I'm going to skip starting with extract and start with all-grain
- Thread starter jetmac
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ReverseApacheMaster
Well-Known Member
Temperature control is critical from the start of the mash all the way to bottle conditioning.
Temperature control is arguably the one thing more important than sanitation, but sanitation is definitely another really important concern.
Temperature control is arguably the one thing more important than sanitation, but sanitation is definitely another really important concern.
jigidyjim
Well-Known Member
You can definitely do it. There's just more to pay attention to. And the other thing is that your beer won't turn out exactly as you plan, since you don't know what your brewhouse efficiency is yet. But it'll probably still turn out great. Just be patient and follow some well-written instructions that you can find here (or that your friends are helping you with).
buzzkill
Well-Known Member
wish I would have had some all grain friends when I started, I could have saved some money on alot of gear that I outgrew within the first year.
TacoGuthrie
Well-Known Member
I did 3 extract batches before making the jump. Looking back I wish i went straight to AG. I would've screwed a batch or two and I would've read up on everything a lot more than i did but i still say 'go for it'.
I agree with the temp control comment.
I agree with the temp control comment.
I think you have made a very wise choice. AG is not the mysterious realm of beer gurus that many would like some to think. Having the equiptment is all it takes. If you can follow a cookie recipe, you can brew AG...
Carter5112
Well-Known Member
I like it! I went AG after 2 brews. I just couldn't help myself. Biggest problem you'll run into I think is troubleshooting flaws in the final product. Starting off with extract would allow you to focus on the boil and fermentation more. I don't blame you though. I didn't really feel like I made beer till I started from the grain. Read the stickies here on All Grain and Palmer's book if you haven't and you'll be set. The one thing it's taken me several batches to pinpoint is increased dough-in water temp to account for grain and tun temps as well as lauter water temp to increase grain bed temp to desired.
jetmac
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the replies. I have read John Palmers book. I agree keeping things sanatised is important and I am working on getting a free fridge for temp control during fermentation. I have a Ranco temp controller I used for my salt water aquarium. AND...I plan to keg to keep things simple. I hate washing dishes and washing and sanitising dozens of bottles plus trying to get carbonation correct is more work.
baystatebrew
Well-Known Member
i disagree. yes, you need more equipment. but that is not "all" you need. experience and understanding the basics can't be replaced just by spending more on equipment or knowing other people that brew beer. their experience isn't yours and there is no replacement for personal experience. there is a difference between following a step by step brew process and actually understanding the intricacies of certain steps that you only learn through experience. starting simple makes it a hell of a lot easier to add a few additional advanced steps into the basic process.
With all due respect sir, I think every thing you have said is bulls^it. Any average IQ 7th grader with the proper equiptment could easily brew an AG beer.
jetmac
Well-Known Member
AG seems pretty simple. Boil some water, mix it with your grain, let it sit, drain it, add more HL, let let it sit again, drain it, boil the wort, chill it fast, pitch yeast, let it ferment, keg it. Of course I'm leaving out some steps but basically that's it. I expect the early batches to not turn out very good and that will be my experience.
KevinW
Well-Known Member
jetmac - a good reference book (like "How to Brew") and especially good software (like BeerSmith) plus some basic equipment will be a great start on your journey to complete and total brewing obsession. This forum and MOST of the brewers here are the best people when it comes to answers for you, sometimes you have to ignore some of the responses tough!
Good luck and keep on asking!!
Good luck and keep on asking!!
Good choice jetmac. If you've seen someone brew all grain then you know how simple it really is. And there's no reason your early batches can't be great - mine were. Good luck!
jetmac
Well-Known Member
dummkauf
Well-Known Member
not saying you couldn't do AG from the get go, but if you've got the equipment for AG, it may make your 1st brew day less stressful to brew up an extract batch. As far as quality, if you are doing full boils, which I am assuming you have the equipment for if you're planning on doing AG, there's not much difference between AG and Extract other than being able to control the malt profile better with AG.
