What can I make today WITHOUT a starter?

Here's my problem - I've had this brew day scheduled for two weeks; my partner in brewcrime is coming by and bringing a friend that wants to check out what all this brewing fuss is about. Meanwhile, I ordered all my ingredients last Friday from Alternative Beverage for a Saison Dupont Clone; they told me they'd ship on Monday, but for some reason they didn't ship till Wednesday and I got the stuff yesterday. By the time I got home from work late last night, too late to make a starter since we're brewing today at around 2. (Thanks a lot, AB, by the way!)

I don't want to cancel the brewing and I have enough equipment to have 2 separate batches fermenting at once. I'm thinking about driving up to my LHBS and getting stuff together to just whip up an extract-only batch of beer. It's got to be simple because the store doesn't really have the more exotic ingredients. I could go mini-mash, I suppose, because they have a sort-of decent selection of grains. And of course, something not too high-gravity because I have no starter ready and waiting.

I just called about hops but they don't open for another half-hour. I'll post what hops they have available when I find out. Meanwhile, can anyone suggest something to brew today?

I appreciate any and all comments and suggestions, please! And happy Saturday. Is it too early to crack open a homebrew?

My quick and dirty House amber is pretty awesome...It taste nearly spot on to Bell's amber. I'm brewing it today AG, but here's the original recipe. I have fiddled with it several times, and always come back to this version.

1.5 lbs. Munton’s Crystal 60l
6 lbs. Amber Dme.


Mash/Steep
3 gallons steep to 165 deg. “Sparge” with quart of warm water. Add approx 2 pnds. DME. Bring to boil. 2 ounces hops at 60. Remaining DME @ 20. Moss at 15. 1 oz. Hops at flameout.

Boil & Hops
2.0 oz Cascade 5.9 % at 60 min.
1.0 oz. Cascade 5.9% at flameout.

Estimated O.G.: 1.062 (1.055 – 1.065).
Estimated F.G.: 1.016 (1.013-1.017).
Estimated ABV.: 6.1%
IBU: 40.5


Safale us-05 dry yeast works great with this brew

This also works as a decent experimetal beer base...you can change out the hops to your favorite, but I like the cascade with this.

Well, basically, you can brew anything you want. I'd just recommend rehydrating a dry yeast 15 mins before using or use a liquid without a starter.

While I do recommend starters not using one is done all the time.

Woohoo...post # 11818...Aces and 8s, full house...

“Sparge” with quart of warm water.

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Hey, I knew there was a good reason I posted in the beginner's section. I think I misspoke when I said "mini-mash". In this thread:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=66013 I got suggestions from guys who helped me get rid of some grains I had lying around. I didn't sparge, though; I don't have a mini-mash system built or anything. All I did was steep with large bags in two pots (see above thread).

Can I get away with doing a similar thing with your recipe? Because I confess I have never sparged.

rockout said:

Hey, I knew there was a good reason I posted in the beginner's section. I think I misspoke when I said "mini-mash". In this thread:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=66013 I got suggestions from guys who helped me get rid of some grains I had lying around. I didn't sparge, though; I don't have a mini-mash system built or anything. All I did was steep with large bags in two pots (see above thread).

Can I get away with doing a similar thing with your recipe? Because I confess I have never sparged.

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In extract with grains think of sparging simply as rinsing...lift the grain bag out of the pot...let it drain, then slowly pour the quart or 2 of warm water over the grain bag to get any excess sugars off the grains ( you do this instead of squeezing the bag- which would release tannins.)

I have a large metal bowl that I usually put the grain bag in after I pull it from the kettle...I pour the water over it there then let it sit for a couple minutes, then I lift the bag out again, let it drain, and pour the liquid in the bowl to my pot...but you don't have to do that...just riinse the grains right above the kettle.

This is different from actuall "spargeing" in PM or Ag where you add more water to your mash tun to rinse....Producing the second half of your full boil volume.

After I posted my previous comment I went looking at the homebrew wiki and the threads here about creating a 2-gallon PM tun.... the instructions are simple and I feel I could build this thing today!
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=19413

only one problem.... I have no idea what the function of those pieces is, what I'm supposed to do with this thing once I have it built, and I've been trying (still trying) to find a detailed explanation of what's going on during this part of the process. (Yes, I am a rank beginner who's only done extract for the last 18 months, plus that one double-steeping recipe).

Can you please point me to an explanation of how the partial mash process works? I'm continuing my own search here as well... I understand what's happening as far as the sugars, rinsing, etc.... I just don't know how that cooler and the brass fittings and the braid all fit into the picture. There's a missing link there and I can't find it.

First you are wayyyyyy over complicating my recipe....It's not a partial mash it is an extract with grains recipe...steeping the grains like tea and pulling them out, then rinsing, and then adding extract....You said you wanted a simple recipe...

If you want info on PM read this....you actually don't need to modify the cooler if you don't have the stuff. http://byo.com/feature/1536.html

The only addition I have found that helps is adding a folding steamer in the bottom.



(removing the center post which unscrews. It lifts the grain bag above the spigot and prevents stuck runoffs or sparges).


