First extract

Picked up the parts to match a recipe on one of the UK sites, just not sure how hotside works in terms of process and sterilisation (limited access to RO and a v. small kitchen, less prep I need to do the better).

Got muslin for steeping grains, and the recipe looks like you just lob everything in after the hot break and strain at the end.

I figure that you just need to clean the muslin as the wort's going to be boiled later anyway, hops go straight in the pot so no extra bags there.

Picked up a BIAB bag, which I presume the wort will go through OK to strain into the fermenter? And that needs sterilising as it's post chill, how do you do that, just soak it in Starsan beforehand?

The recipes over here are a bit weird (75-90 minute boils, wildly varying boil sizes) but brewers friend calculations are massively out (then again there's about 4 types of Cara Red alone in the list :s). But figured a pseudo-kit would work better as a first run, planning to just mess about with SMaSH and standard boil/addition times once I know what to do.

Also yeast - got a packet of Danstar Nottingham to play it safe, but don't have time/gear for a starter (want to brew this weekend, and I can't even "borrow" an Erlenmeyer from work as stores are shut), just rehydrating it as per the back and pitching the whole lot should work, right?

Cheers.

 

You want to steep your grains 20 minutes to 30 minutes in 150-155F water. Take the grain bag out. Clean not sanitized is fine preboil.

How long the boil lasts is sometimes determined by recipe, but with a standard ale extract recipe, 60 minutes is typical.

There is no need for the BIAB bag as long as your steeping grains were in the muslin bag. There should not be enough debris that you need to strain. If you do use it after the wort is cooled, yes, soak it in Starsan.

The amount of hops you use is partially determined by the amount of wort you are boiling and how much is left for top up water. If you have a good recipe it should tell you how much water to use.

With dry yeast you generally do not want to make a starter. There is enough yeast in a pack for the average beer. Liquid yeasts on the other hand need the starter because there is less yeast packaged.

Rehydrating is suggested in most cases.

Sanitize anything that touches the wort after it is cooled. I like Starsan, there are other sanitizers available. Avoid anything that is described as one step cleaner/sanitizer. They generally only do one or the other.

 

Thanks, one thing though:

What about the hops? Don't I need to remove them?

 

The hop debris will settle to the bottom of the fermentation vessel along with any remaining break material and, eventually, the yeast cake. No need to filter it out.

Good luck with your brew day!

 

Or don't slosh the kettle while draining to the fermenter and most of the hops will be in a small layer of debris on the bottom of the kettle. Just leave a small amount behind with the thickest sludge. If some goes into the fermenter it is not a problem. It is not even a problem it you dump it all in. It will settle out after fermentation is done.

 

I was (over)thinking more along the lines of altering the flavour if they stay in, seeing as dry hopping does, and I tend to leave beers sitting in the primary for about 3 weeks.

 

The boiling of the wort tends to drive off the "grassy" flavors that dry hopping for too long can cause, either that or the fermentation itself drives those flavors off. Either way, you shouldn't end up with any off flavors by leaving the hops in the fermentor.