Personally I brew both ways. I have a few recipes, especially IPA's where it's not about the malt but about the hops, that I always brew as extract, simply because it makes for a much shorter brew day. As far as quality, I've tried brewing the same recipes as AG and Extract and haven't noticed much difference. But if you're brewing a less hoppy beer that is supposed to have more malt flavors, AG is definatley the way to go.
My vote would be do 1 extract batch first, but that's just my $0.02. AG's not that much more difficult, but for a new brewer, it's a lot to try and remember.
Personally I brew both ways. I have a few recipes, especially IPA's where it's not about the malt but about the hops, that I always brew as extract, simply because it makes for a much shorter brew day. As far as quality, I've tried brewing the same recipes as AG and Extract and haven't noticed much difference. But if you're brewing a less hoppy beer that is supposed to have more malt flavors, AG is definatley the way to go.
My vote would be do 1 extract batch first, but that's just my $0.02. AG's not that much more difficult, but for a new brewer, it's a lot to try and remember.
dummkauf
Well-Known Member
oh, and either way, good luck and enjoy!!!
Yaeh, as papazian siad (not Revvy) RDWHAHB!
I did one extract batch when I first started brewing. My second batch was a PM. From #3 on I've brewed all grain. I started out with very little equipment, a turkey fryer stand, one kettle that was both my HLT and my boil kettle, and an Ice Cube ice chest with a homemade manifold for a mash tun.
I'm pretty much with sudbuster. I don't think it's rocket science. It's a fact that the more you do it the better you'll get, but I'd be willing to bet that if you read and prepare a bit, make sure you choose an appropriate process for the equipment you have, and then pay attention while brewing, you'll end up with a very satisfying brew. I did, and I barely understood what I was doing at the time.
Go for it. There's no way to gain experience but to just do it. Good luck.
I'm pretty much with sudbuster. I don't think it's rocket science. It's a fact that the more you do it the better you'll get, but I'd be willing to bet that if you read and prepare a bit, make sure you choose an appropriate process for the equipment you have, and then pay attention while brewing, you'll end up with a very satisfying brew. I did, and I barely understood what I was doing at the time.
Go for it. There's no way to gain experience but to just do it. Good luck.
LIES AND SLANDER!!
Hope to be making the AG jump here pretty soon. Got my holiday ale bubbling away as we speak, hoping to start of the new year with a grainological brew-ha-ha.
Now I just need to get another cooler w/ valve, larger kettle, probably another 2 cases of bottles, digi thermometer, etc etc etc...
It will all come with time, sir! enjoy the trip....LIES AND SLANDER!!
Hope to be making the AG jump here pretty soon. Got my holiday ale bubbling away as we speak, hoping to start of the new year with a grainological brew-ha-ha.
Now I just need to get another cooler w/ valve, larger kettle, probably another 2 cases of bottles, digi thermometer, etc etc etc...
Olddog
Well-Known Member
Temperature control is definitely important. I made the switch to all grain this summer and discovered the hard way that my thermometer was off on the first couple batches. Now that I got that fixed, I really enjoy AG brewing.
Although, this week I made an extract batch because I had an idle fermenter and didn't have time to do a normal batch.
Although, this week I made an extract batch because I had an idle fermenter and didn't have time to do a normal batch.
I don't see how getting the carbonation correct with AG is easier than with extract (unless you are kegging as well).
I hope you mean heat some water, rather than boil. Nothing wrong with boiling if you let it cool, but you don't want to use freshly boiling water for the mash.
IMO, AG is only slightly more difficult than extract (it's like the difference between making coffee with ground coffee rather than instant), but it does take a lot longer because of the time taken for the mash and sparge, and the fact that you will have to boil the full amount.
Before starting, I would make sure that you can boil the required volume of water. If you have a turkey fryer, that should be no problem. If you're heating on the kitchen stove, it could be a problem.
As you don't know what efficiency you will get, you may also want to get a pound or two of extract so that if your efficiency is low you can use that to bump up the OG if you feel the need.
Good luck,
-a.
TheDom
Well-Known Member
I really wish I had just gone straight to AG when I started out, but going straight to AG AND kegging? I'm jealous!
I know its already been said earlier, but brewing software makes life so much easier. I'm sure there's a way to figure out your strike water temp for your mash without the software, but Beersmith makes it so easy that I've never had to do it. I just plug in my recipe and equipment, and it gives me a temp to heat to.
