A few questions before I start my 1st brew...

[mtbcoach]

Great forum, introduced myself after receiving a kit from the wife and kids for my b-day (I'm a Christmas eve baby).

I've found a lot of answers to my initial questions but want a bit of clarification before I start.

For reference, I'm using True Brew "Whitely Series Double IPA" which includes:

Hopped LME - 1 can
Unhopped LME - 1 can
Extra Light DME - 2lbs
Crystal Grain malt - 6 oz
Centenial hop pellets - 2 oz
Willamette hop pellets - 1 oz
Amarillo hop pellets - 2 oz
Cascade hop pellets - 2 oz
Fermentis US-05 Ale Yeast - 1 pack
priming sugar - 5 0z

The directions advise 1.5 gal to boil, turn off heat, place "all grains" in steeping bag for 20-30 min. My questions for this step is:

- "all grains" includes the Muntons Crushed Crystal and Muntons Extra Light DME, right?
- I assume I can do this as a full boil instead of only using 1.5 gal, right?
- no temp for steeping, from what I've read, this should be 152-155 F, right?

Then says, remove steeping bag, discard, return to boil. Turn off heat, add LME and 1 oz of Centenial hops, return to boil for 30 min, add 1 oz each of Willamette, Amarillo and Cascade hops, boil 15 min, add 1 oz of Cascade hops, remove heat and let stand for 5-10 min.

- This means I'm adding hops at onset of boil, 30 min, 45 min, 50-55 min total -time, right?

Then, "allow mixture to cool, if necessary until under 90 F".

- Shouldn't I be getting this down to under 70 F? I'm planning on making an immersion wort cooler to do this more quickly.

Then, "sprinkle yeast over mixture, let sit for 10 min, gentle stir, seal, install air lock". No temp range for fermentation?

- if I'm using a carboy, how does one sprinkle it over the surface?
- any guidance here? I have a very stable basement temp but should I shoot for a specific temp or just keep it under 70 F?

Then, "dry hop after 3 days w/1 oz each of Amarillo and Cascade, bottle 7 days after dry hopping".

- looking for more specific guidance on this step. Seems like there are many variables at this point.

Thanks in advance for any guidance or suggestions...

 

[birvine]

Great forum, introduced myself after receiving a kit from the wife and kids for my b-day (I'm a Christmas eve baby).

I've found a lot of answers to my initial questions but want a bit of clarification before I start.

For reference, I'm using True Brew "Whitely Series Double IPA" which includes:

Hopped LME - 1 can
Unhopped LME - 1 can
Extra Light DME - 2lbs
Crystal Grain malt - 6 oz
Centenial hop pellets - 2 oz
Willamette hop pellets - 1 oz
Amarillo hop pellets - 2 oz
Cascade hop pellets - 2 oz
Fermentis US-05 Ale Yeast - 1 pack
priming sugar - 5 0z

The directions advise 1.5 gal to boil, turn off heat, place "all grains" in steeping bag for 20-30 min. My questions for this step is:

- "all grains" includes the Muntons Crushed Crystal and Muntons Extra Light DME, right?
- I assume I can do this as a full boil instead of only using 1.5 gal, right?
- no temp for steeping, from what I've read, this should be 152-155 F, right?

Steep the grains without the DME in 150-160 water for 20-30 minutes, remove the grains and bring to a boil before adding the DME and Centennial hops. Add the LME toward the end of the boil, say 10 minutes prior to the end.

Then says, remove steeping bag, discard, return to boil. Turn off heat, add LME and 1 oz of Centenial hops, return to boil for 30 min, add 1 oz each of Willamette, Amarillo and Cascade hops, boil 15 min, add 1 oz of Cascade hops, remove heat and let stand for 5-10 min.

- This means I'm adding hops at onset of boil, 30 min, 45 min, 50-55 min total -time, right?

Yes.

Then, "allow mixture to cool, if necessary until under 90 F".

- Shouldn't I be getting this down to under 70 F? I'm planning on making an immersion wort cooler to do this more quickly.

Yes, 90 might be a bit warm and an IC will definitely do it much quicker.

Then, "sprinkle yeast over mixture, let sit for 10 min, gentle stir, seal, install air lock". No temp range for fermentation?

Ferment at around 60-62°F if it is an ale. You can place your carboy into a pail of cool water to keep the temp down - this is called a swamp cooler.

