3rd batch in the pipe...I want to try AG.

[drathbone]

So, I've got my 3rd batch in the pipeline - a German Bock ( I used ale yeast, general consensus says will come out more like a porter). Took grav, sample tasted great. Will bottle and condition in a week and a half or so. First beer was an amber ale kit, came out pretty good. Better with every new beer I open since I was impatient on the first one . 2nd batch was edworts (slightly modified, I know its wine not beer) that I just tested today, was actually really delicious at just under 1 month (can't imagine how good it will be aged for a few more months, cooled and carb'd).

I picked up "How to Brew" (3rd ed.) by John Palmer. I've been reading it at work. I'm learning tons of new things with every page. I'm still researching and learning here at HBT (some info conflicts with some of the old timers and John Palmer, not sure who to go with) and I could spend hours on this forum. Lots of great info, great community, this is a hobby I'm in for life even though I'm only about a month into it.

Anybody have any first time AG advice? I've read DeathBrewer's "Easy Stovetop All-Grain Brewing" and I feel I can accomplish this as he broke it down and made it sound way more simple than I thought it was. All I need for myself is couple pieces of equipment and the ingredients. I want to try and make a banana bread ale. I tasted Wells version for the first time - incredible. I also like dark beers, Boston Brewery chocolate stout, Guinness extra etc, and some of my favorite beers I've had is arrogant/double bastard or St. Georges Brewery Nut Brown Ale (the best I've tasted of its kind). I do NOT like PA/IPA's, however I might find a new appreciation when I get more experienced.

I think I might need to stick with something a bit lighter than a stout or porter. I want to try a nut brown. Possibly a clone of St. Georges Nut Brown if it exists or a banana bread ale. Any suggestions? Thanks ahead of time any advice is appreciated!

 

[RchanceN]

I'm still new, but as far as the process goes, the only part that took some work was dialing in the mash temps. That's mostly just learning your particular set up though. The biggest issue I had switching to AG was the overwhelming array of ingredients and possible combinations. I had a tendency to make over complicated grain bills which led to some confused, muddled brews. I started making better beers and learning more when I went to simpler recipes. It let me figure out what different types of malt add to the final product and what proportions worked better. Learning a 2 or 3 malt 80-90% base grain bill did me good and it's where I should have started.

Oh yea, avoid dough balls in the mash! Lil' bastards killed my efficiency on a couple early batches. Have fun! It gets even more addictive when you make the switch.

 

[SPR-GRN]

Be prepared for some difficulties - I went all Grain some time ago, and although the process isn't that difficult, working with that much grain sure is.. my Dirty Blonde Ale had 11.5lbs of grain and 2lbs of honey... my winter lager had 12lbs of grain and several spices... it's just a heavy quantity to deal with, and seeing over the edge of your now huge brew pot gets difficult when its a thirty-two quart job stealing up your stove top. The beer is "better" in the sense that it has more charector, and more complex flavors; remember 12lbs of grain weighs a lot more when its wet.

Above all else, "relax, don't worry, have a home brew" -C.Papazian

 

[TheDom]

Try and stick with tried and true recipes to get a feel for what works and what doesn't. In the recipes/ingredients section there is a sticky called "Recommended Recipe Locator" or something. There are lots of good ones in there.

Check out BeerSmith. It is an extremely helpful program for all things brewing.

Get a good thermometer. I went through about $100 worth of "cheap" digital thermometers that all broke for one reason or another.

Go bigger than you think you'll need. I initially only bought a 20qt pot for doing extract partial boils, because I figured AG would be forever more advanced than I would be. After 3 extract batches I was searching the internet for AG equipment and a bigger kettle.

Have fun!

 

[Docjowles]

I think all-grain sounds more intimidating than it is. I've only done 3 AG batches so far, but had wanted to make the jump forever. I'd read through Palmer's AG chapters over and over, thinking how complex it sounded.

Then the owner of my LHBS sponsored a "Big Brew" in his back yard where people could come and brew together. Watched some veteran AG guys and was like "...wait, that's it? You just add hot water to grain, wait an hour, and rinse it off???" I had totally been psyching myself out

It's true you need to buy more stuff, and there are more things to pay attention to, but it's not rocket surgery.

Definitely agree that you should do a few simple recipes to get a feel for the process and your system. That way you're really paying attention to a few core things, instead of when to add the fruit puree or whatever. And BeerSmith is indeed awesome. I totally recommend some sort of brewing software so you can focus on the recipe and not the math behind it. At $20 it's a steal.

 

[Frank99]

I'd recommend getting a kit from AHB or NB as I've had good success with them. This way you can focus on the process and not the recipe. Start with a simple kit. Plan out plenty of time and write out your steps/temps in advance. Don't have too many homebrews on brew day and have fun !

 

[TANSTAAFB]

I'm still new, but as far as the process goes, the only part that took some work was dialing in the mash temps. That's mostly just learning your particular set up though. The biggest issue I had switching to AG was the overwhelming array of ingredients and possible combinations. I had a tendency to make over complicated grain bills which led to some confused, muddled brews. I started making better beers and learning more when I went to simpler recipes. It let me figure out what different types of malt add to the final product and what proportions worked better. Learning a 2 or 3 malt 80-90% base grain bill did me good and it's where I should have started.

Oh yea, avoid dough balls in the mash! Lil' bastards killed my efficiency on a couple early batches. Have fun! It gets even more addictive when you make the switch.

+1!!!! Go simple at first so you can understand the process and what your ingredients do. BTW, a dry stout (a la Guinness) is a simple recipe that any brewer worth his/her salt should be able to produce in while sleeping :rockin:

I did one partial mash using DB's method and that went so well I jumped right into AG and never looked back. I converted the PM recipe I had on hand to AG and am still using that DME for yeast starters!

If you enjoy your PM batch, Find a cooler and convert it into an MLT. It is cheap, easy, and will save you from lifting heavy bags of grain.

+1 to Beersmith as well. It is an AG lifesaver, helps you to understand styles and recipes better, allows you to print brewsheets to keep everything simple and in one place, and comes with tons of calculators to help make adjustments on the fly. I never brew w/o BeerSmith up on my laptop.

 

[CGengo]

Definitely start with a partial mash, especially if you're going to be doing this in your kitchen - I honestly have no idea how I would do AG indoors on a stove; I probably wouldn't. Also, prepare for your efficiency to suck on your first couple batches - make up for it by upping your base grains by ~30% to hit your target OG - and in the off chance you go higher, just water it down or make a stronger beer.

 

[TANSTAAFB]

Definitely start with a partial mash, especially if you're going to be doing this in your kitchen - I honestly have no idea how I would do AG indoors on a stove; I probably wouldn't. Also, prepare for your efficiency to suck on your first couple batches - make up for it by upping your base grains by ~30% to hit your target OG - and in the off chance you go higher, just water it down or make a stronger beer.

I brew AG in my kitchen all the time...hell, it's the only way I brew!!! Gas range, pot straddling 2 burners. I got 80% efficiency on my only PM batch (surprised the hell outta me, but I'll take it :rockin and I get 65%-75% on my AG batches while using LHBS crush. I wouldn't up my grist THAT much. If you go PM using DeathBrewers process, estimate 75%. If you go AG w/ a cooler MLT, estimate 65% on your first batch and dial in your system and your LHBS's crush.