In Patial mashes you are getting a substantial amount of the fermentables from the grain itself...and bulking up the rest with extract...(as opposed to AG, in which you get ALL your fermentables from grain)...

You soak cracked grains in a large volume of water at a certain temp (usually somewhere between 140 and 165 and usually 1.25 quarts for pound of grain used, for between 60 and 90 minutes.) for a set amount of time, or between 60 and 90 minutes. This converts the starch to sugar.

Also read the sections in how to brew on All Grain and Partial Mashes...here's the section of PM's

http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter18-3.html

Then you sparge usually with an equal amount of hot water to further rinse the sugar from the grain bed.

The cooler mlt holds the heat for that amount of time...the braid acts like a strainer allowing the converted sugar water to leave the cooler without any grain coming through...and the brass fittings just make it easier than holding open the spigot on the cooler...

If you want to see how different amounts of grain require different amounts of extract look at my Brown ale recipe in my pull down menue...I have it calculated with extract with grain, various sized PM's and All Grain....

Rockout, when you go to the LHBS, just get the biggest grain bag they have. Put the grain & bag in the water. Once they are done steeping, just lift the bag out & let it drain, put it back in for a minute & repeat twice. Tea bagging works fine for steeping & small PM.

This is how stupid I am - I didn't know that the SS (stainless steel, right?) braid lets liquid pass thru it. Hence my confusion on how this thing works.

I think I got it now - throw my water+grains in there after I've mashed, let the wort run out through the braid, toss more warm water in there and let that run out as well.

Is that as simple as it is?

rockout said:

This is how stupid I am - I didn't know that the SS (stainless steel, right?) braid lets liquid pass thru it. Hence my confusion on how this thing works.

I think I got it now - throw my water+grains in there after I've mashed, let the wort run out through the braid, toss more warm water in there and let that run out as well.

Is that as simple as it is?

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Have you read anything I've written since the first post?????

I feel like I'm talking to a wall

no, no, not at all.... I missed two comments in between the time I posted one and the next one... you know how it is.

Your last post was extremely helpful... I got onto the PM tangent because of the "sparge with warm water". And I don't know how I missed the comment at 9:41 am, don't ask, maybe I'm still half-asleep!

Anyway I didn't mean to give the impression that I was ignoring you, my apologies for missing all that stuff but it was an honest mistake.

rockout said:

no, no, not at all.... I missed two comments in between the time I posted one and the next one... you know how it is.

Your last post was extremely helpful... I got onto the PM tangent because of the "sparge with warm water". And I don't know how I missed the comment at 9:41 am, don't ask, maybe I'm still half-asleep!

Anyway I didn't mean to give the impression that I was ignoring you, my apologies for missing all that stuff but it was an honest mistake.

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Salright! I know you're excited....If you want a simple recipe then brew the amber as is...Rinsing the Grain

I can almost gaurentee you that if you want to make a cooler and brew today you won't be able to...the hardest part to find is the 5/8 stainless steel washers needed for the inside of the cooler mod...No big box and very few small hardware stores carry them...If you want to see how hard it is look at the 10 gallon rubbermade mash tun thread (it uses the same parts) and most of us bit#$ about finding the part....

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=23008

You'll have to order them online or find a fastenal store nearby...but I know from experience that fastenal aren't open on weekends. I don't know if there's a mcmaster/carr retail outlet that would be open on a saturday.

I picked up a 10 pack of 5/8 Stainless flat washers, for $8.40 at fastenal

http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/detail.ex?sku=1171026



Home page http://www.fastenal.com/web/home.ex

If you do want to PM today do the unmodified cooler with grain bag and folding steamer (the steamer is available at any target/k-mart/meijers type store or most grocery stores as well.

You have convinced me, sir! I'm going to keep it simple and just do the rinsing. BUT, I am very glad, in a way, that I got distracted this morning because I learned a lot, and I may even do my Saison recipe next week as a PM rather than an all-extract. Just gotta get that cooler and the parts, or maybe I'll just use that folding steamer!

I thank you again for your patience with my excitable self.

If you want to do this as a PM in a 2 gallon cooler...

Grains.
2.50 pounds 2-Row Pale
1.50 Pounds Crystal 60
(have them do whatever house crush they do)

Extract
4.4 pounds Amber Dme

Hops stay the same.....

Mash in 6.25 quarts of water in cooler.... you'll want the temp of the water and grain to be 154 degrees...for 60 minutes

You'll need to use a strike temp calculator to figure out what temp you need to hit the water (it is dependant on the temp of the grain at the time). You can use this one.

http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml

You measure the temp of your grains (usually room temp) then type in the temp you want to Mash at...(154) it will tell you the temp you need to heat your water at.

Put the water in first, then add the grains (if using unmodified, use a grain bag) if not using bag then stir the mash to make sure there's no dough balls and close the lid for 60 minutes

Then slowly drain out the water into your kettle add another 6.5 quarts of water heated to 170 degrees into the cooler.....give it a stir and leave it for 10 min.

Drain that into your pot and start your boil....follow the rest of the recipe, except at about 20 minutes add your DME...