Easiest beer I have ever made recipe

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NTOLERANCE

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I have made this brew too many times to count now. I am by no means a beginner but I thought that posting it here would be of help to many trying to brew for the first time.

This beer will be appreciated by everyone. Weather I bring it to my picky inlaws, fire pit at a friends house where the usual fair is miller lite, or my local home brew club - its well received and the brews go fast.

A few notes first:

1. You won't need any real special equipment

2. This beer won't really fit into any particular style. Although it was originally modified fromt a belgian blonde ale its nowhere close now. I call it an amber wheat.
Technically I would say its an amber ale.

3. Yes its a wheat based beer but don't expect it to be cloudy.

4. I usually keg but I have bottled this. My opinion, skip the corn sugar and buy the muntons carb tabs. Follow the directions on the package. I believe its two per bottle. I used three in my 1 litre bottles and it came out fine

On to the ingredients.

Grains / extract

3.3 lbs extra light extract syrup
3.3 lbs wheat extract syrup
1 lb wheat dry extract
.25 lbs carapils/dextrine
.25 lbs crystal 20L
( I have brewed this with and without the last two ingredients. I prefer it with)

Water
Do not use all tap water. There are two reasons for this:

1. This brew will not like all hard water
2. We are going to use some of our water as a make shift chiller.
Buy 4 gallons of RO water. Read the labels at the grocery store you'll find reverse osmosis on the labels. (RO water)

Hops

I usually use saaz hops for this brew. Pick up 2 ounces of pellets.

Yeast

Safale 05 has never failed me. Yes its dry, no I don't use a starter. I pitch directly into the carboy. If you're worried about dry yeast, use a 1056 liquid pack.

Sanitizer

I use starsan. Easy to measure out, reuseable and inexpensive


Other

I use irish moss in most of my brews. I use 1 tsp in this brew
Coriander ( 1 oz cracked)and orange zest(1 orange) are also optional. I use both everytime I make this.

Equipment.

3 gallon or larger brew pot
Siphon
Fermenter - glass prefered but an ale pail with a bottling spigot will work.
Hydrometer
Air lock
Muslin grain bag.
Funnel with mesh filter/screen.

Stir spoon

Pre brew day

Take 3 gallons of your RO water and get it cold. Colder the better but not frozen.

Brew day

Place the two cans of extract syrup in a pan of hot water. You'll want to remove the labels as well

If you're using the 1056 liquid slap packet, slap it now.

Place 2 gallons of tap water and 1/2 gall of your unchilled RO water in your brew pot and heat to 160 degrees. Steep your crystal and carapils if you're using them in the muslin bag for 20-30 minutes.

Remove and drain bag. No need to squeeze water out.

Slowly add the two cans of extract syrup and one lb of dry extract. If you are using a 3 gall pot, your pot is going to be really full. Pay attention and slowly put all hops and extracts in to prevent a boil over. Yes if you dump 1 oz of hops into the pot at boil, it can boil over.

Bring to a boil and add 1/2 ounce of saaz pellets. During this part of the boil I will sanitize my fermenter with 1 ounce of star san and 5 gal of tap water. I will also sanitize my funnel and air lock. I use starsan solution in my air locks. This brew is a bit on the smoother / sweeter side. Add another 1/2 oz of saaz at this time if you want a bit more bitterness. Notice I said bitterness not aroma.
After 40 minutes add another 1/2 oz of saaz pellets. Near the end of this boil time I will siphon the starsan solution from the fermenter dry the fermenter and add 2 gallons of the pre chilled RO water to the fermenter.
After 10 minutes and another 1/2 oz of saaz pellets, coriander, oranges zest, and the irish moss.
After 10 more minutes of boiling shut off heat, place sanitized funnell in fermenter and pour your wort onto the two gallons of prechilled RO water.

