that's why I'm writing this essay - 6.5g starting is somewhat arbitrary as I've seen various amounts for starting boils.
What's the size of your starting boil?
What equipment do you have?
2. I need a Wort Chiller. I am willing to construct one myself but don't know exactly what I need. I was thinking a 50 ft. coil, maybe making a prechiller out of it too, don't know if it's necessary though. So I'd need 50 ft. copper tubing (thickness?) and what else?
3. I need a good recipe for a American Brown ale, and IPA both using all DME and steeping grains. By the way if I bought some DME in bulk,what do you think of Extra light DME? Could I get enough character from the steeping grains to differentiate the beers?
Apologize for the rambling, just trying to do this right. I love this stuff, and this is the place to come to for answers. And any answers are appreciated.
Rob
Thing is, they sorta all taste the same to me; that twangy character from extract that I've been reading a lot about is so present in them that, other than in their hopping differences, they aren't that characteristic to their styles. By the way the first two only attenuated around 55 and 65% respectively (these are estimates, the exact figures are in an earlier post I had). The red ale got to its FG but for that one I used an Irish Ale WL yeast.
Other thing is, while the beers didn't come out exactly like I had hoped, they are still drinkable, one, and, two, I love the process of brewing. I want to make it better though; want to make it a beer that I like drinking as much as I like making.
So, more to the point of my post, I want to figure out what exactly I need to do to make better beer (from extract right now, but I do see all grain in my future). Here's what I'm thinking:
1. I want to start doing full boils. I plan on going out and buying a turkey fryer kit tomorrow but I am curious as to some of ya'll's feedback on what you use. I am thinking along the lines of an 8 gallon aluminum pot with a burner. This is about the size I've seen available and I think it'd be perfect for brewing a 6.5g starting boil - correct me if I'm wrong, or with any other possibilities (that's why I'm writing this essay - 6.5g starting is somewhat arbitrary as I've seen various amounts for starting boils.
What's the size of your starting boil?
What equipment do you have?
2. I need a Wort Chiller. I am willing to construct one myself but don't know exactly what I need. I was thinking a 50 ft. coil, maybe making a prechiller out of it too, don't know if it's necessary though. So I'd need 50 ft. copper tubing (thickness?) and what else?
3. I need a good recipe for a American Brown ale, and IPA both using all DME and steeping grains. By the way if I bought some DME in bulk,what do you think of Extra light DME? Could I get enough character from the steeping grains to differentiate the beers?
Apologize for the rambling, just trying to do this right. I love this stuff, and this is the place to come to for answers. And any answers are appreciated.
Rob