first all grain!

[rycov]

hey. im getting set up to do my first all grain batch YAY! i was wondering what the easiest brew to get started would be. something real simple, i just want to give the new equipment a run. i'll be using one of those gatorade coolers to mash. and a braided steel tube (not really sure what i wanna say here) to drain the wort off the grains. and batch sparging. any suggestions? i was kinda thinking about doing a wheat beer and adding some kinda winter spices or something. thanks everyone!

 

[nilo]

I would do something with no spices, as you said, keep it simple. Do some style you like most, IPA, Amber Ale, you have the power now

 

[mrk305]

My first all grain was Edwort's House Pale Ale. The instructions included with his recipe are very good. Check it out!

 

[rycov]

would spices make it more difficult? just adding them to the end of the boil? i did say that though didn't i. keep it simple. maybe just plain wheat beer then? would i be able to do a wheat beer with out having to do a bunch of rests and what not? don't really know much about the AG stuff yet.

 

[nilo]

Not really, just to avoid having flavors that you may not know where it is coming from.
You wouldn't blame spices for any off flavor. That until you are familiar with then.

A wheat beer is a simple beer. You can even use 100% wheat malt, some specialty malts for flavor, that's it.
I did this one and tasted great.

http://beertech.blogspot.com/2010/10/brewing-wheat-beer-with-100-wheat-base.html

I have other simple recipes on that blog, feel free to browse anything you like.

 

[DarkUncle]

Very cool. I just did my first AG on Sunday night. Smooth as silk and hit the OG spot on. Got the same MLT setup as you. Good luck.

Do not fear the grain...:rockin::rockin:

 

[rycov]

good point about the spices. that makes a lot of sense. also i thought that wheat didn't have all the enzymes needed for conversion, and that some part of the bill had to be barley no mater what? (not arguing, that's just what I've always thought)

 

[rycov]

also is there a wheat that lends it self to a SMaSH brew? (single malt and single hop right?) and would i use a bittering hop or an aroma hop? sorry about all the questions. i just like to learn as much as i can. thanks a lot.

Very cool. I just did my first AG on Sunday night. Smooth as silk and hit the OG spot on. Got the same MLT setup as you. Good luck.

Do not fear the grain...:rockin::rockin:

congrats! sweet arrangement of emoticons too!

 

[drummermattie02]

If you're going to do wheat, make sure you add rice hulls to your mash - a stuck mash is no way to enjoy your first AG brew day. I've done a good [non-wheat] SMaSH pale ale using Maris Otter and Cascade hops, adjust to get target OG/IBU that suits you, but it's a pretty simple and tasty recipe.

 

[damnyankee]

hey. im getting set up to do my first all grain batch YAY! i was wondering what the easiest brew to get started would be. something real simple, i just want to give the new equipment a run. i'll be using one of those gatorade coolers to mash. and a braided steel tube (not really sure what i wanna say here) to drain the wort off the grains. and batch sparging. any suggestions? i was kinda thinking about doing a wheat beer and adding some kinda winter spices or something. thanks everyone!

My second brew ever was all-grain - I did Wayne's Blue Moon Clone. Piece of cake. And instead of a mash tun, I bought a large fine nylon mesh wine bag from my LHBS.

For all my all-grain brewing:

1. Heat the kettle & 3.25 gals of water to 172 deg F.
2. Fit the nylon bag around the kettle.
3. Pour grains into bag attached to kettle (water will drop to 154 deg F).
4. Stir with sanitized mash paddle frequently (during 1 hour soak) then cover kettle with lid to hold in temp.
5. Monitor temp with thermometer every 5 minutes (I stir with the mash paddle when I check temps); apply burners as needed to keep around 154 deg F.

6. Using a 2nd stock pot, heat a 2nd 3.25 gallons in the 2nd vessel to 170 deg F.
7. When hour is up with first stockpot, pull up bag of grains and drain well into first stockpot.
- I use a large, 12" wide, heavy duty double mesh strainer (http://www.equippers.com/shop/produ...636&q=&returnUrl=/shop/search.aspx?q=strainer) on top of my kettle then set the grain bag inside the big strainer. I use the plastic lid from my fermenting bucket, set the lid atop the basket which is overtop my kettle/2nd stock pot and press down til nothing left drips out.

8. Drop bag of grain into clean water in 2nd stockpot. Soak, stir, and teabag frequently x 15 minutes to really rinse everything off the grains.
9. Pull up grains and drain well into 2nd stockpot with the large 12" strainer as above.
10. Set bag of grains aside.
11. Pour contents of 2nd stockpot into kettle to assemble your complete wort. Now you are ready to do your boiling, add your hops, and other flavors.

Cleanup is a BREEZE! Take the nylon bag out to my garden (turning it inside out makes it a snap to empty plus it makes great compost!), then put the nylon bag in the washer on Delicate cycle.

I get the same results with OG/FG as everyone else...and it works best for my small kitchen. You won't ever go back to using extracts, trust me.

DY

 

[rycov]

yeah. i figure once i go to AG i probably wont do anymore extracts. i dont know. i've been using the extract/ partial grain steeping thing and they've been good to me so far. but it doesn't seem like to much extra work to do the all grain, and i really like the idea of making my beer "my own" as much as i can. the extract compared to all grain kinda seems like the difference between oj from concentrate and fresh squeezed if you know what i mean. the concentrate is good but you get a certain sense of pride from doing things your self. i know i do anyway. and i feel like im ready for that. thanks for all the help guys. ill post a "yay, my first AG is done!" thread when i get through my first batch. thanks again!

 

[jourelemode]

good luck bro, i hope all goes well...I did my first today, hit my numbers so i'm hoping for the best.

 

[rycov]

what kind of brew did you go with? and what kinda setup?

 

[jourelemode]

what kind of brew did you go with? and what kinda setup?

i made a cascadian dark ale/black IPA.

I just followed deathbrewers all grain stove top method. But I didn't do it on the stove top.

I did it outside on a burner. Basically I did this method because I don't have all the elaborate equipment, but wanted to go all grain.

here's a link to the thread:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-stovetop-all-grain-brewing-pics-90132/

 

[rycov]

thanks man

 

[bratrules]

i just did my first all grain about 10 days ago. i did keep it simple decide to make a blond ale. i hit all my numbers it was a really cool experience which i really enjoyed i cant wait to do my next one!!!

 

[damnyankee]

Congrats, Rycov - and once you have a drink of your all-grain, there ain't no goin' back to extract of any sort. There's just a crispness to the beer that I can't describe but when you first taste it, you'll know exactly what I mean.

Good luck!

DY