Your screen in the funnell will get plugged with the coriander, hops and orange zest. When the flow slows, put the brew pot back on the stove, and using the spoon, stir the funnell contents till the fluid is drained. Then, pick up the funnel and dump the contents out. If you're careful and don't let the funnel touch anything and you pick it up by the edge sanitation will usually not be an issue. Keep the spoon in the wort or in your hand. Your wort is still 200 degrees or so. I usually have to dump the funnel 3 times.

Once the brew pot is empty, top up with your remaining 1 gallon of chilled RO water to 5 gallons.

You'll find your wort is now very close to room temperature. Take a hydrometer reading with a sanitized siphon. You should be around 1.050
Add your yeast and your sanitized air lock. I ferment this at about 62 degrees or so. 1 week in the primary. Then straight to the keg or bottle. I find its ready to enjoy as soon as its carbed.

Youll notice that the ingredients are in the exact amounts you buy them at the local home brew store. No waste.

Any questions give a shout. I'll post a pic of this brew later

Great brew with a slice of orange.
 
Here it is in the carboy.

P1080131.jpg


P1080132.jpg
 
Pre boil I was around 1.035-1.040 (didn't adjust for temp so somewhat of a guess) I broke the hydrometer after I boiled off about two gallons. That should increase og right?
 
Yepp, someone called it a Demijohn?

I did think about flipping it once. I am a welder and could make a stand. Hmmm..

I go that from a retired home brewer. I had to take everything he had.....

Two "Keggles"
Two large inline water filters - now one is a "hop back"
Reversion chiller
And the carboy....Demijohn.......Pyrex acid thingy....whatever is it. :)
 
Its almost impossible to mess this recipe up.

There is no off taste from the extract as some have claimed.
When you want to make beer, but are pressed for time, this brew is a godsend for me.
Its my House Brew, eveyone likes it.
You could try a Hefe yeast..... I will try that next time.
 
Awesome setup! I dream of the day I can have three carboys going at once. That really sounds like a great wheat beer. And +1 on the US-05. I love that stuff.
 
Awesome setup! I dream of the day I can have three carboys going at once. That really sounds like a great wheat beer. And +1 on the US-05. I love that stuff.

For the record:

Ed Worts Apfelwine on the back left.

Amber Wheat in Front of it.

Black Friday Chocolate Stout on the right

Keg on the right in the back: 9-9-9 Lite Lager Conditioning

Bottles on the left are saved brews: Berry Weiss, MaD hOp Pale Ale, and a previous batch of Amber Wheat.

P1080131.jpg
 
I just kegged a batch of this today. I wanted a more swmbo friendly session beer so I used 1 less pound of Extract. Tasted great even not carbed.
 
I just made this today, though I kept the orange and coriander out (as I'm prepping to brew a blue moon clone soon) with the intention of adding apricot either in a secondary or (with extract) at bottling time. Looking forward to it - thanks for the easy recipe.
 
Here is a pic. Been in the keg for almost a month.

Filled the glass, had nice head. Great lacing.

IMG00028-20110225-1805.jpg



Sorry drank a bit on the way to take the pic. :drunk:

For some reason this takes some time to carb. ????

I dunno why. Even on 60 psi, doesnt seem to matter. Takes two weeks to carb how I like it.
 
:mug: No one will say they dont like this.....unless they are a beer snob. :ban:

Its simple, fun and well received.

Aging a bit seems to help. Its really sweet at first but mellows some.

I need to up the hops a bit on the next batch.
 
I like the idea of this. I don't have a good way to keep anything below 70 at this point though. How would this work if I fermented at room temp instead?
 
I have used Safale 05 at room temp for other brews.

Honestly though this is the best way I hae found to lower my fermenting temps without a ferm chamber:

P1080131.jpg


This is simply a shelf, placed against the concrete wall in my basement. I have encased the shelf with sheets of pink foam insulation. You can see the insulation in the pic. I can only control the temp a small amount, but more importantly, temp is consistant and light free.

I think keeping it from light and consistant temps as low as possible is the best bet.
 
Thanks for the recipe!
Now, for the orange, do you use a sweet orange peel, or bitter orange peel?
 