Maybe it'd be helpful to post the equipment you have and plan on getting so members here who've been doing AG for a bit can give you some pointers?
Either way, good luck and have fun!
I know its already been said earlier, but brewing software makes life so much easier. I'm sure there's a way to figure out your strike water temp for your mash without the software, but Beersmith makes it so easy that I've never had to do it. I just plug in my recipe and equipment, and it gives me a temp to heat to.
Maybe it'd be helpful to post the equipment you have and plan on getting so members here who've been doing AG for a bit can give you some pointers?
Either way, good luck and have fun!
Very interesting! Since I am primarily a hophead I would be more than happy to stick with extract. I have a 40qt pot but on other advice I've been mostly boiling up 3 gal in order to more quickly cool the wort. I'm wondering about the effects of increased cooling time for the full boil .... but no matter... with winter just around the corner I will have tons of ice and snow before long.
dummkauf, have you tried the NB 3-hearted recipe? (instructions are posted on their website) Past week bottled the first of 2 batches... won't be long now....
SwampassJ
Well-Known Member
I jumped straight to all grain after doing an extract with the people at bxbeerdepot (basically they did it all and I took notes and watched.)
I suggest getting beersmith to calculate water temps/volumes needed for mash and sparge. My first 3 beers I flew by what the recipes on here called for and missed my temps because my cooler size, grain temp and I wasn't familiar with how much heat I would lose to the two.
Just four suggestions.
1. Campden your tap water otherwise you'll have chlorophenols
2. Mash temp
3. Ferment temps
4. After sparging and all good and boiling, stir the grain to cool it faster. Otherwise you'll melt the trash bag.
I suggest getting beersmith to calculate water temps/volumes needed for mash and sparge. My first 3 beers I flew by what the recipes on here called for and missed my temps because my cooler size, grain temp and I wasn't familiar with how much heat I would lose to the two.
Just four suggestions.
1. Campden your tap water otherwise you'll have chlorophenols
2. Mash temp
3. Ferment temps
4. After sparging and all good and boiling, stir the grain to cool it faster. Otherwise you'll melt the trash bag.
jetmac
Well-Known Member
This is why I hate trying to post in a forum rather than talking. What I mean is carbonating with bottles is probably harder to get the carbonation consistantly where I want it, over force carbonating a keg which is another reason not to bottle. Not AG is easier to carbonate than extract.
Ya, I was just trying to put it simply.
Good idea. I would add that prior to pitching my yeast?
jetmac
Well-Known Member
jetmac
Well-Known Member
Good insight.
Sort of like following a recipe when they tell you to cook something for a certain period of time but they don't know how big my chicken breast is, what temp it started at and maybe my oven temp is off 15 degrees. You need to cook to temp not time.
I have RO water system I was going to use for my fish tank.
flipfloptan
Well-Known Member
For what it is worth, I debated the same decision a couple of months ago. I decided on BIAB with no regrets.
As stated in an above post, getting water temp and efficiency correct is my biggest challenge. My first two batches I didn't use a hydrometer or any of the technical stuff just to concentrate on process. I didn't calculate efficiency. (Took the ingnorance is bliss road) I did keep the batch in fermenter for 3 weeks to insure complete fermentation. It still turned out as beer even without all the calculations.
Good luck
As stated in an above post, getting water temp and efficiency correct is my biggest challenge. My first two batches I didn't use a hydrometer or any of the technical stuff just to concentrate on process. I didn't calculate efficiency. (Took the ingnorance is bliss road) I did keep the batch in fermenter for 3 weeks to insure complete fermentation. It still turned out as beer even without all the calculations.
Good luck
Sorry, I missed the reference to kegging. I agree completely. Cleaning and sanitizing a keg is much easier and quicker than doing ~50 individual bottles. However, I usually carbonate the kegs naturally rather than force carbonate, and don't have any consistency problems.
I would add the DME (if required) to the last few minutes of the boil, but I know how much I am going to boil off, and use a refractometer to calculate the pre-boil SG, so I know how much would be required. For your first brew, you won't have that luxury as you won't know your boil off rate.
