Basic Question

Plan on making my second brew sometime this week but I have a question.......My first batch was a 'kit' IPA and this brew will be a peach wheat. My 'kit' brew included steeping grains and then adding the liquid malt extract. I have currently purchased wheat LME so how do I get started? Do I just boil a gallon of water and then add the LME? Just confused on how to get it started. Thanks for the help.

I forgot to mention in my last post that I didn't plan on steeping grains. Is this ok? Should I just boil a few gallons of water and then add the LME? Should the LME stay boiling the entire 60 minutes after boil is established? I plan on only using 1oz of hops so I don't take away from the peach flavor (plus I'm making it for the woman). I was told to add the hops at the beginning of the boil.

Help! Please! Thanks.

can you post the recipie you plan on using? We may be able to better help you with that info.

Generally, grains steep for 30 mins or so at 150-160 degrees. Then you remove the grain sack and increase the heat to 200, reduce the flame, add and stir the extract, then heat to a boil. Add your bittering hops, and begin your 60-minute boil.

Follow the recipe for the hop amount...if it calls for more, do it. I've undercut, and a cloyingly sweet beer is undrinkable.

Here's the recipe....
60/40 Wheat LME 5.5 lbs
Liberty Hops 1 oz
Honey 1 lb (to boost the alcheehol content)
American Yeast (I was told this would not take from the peach taste)

The guy at the LHBS told me add only the one dose of hops at the beginning of the boil (I was very unsure a/b this). My goal is to make something for the gals that has a beer taste but not too much, you all know what I mean. So should I have grains to steep? If so, what type and how much?

Where's the peach?

Is this your recipe or the LHBS?

oh sorry i was going to add the peach flavoring at bottling, that way I can bottle a few w/o the peach and taste the difference. It's a compilation of me reading too much and the LBHS recommendations.

FutureBrewer21 said:

It's a compilation of me reading too much....

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NO SUCH THING!

FutureBrewer21 said:

and the LBHS recommendations.

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This is sometimes questionable at best!

Follow what Moonshae said...just skip the part about steeping. Start with HOT water and add your extract, return to boil, add hops and begin timing.

Let us know how it comes out. You've kinda got a SMaSH going on here...It may be very good.

If you are going to steep your grains, make sure you have a reliable thermometer that you can easily read from inside the brew pot. We recently upgraded to a digital thermometer/timer with a stainless steel cable and probe. It was 20 dollars, and the best piece of equipment we have bought since our glass carboys.

From what I have read so far, there are a few different opinions on steeping the grains, however a few facts have remained true through the different authors I have read. Don't go above 180 degrees F or you will start to release tannins into your beer. I typically start with hot water (about 100 Degrees F) and add the grains. Bring your grains to about 160 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, and remove the grain sack. At this time I add in my Malt Extracts. Once you have dissolved your extracts, put the brew pot back onto your heat and get to your boil. Once boiling, add your hops. Bittering hops typically remain in the pot for the entire boil. Your aroma hops would go in within that last 10-20 minutes depending on recipe.

For those with more knowledge, feel free to correct if you feel I have led him astray.

Good luck with the beer!

BigKahuna said:

NO SUCH THING!


This is sometimes questionable at best!

Follow what Moonshae said...just skip the part about steeping. Start with HOT water and add your extract, return to boil, add hops and begin timing.

Let us know how it comes out. You've kinda got a SMaSH going on here...It may be very good.

Click to expand...

Thanks BigKahuna, That's what I was asking. Although I'm not up on the lingo yet what is the SMaSH mean?

Thanks for all the help everyone, I'll let you all know how it turns out.

SMaSH = Single malt and single hop

Its a simplicity thing, instead of adding a bunch of conflicting flavors, a SMaSH sticks with single ingredients to appreciate fully what the different hops/malts/combos are capable of. A good way to learn your ingredients