I have used several varieties. Usually bitter, but I have used sweet. Either of the packs you buy at a LHBS will work fine. i have also just bought cheap oranges from the grocery store and grated the rinds myself.

I would say whatever your preference is or use what you have. THis brew isnt rocket science. I used regluar old oranges from the grocery last batch and it seemed overly sweet at first, but has mellowed nicely now. Not sure if that orange had anything to do with it.
 
As previously mentioned in this post, I brewed up a batch of this last Saturday - first time making this brew, first time with safale 05 - this brew seemed to have a long active fermentation compared to my other brews of similar gravity but different yeast. It started a strong fermentation within 6 hours of pitching, and it only just stopped bubbling away yesterday morning and started to clear the top surface late last night. I had been hoping to maybe keg it this weekend but at this rate it needs at least a few more days to clear. Not complaining - I can't wait to drink it, I'm just surprised by what seems like a lot more action than I'm used to seeing.
 
Took a litre bottle of this over to a friends house, who is a die hard bud drinker.

After assuring him the amber colored brew wouldnt taste like road tar (hmmm road tar, good name for a stout eh? :drunk:) he said he enjoyed it very much. First drink took him a bit of adjustment from the rice beer he was drinking, but after that the bottle went fast.:mug:
 
this sounds simple and delicious. must try it soon. How about using Pacman instead of 05?
 
I think I'll try this. Summer's coming!
One week in the primary seems short to me but I never brewed a wheat beer. I usually go 3-4 weeks.
Do you see a problem/advantage to letting it sit for a few more weeks?
 
I think I'll try this. Summer's coming!
One week in the primary seems short to me but I never brewed a wheat beer. I usually go 3-4 weeks.
Do you see a problem/advantage to letting it sit for a few more weeks?

I wouldnt go much past 10 days in the primary. Its best to get it into a secondary if you want to condition it longer. Leaving in the primary too long can lead to off flavors. Honestly, I cant remember why. A member of my local home brew club left a kit in the primary for a month. He got busy and forgot. Beer was sulfury (is that a word?) and had an acidic taste.
 
this sounds simple and delicious. must try it soon. How about using Pacman instead of 05?

Why not? IT will still be beer. :rockin:

I'd be curious to hear of the results. Like I said next batch will be with a hefe yeast. WLP380.

It will be interesting to see if the extract brew like this is as refreshing as a allgrain.
 
I am thinking an improvement would be to do a partial mash and up the hop schedule some on this recipe. I am sure an experienced home brewer would agree.

Partial Mash grain bill...

3.3 lbs of liquid wheat extract
3.3 Pale liquid extract
1.0 lbs Belgian Wheat Malt
1.0 lbs of 2 Row
(carapils/dextrine in .5 lb would be a nice addition to increase foad/head rentention)
Revised hop schedule:
0.5 Saaz @ 60 min
0.5 Saaz @ 20 min
0.5 Saaz @ 10 min
0.5 Saaz @ 5 min

WLP380 or Safale 05

All grain

6.0 Lbs Belgian Wheat Malt
4.0 lbs 2 row
.5 Crystal/Caramel 10L

All grain, I would definetly do a WLP380

Dont get me wrong, EVERYONE will love it just the way I listed the recipe. Beer Snobs will say it lacks character. But hey, make this, and call it your own.
 
I ordered the products this morning from AHBS. They sold me the LME's at 3.5 lbs each, and not 3.3 lbs. Throwing all 3.5 lbs shouldn't make a difference right?

Cute glass by the way :D
 
Letting the beer sit for a month or more in the primary is, according to general wisdom on these boards, desirable.

Moving it to secondary gets it off the yeast, true, but it also adds further risk of contamination and oxidation.

One prominent member left his beer on the primary yeast cake for 90 days, and it was some of the best beer he had ever made.

There used to be worries about "autolysis" from the yeast rotting, but that old bogey-man was put to rest when we started getting fresher brewer's yeast here in the U.S.