Take notes, and for subsequent brews you should have a pretty good idea.
I would cool the wort, take a gravity reading, andrack to the fermenter. If the gravity is low, then you could boil up some DME in a small amount of water for 10 minutes, then add that to the fermenter and stir it well before pitching the yeast. 1 lb DME added to a 5g batch should raise the gravity by about 9 points (i.e. 1.009).
-a.
jetmac
Well-Known Member
Bob
Well-Known Member
Don't listen to anyone who tells you to wait or do extract batches first. Yes, the all-grain brewing process is more complicated than extract. But only slightly. And if you know what those complications are, you can overcome them with minimal effort.
It's perfect you have experienced friends/mentors who can take you through a short "apprenticeship" before you start to fly solo. I always recommend this approach.
There is no real difference in calculating carbonation between bottle-conditioning and force-carbonation. You're still trying to achieve a certain level of CO2 in the beer; you're just using two different techniques to get it. Force-carbonation is definitely more rapid; you'll be able to drink the beer more quickly. But as many veteran brewers will attest, that's not always a good thing! There's such a thing as 'green beer', beer that's done fermenting and fully carbonated but not yet at its peak of flavor. There's also the fact that certain styles which are traditionally bottle-conditioned, and in fact are significantly improved by laying down in the bottle.
So I encourage you to learn both techniques. Start like you want, with kegged, force-carbonated beer. Brew beers which don't require a lot of aging to lose the 'green' character, like Mild, Bitter, Brown Ale, Dry Irish Stout, that sort of thing. Save the Pliny clones for when you've got patience to age them.
Yes. Take a gravity five minutes before the end of the boil and check against the projected OG your software tells you to expect. If it's waaaaaay off, you can add some dry extract to bring the gravity into line. For this a refractometer is indispensable. I don't know what I'd do without mine. Every all-grain brewer should use one.
Buy DME in one-lb bags. Easier to add in increments. When I started AG brewing, someone gave me the advice of buying some DME "just in case", and I did. I just made the mistake of buying 3-lb bags because it was less expensive overall. I ended up throwing away expensive DME because I didn't use the whole bag.
If you do need to add some DME to overcome a low OG, ad the whole thing. Don't listen to your calculations when it tells you to add 12 ounces. Add the whole 16. Yes, you'll be slightly over your OG, but that's better than waaaay under, and you won't end up throwing away extract.
Or you could save it for starters. Completely forgot about that!
(By the way, it's "Erlenmeyer flask". )
Cheers,
Bob
P.S. Welcome and GOOD LUCK!
It's perfect you have experienced friends/mentors who can take you through a short "apprenticeship" before you start to fly solo. I always recommend this approach.
There is no real difference in calculating carbonation between bottle-conditioning and force-carbonation. You're still trying to achieve a certain level of CO2 in the beer; you're just using two different techniques to get it. Force-carbonation is definitely more rapid; you'll be able to drink the beer more quickly. But as many veteran brewers will attest, that's not always a good thing! There's such a thing as 'green beer', beer that's done fermenting and fully carbonated but not yet at its peak of flavor. There's also the fact that certain styles which are traditionally bottle-conditioned, and in fact are significantly improved by laying down in the bottle.
So I encourage you to learn both techniques. Start like you want, with kegged, force-carbonated beer. Brew beers which don't require a lot of aging to lose the 'green' character, like Mild, Bitter, Brown Ale, Dry Irish Stout, that sort of thing. Save the Pliny clones for when you've got patience to age them.
Yes. Take a gravity five minutes before the end of the boil and check against the projected OG your software tells you to expect. If it's waaaaaay off, you can add some dry extract to bring the gravity into line. For this a refractometer is indispensable. I don't know what I'd do without mine. Every all-grain brewer should use one.
Buy DME in one-lb bags. Easier to add in increments. When I started AG brewing, someone gave me the advice of buying some DME "just in case", and I did. I just made the mistake of buying 3-lb bags because it was less expensive overall. I ended up throwing away expensive DME because I didn't use the whole bag.
