Coupla Austin Homebrew Supply Kit Questions

My In-laws got me a $50 card to AHS :cross:, so I am fixing to order 2 kits.
The seemingly popular AHS Bavarian hefe and the AHS Promotional Karankawa Pale Ale. I am in Cincnnati

1) Due to equipment limitations (one primary) I will have to wait 3 weeks to brew my second batch. I don't care if its winter I am brewing the hefe 1st!. I know they ship the freshest ingredients; but want to know how long I can let them sit.

2) The White Labs hefe yeast. Its butt cold here in Cincy, but still warm down there?. OK to ship liquid yeast this far or should I opt for the dry?

3) Thinking of getting the Mini Mash to step it up my experience a bit. Can their PM method be worked with only one 3 Gal brew pot?


TIA,
Dan

It is NOT warm down here....

1) Three weeks is fine

2) Should be ok with the liquid yeast (remember to make a starter). If something does go wrong you have a great home brew supply store locally.

3) never used AHS' kits so better answered by others.

dficker said:

3) Thinking of getting the Mini Mash to step it up my experience a bit. Can their PM method be worked with only one 3 Gal brew pot?

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Skip the second kit and get a 5 gallon pot for doing the PM. Even after you go AG and full boil, a 5 gallon pot will come in handy for heating water, decoctions . . .

Polar Ware Economy Brew Pot (20 qt)


Edit:
In three weeks you can save up enough for that second kit.

Hugh_Jass said:

2) Should be ok with the liquid yeast (remember to make a starter). If something does go wrong you have a great home brew supply store locally.
.

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Oh yeah, I have been there quite a bit already. I asked for the gift card to AHS b/c it could be ordered online (E-Z), and they get great reviews

You can probably do PM with the 3 gallon kettle, at least as well as you can do any etxract based beer. You might have ~2 lbs. grain, so the mash itself won't be limiting, and then you'd just sparge the rest. It's not ideal...but neither is extract with 3 gallons.

I don't disagree that you should upgrade to a 5g pot. in the short term, however, you could try foam control drops so you can fill out your 3g pot more without risk of boilovers.

#3 Yes, it calls for 2.5 gallons in the mash, but you can cut that to 2 gallons without a problem. That will leave you room for the extract.

I have made several of their PMs and always do a 2.5 gallon boil, so I don't have to bother adjusting the hops. Looks a bit lost in the bottom of a 60 qt kettle, but it works fine.

One place where I deviate from their instructions: I mix in the extract after pulling the steeped grains, then bring it to a boil. Had too many scorches otherwise, because even with the burner off, the stand will cause hotspots.

david_42 said:

One place where I deviate from their instructions: I mix in the extract after pulling the steeped grains, then bring it to a boil. Had too many scorches otherwise, because even with the burner off, the stand will cause hotspots.

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Does this make a difference to the hot break, or is that not a concern with extract brewing?

greeneyed said:

It is NOT warm down here....

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Compared to Cincy? I just checked the Weather Channel and Austin is 67. I'd kill for temps like that in Chicago

Havent checked Austin, but a couple of hours away, our highs have been low 30's.

I would go with the White labs

I made the hefe using the white labs liquid yeast at the begining of November. I have had it kegged for about three weeks, it is one great beer!
I think I am going to make it again this week, because I really like it!

Definitely go with the liquid yeast for a Hefe. The yeast makes the beer for Hefes and Belgians.