Secondaries are not necessary, though if you want really clear beer you might want a "bright tank" secondary (chilled for 2-3 days to help the last of the yeast settle out). That's more of a kegging thing, though, because if you're bottle carbing you're going to have sediment no matter what.
 
I ordered the products this morning from AHBS. They sold me the LME's at 3.5 lbs each, and not 3.3 lbs. Throwing all 3.5 lbs shouldn't make a difference right?

Cute glass by the way :D

It depends on the sugar content.

I wouldn't worry, personally.

:mug:
 
I am thinking an improvement would be to do a partial mash and up the hop schedule some on this recipe. I am sure an experienced home brewer would agree.

Partial Mash grain bill...

3.3 lbs of liquid wheat extract
3.3 Pale liquid extract
1.0 lbs Belgian Wheat Malt
1.0 lbs of 2 Row
(carapils/dextrine in .5 lb would be a nice addition to increase foad/head rentention)
Revised hop schedule:
0.5 Saaz @ 60 min
0.5 Saaz @ 20 min
0.5 Saaz @ 10 min
0.5 Saaz @ 5 min

WLP380 or Safale 05

All grain

6.0 Lbs Belgian Wheat Malt
4.0 lbs 2 row
.5 Crystal/Caramel 10L

All grain, I would definetly do a WLP380

Dont get me wrong, EVERYONE will love it just the way I listed the recipe. Beer Snobs will say it lacks character. But hey, make this, and call it your own.

Your extract recipes and all-grain recipes are very different. :)

Most wheat extract already has malt extract in it... the dry WME that I buy is 65% wheat, 35% barley malt. So your proportions for the all-grain are much different (more wheat) than the extract version.

That being said, both recipes look good! They would just be very different in flavor, color and clarity from one another.

Have you guys seen the Recipator? It can help with recipe tinkering:

http://hbd.org/recipator/
 
Yeah Beersmith doesnt always keep the recipes in exact proportions when converting. :(

Convert an extract to all grain and back to extract and you will have two different extract recipes.

Then again, maybe its something on my end? I havent changed anything with the program, maybe I should?

Going to all grain will lighten the color considerably, and change the flavor considerably. The SRM of the extract is alot darker than the SRM of the grains.

As far as leaving it in the primary that long, thats a new one on me.
 
NTOLERANCE said:
I wouldnt go much past 10 days in the primary. Its best to get it into a secondary if you want to condition it longer. Leaving in the primary too long can lead to off flavors. Honestly, I cant remember why. A member of my local home brew club left a kit in the primary for a month. He got busy and forgot. Beer was sulfury (is that a word?) and had an acidic taste.

Are you saying this just for this beer or all beers you make? Secondary was a big thing to do a little while back but it has been found that leaving in primary for 3 to 4 weeks is better. No off flavors are produced in that amount of time and you give the yeasties more time to clean up after themselves.
 
If you're using beersmith, I believe they have default settings for extract that may not match exactly what's being used. It very well might be a setting issue.

Honestly, converting using software is less reliable, IMO, than just doing it yourself or asking an experienced brewer here on the boards, or in your LHBS. Software has it's place, though... calculating IBUs without it is a major pain!

(I think it would be, anyways; I've never tried, since the software is so easy.) ;)
 
Are you saying this just for this beer or all beers you make? Secondary was a big thing to do a little while back but it has been found that leaving in primary for 3 to 4 weeks is better. No off flavors are produced in that amount of time and you give the yeasties more time to clean up after themselves.

I dont go past 10 days much in any beer. Then again, I mustve missed the discussions about leaving it in the primary longer. I dont claim to be an expert either, but with about 40 batches under my belt, I am not a newbie.
1 week in primary and 2 weeks in secondary for most ales works well for me. Usually the secondary is the keg.

This particular beer is drinkable pretty quick. This current batch is about 90 days old or so and its mellowed some, but it doesnt seem to change much after the first week in the keg after carbing.

One could spend alot of time analyzing this beer and the process, but its really just too simple a recipe for that.
 
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