If you do need to add some DME to overcome a low OG, ad the whole thing. Don't listen to your calculations when it tells you to add 12 ounces. Add the whole 16. Yes, you'll be slightly over your OG, but that's better than waaaay under, and you won't end up throwing away extract.
Or you could save it for starters. Completely forgot about that!
(By the way, it's "Erlenmeyer flask".
)Cheers,
Bob
P.S. Welcome and GOOD LUCK!
Yes, 1/4 lb DME to 1 liter water should be about right for a starter.
I completely agree with Bob (except for the 1 lb bags DME, but the starters should take care of that). Don't try adjusting the gravity by adding DME unless it is "waaaay" low, and don't worry about adding a little extra (or less) to finish up a bag of DME. Roughly right is fine.Don't listen to anyone who tells you to wait or do extract batches first. Yes, the all-grain brewing process is more complicated than extract. But only slightly. And if you know what those complications are, you can overcome them with minimal effort.
It's perfect you have experienced friends/mentors who can take you through a short "apprenticeship" before you start to fly solo. I always recommend this approach.
There is no real difference in calculating carbonation between bottle-conditioning and force-carbonation. You're still trying to achieve a certain level of CO2 in the beer; you're just using two different techniques to get it. Force-carbonation is definitely more rapid; you'll be able to drink the beer more quickly. But as many veteran brewers will attest, that's not always a good thing! There's such a thing as 'green beer', beer that's done fermenting and fully carbonated but not yet at its peak of flavor. There's also the fact that certain styles which are traditionally bottle-conditioned, and in fact are significantly improved by laying down in the bottle.
So I encourage you to learn both techniques. Start like you want, with kegged, force-carbonated beer. Brew beers which don't require a lot of aging to lose the 'green' character, like Mild, Bitter, Brown Ale, Dry Irish Stout, that sort of thing. Save the Pliny clones for when you've got patience to age them.
Yes. Take a gravity five minutes before the end of the boil and check against the projected OG your software tells you to expect. If it's waaaaaay off, you can add some dry extract to bring the gravity into line. For this a refractometer is indispensable. I don't know what I'd do without mine. Every all-grain brewer should use one.
Buy DME in one-lb bags. Easier to add in increments. When I started AG brewing, someone gave me the advice of buying some DME "just in case", and I did. I just made the mistake of buying 3-lb bags because it was less expensive overall. I ended up throwing away expensive DME because I didn't use the whole bag.
If you do need to add some DME to overcome a low OG, ad the whole thing. Don't listen to your calculations when it tells you to add 12 ounces. Add the whole 16. Yes, you'll be slightly over your OG, but that's better than waaaay under, and you won't end up throwing away extract.
Or you could save it for starters. Completely forgot about that!
(By the way, it's "Erlenmeyer flask".
Cheers,
Bob
P.S. Welcome and GOOD LUCK!
I also highly recommend a refractometer for AG brewing. Pre-fermentation it is quick, easy, wastes hardly any wort, and is accurate enough; and it will probably pay for itself if you are like me and regularly break hydrometers.
-a.
I jumped from Festa Brew (wich is not even extract) to AG, not because of snobbery or thinking AG was better, but because AG is way, way cheaper. I was pricing extract brews and for 5 gallons, most were in the 35-40$ range. I'm brewing a wit next week wich will cost a whopping 12 $ and probably also a cream ale in november for 10$. Yes, I'll wash my yeast and yes I have invested in a turkey fryer wich i wouldn't have if I was sticking to extract partial boils, but I brew in a bag so I haven't even sprung for a MLT yet (altough I plan to in the future).
The only things I feel are the biggest hurdles are:
a) Cooling wort quickly: don't let anyone tell you an ice bath is quick or easy. I had to wash the bathtub three times to get rid of the soot produced by the burner and it took 2 hours to get to pitchable temps. I suggest planning in advance and getting a lot of ice and adding ice cubes of SANITIZED CLEAN WATER (ie. not ice cubes from the grocery store) to your wort to cool it down. you can easily do this instead of using top-off water. You just have to make sure to end up with the right amount of concentrated wort after boiling. Or buy a wort chiller.
b) Use other people's recipe and keep it simple gravity wise. I was really happy that I chose a mild for my first recipe since I didn't have to be concerned about being able to fit everything in the boil kettle or timing hop additions.
c) Use 65% efficiency for your recipe. Efficiency is not about dick waving but about being sensible. I hit about 65% on my firt AG. Had I taken a 75% efficiency recipe and done it as is, I would've ended up with watery wort.
If you have a good thermometer, calibrate it and do some tests beforehand, like how much time it takes for you to heat your sparge water, stuff like that so you don't end up winging it on brew day. You'll still end up doing it, but not as much...
The only things I feel are the biggest hurdles are:
a) Cooling wort quickly: don't let anyone tell you an ice bath is quick or easy. I had to wash the bathtub three times to get rid of the soot produced by the burner and it took 2 hours to get to pitchable temps. I suggest planning in advance and getting a lot of ice and adding ice cubes of SANITIZED CLEAN WATER (ie. not ice cubes from the grocery store) to your wort to cool it down. you can easily do this instead of using top-off water. You just have to make sure to end up with the right amount of concentrated wort after boiling. Or buy a wort chiller.
b) Use other people's recipe and keep it simple gravity wise. I was really happy that I chose a mild for my first recipe since I didn't have to be concerned about being able to fit everything in the boil kettle or timing hop additions.
c) Use 65% efficiency for your recipe. Efficiency is not about dick waving but about being sensible. I hit about 65% on my firt AG. Had I taken a 75% efficiency recipe and done it as is, I would've ended up with watery wort.
If you have a good thermometer, calibrate it and do some tests beforehand, like how much time it takes for you to heat your sparge water, stuff like that so you don't end up winging it on brew day. You'll still end up doing it, but not as much...
I started out AG, and wrote my own recipe using BS.
Study the process of the mash and steps after fermentation. Get a good thermometer, a good 10G coolerMLT with a SS braid, weigh out everything every time and double check your water volumes both in recipe and when you dough in and sparge. Pre-weigh and organize your hop additions, and tag them, so you don't grab the wrong one. Stay on the cool end of fermentation range and have a way to crash cool your primary for 2-3 days prior to bottling and kegging.
Being organized means the difference between not doing the stupid things and making stupid errors before you get the hang of it and get it down to habit. If that means writing a check list to go down in order as you go thru the day then don't be afraid to write a script to keep you focused on the next step required.
Make a satisfying style that isn't too complicated to make it simpler for your first brew, like an APA or similar, and use an old fashioned manual ringing dial timer for your mash hour and boil additions-they are cheap and reliable, and keep you on course if distracted by something.
Study the process of the mash and steps after fermentation. Get a good thermometer, a good 10G coolerMLT with a SS braid, weigh out everything every time and double check your water volumes both in recipe and when you dough in and sparge. Pre-weigh and organize your hop additions, and tag them, so you don't grab the wrong one. Stay on the cool end of fermentation range and have a way to crash cool your primary for 2-3 days prior to bottling and kegging.
Being organized means the difference between not doing the stupid things and making stupid errors before you get the hang of it and get it down to habit. If that means writing a check list to go down in order as you go thru the day then don't be afraid to write a script to keep you focused on the next step required.
Make a satisfying style that isn't too complicated to make it simpler for your first brew, like an APA or similar, and use an old fashioned manual ringing dial timer for your mash hour and boil additions-they are cheap and reliable, and keep you on course if distracted by something.
Mermaid
Well-Known Member
I went from "extract w/ steeped grains" to partial mash, and my next batch is going to be a 3 ga. all-grain.
I don't have any way to deal with a turkey fryer and larger boils, so if I'm doing AG it's going to be on the kitchen stove in my 5 gallon kettle.
I think AG is probably cheaper (and easier) than extract - I'm not a fan of stirring clumpy sticky DME (or LME) over a steamy stove, but with 5.5 gallon PM batches that was the only way to go.
I think that AG is definitely not for everyone - if you don't have the outdoor space available to set up the turkey fryer, you're stuck with split batches on the stove, or smaller batches. BIAB works for smaller grain bills, but once you get over 10-15 lbs. of grain BIAB becomes more of an adventure for folks without good upper body strength
False bottoms mash tuns, DIY cooler mash tun rigs, etc. all seem doable if you're a DIY type and/or have the cash to purchase the gear, but what I like about this hobby is that there's always more than 1 path to get to your destination. (beer!)
I don't have any way to deal with a turkey fryer and larger boils, so if I'm doing AG it's going to be on the kitchen stove in my 5 gallon kettle.
I think AG is probably cheaper (and easier) than extract - I'm not a fan of stirring clumpy sticky DME (or LME) over a steamy stove, but with 5.5 gallon PM batches that was the only way to go.
I think that AG is definitely not for everyone - if you don't have the outdoor space available to set up the turkey fryer, you're stuck with split batches on the stove, or smaller batches. BIAB works for smaller grain bills, but once you get over 10-15 lbs. of grain BIAB becomes more of an adventure for folks without good upper body strength
False bottoms mash tuns, DIY cooler mash tun rigs, etc. all seem doable if you're a DIY type and/or have the cash to purchase the gear, but what I like about this hobby is that there's always more than 1 path to get to your destination. (beer!)
mc_eric
Well-Known Member
See if you can have one of your brewer buddies help you out on brew day. That should make things infinitely easier and will cut your chances of screwing something up down to almost zero. I'd also recommend sticking w/ a solid recipe (check out the recipe section here), or at least consult one of your friends to come up with one. That way, if the beer doesn't turn out quite right, you'll be able to trace the problem to somewhere in the process a lot more easily.
I started out doing AG with only a tiny bit of experience from helping a friend of mine do an extract batch. Another friend of mine helped me brew my first three AG batches, and they all turned out pretty good. We made a whole weekend of it, brewed four batches (3 for me, one for him). It was great! Since then, I've had no problem brewing on my own. Sure I've had some sub-par batches, but I've never failed to make beer!
So, best of luck to ya! Remember to pay attention to sanitation and fermentation temps. Ferm temps make the difference between OK beer and great beer.
I started out doing AG with only a tiny bit of experience from helping a friend of mine do an extract batch. Another friend of mine helped me brew my first three AG batches, and they all turned out pretty good. We made a whole weekend of it, brewed four batches (3 for me, one for him). It was great! Since then, I've had no problem brewing on my own. Sure I've had some sub-par batches, but I've never failed to make beer!
So, best of luck to ya!
Remember to pay attention to sanitation and fermentation temps. Ferm temps make the difference between OK beer and great beer.
TheDom
Well-Known Member
I'm on a mobile here, so please forgive my lack of quotes. Someone mentioned having a checklist: one of the great things about Beersmith is that it compiles a brew day checklist for you to print and follow, which makes keeping track of things stupid easy.
I've got a few questions that'll help get you more useful suggestions on what you're planning to do. Do you have outdoor space for brewing with a turkey fryer? Do you have access to a hose and somewhere for waste water to drain to? Are you willing to do basic DIY stuff? I know there are a pile more questions that'd be helpful, but I just blanked out.
I've got a few questions that'll help get you more useful suggestions on what you're planning to do. Do you have outdoor space for brewing with a turkey fryer? Do you have access to a hose and somewhere for waste water to drain to? Are you willing to do basic DIY stuff? I know there are a pile more questions that'd be helpful, but I just blanked out.
TheDom
Well-Known Member
As far as recipe suggestions go, I'd recommend you try EdWort's Haus Pale Ale. It's pretty simple, doesn't need to age much, and is really tasty.
Also, I know you'd said you were planning on doing liquid yeast with a starter, and that's great, but don't count out dry yeast. Good ol' Nottingham or US-05 are great for most recipes where you aren't going for a specific yeast-imparted flavor. heck, there're even dry yeasts for wits and others that have gotten decent reviews.
Also, I know you'd said you were planning on doing liquid yeast with a starter, and that's great, but don't count out dry yeast. Good ol' Nottingham or US-05 are great for most recipes where you aren't going for a specific yeast-imparted flavor. heck, there're even dry yeasts for wits and others that have gotten decent reviews.