- if I'm using a carboy, how does one sprinkle it over the surface? I either form the package into a tiny funnel, or I add the yeast to pre-boiled room temp water and after letting it sit for about 15 minutes I pour it into the carboy.
- any guidance here? I have a very stable basement temp but should I shoot for a specific temp or just keep it under 70 F? Yes, 60-ish since fermenting is exothermic it actually produces its own heat so will be even warmer than the room.

Then, "dry hop after 3 days w/1 oz each of Amarillo and Cascade, bottle 7 days after dry hopping".

- looking for more specific guidance on this step. Seems like there are many variables at this point.
I would suggest you let the fermenting go for about 3-ish weeks, then check the SG to see that it is stable, and then when it is, add the hops, let it sit for seven more days, then rack and bottle. Once bottles, leave the bottles in a 70°F room for a few weeks to properly condition/carbonate, then put some bottles in the fridge for a min of 2 days so the co2 will dissolve into the beer. Then ENJOY!

Thanks in advance for any guidance or suggestions...

Another note - you might want to (ie DO) use a blow off tube for the first few days while the fermenting is going like crazy so you don't have a mess/disaster to contend with - do a search on here to find out how.

Hope I have helped.

B

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

1) grains only means grains, not extract.... steep grains in 1.5q water per lb of grains at 150-170

2)yep

3)yep

4)yep

5)pour in the yeast, cap carboy and shake like an SOB for 5 mins. keep the temps in the lower end of the yeast strains temp range

6)ferment the beer til FG is reached and stable over a few days, THEN dry hop.... do not dry hop during active fermentation.

my advice is to do a lot of reading on this site and other places about the processes of brewing... it's all pretty simple, but there's a ton of useful info that'll make your experience, and your beer, better.

welcome to the hobby and the forum!! good luck!

 

[mtbcoach]

Another note - you might want to (ie DO) use a blow off tube for the first few days while the fermenting is going like crazy so you don't have a mess/disaster to contend with - do a search on here to find out how.

Hope I have helped.

B

Yes sir, you have helped a great deal...

1) grains only means grains, not extract.... steep grains in 1.5q water per lb of grains at 150-170

2)yep

3)yep

4)yep

5)pour in the yeast, cap carboy and shake like an SOB for 5 mins. keep the temps in the lower end of the yeast strains temp range

6)ferment the beer til FG is reached and stable over a few days, THEN dry hop.... do not dry hop during active fermentation.

my advice is to do a lot of reading on this site and other places about the processes of brewing... it's all pretty simple, but there's a ton of useful info that'll make your experience, and your beer, better.

welcome to the hobby and the forum!! good luck!

That's right, I read that ratio for water to grain and forgotten it already.

Thank for the info and welcome...

 

[mtbcoach]

Today was brew day. Followed the directions in the kit with modifications as advised above.

All went as expected, my home made IC did its job and its sitting in the basement, waiting for the yeast mosh pit to get started.

I took a SG reading and it fell right in the middle of the range on the instruction page. Now is the hard part, right? Patience...

 

[mtbcoach]

Happy to see the beginnings of the krausen layer and bubbles out of the valve, wort temp stable at 65 in a swamp cooler with a fish tank heater in it. Huge relief and a some satisfaction that, thus far, things are going as planned...

 

[buffalobrewer]

sounds like it went well. Now the tough part, leaving it alone for a few weeks....

 

[kh54s10]

Now is the hard part, right? Patience...

Yes this is the hard part. I would suggest getting another fermentation vessel, another ingredient kit and brewing another batch soon. Otherwise you will run out of the first batch before the next is ready. I am working with 3 fermenters now. It is really nice to be able to go to the fridge and have a choice of several different styles.

 

[JoshGarvey]

I second the second fermenter and kit. When I started I bought two carboys and two kits... We went through them very fast. Currently I have 4 carboys and 3 cornies.... Still not enough beer . Happy brewing and welcome to the club.

 

[mtbcoach]

sounds like it went well. Now the tough part, leaving it alone for a few weeks....

Yeah, its not one of my strong attributes, patience...

Yes this is the hard part. I would suggest getting another fermentation vessel, another ingredient kit and brewing another batch soon. Otherwise you will run out of the first batch before the next is ready. I am working with 3 fermenters now. It is really nice to be able to go to the fridge and have a choice of several different styles.

I second the second fermenter and kit. When I started I bought two carboys and two kits... We went through them very fast. Currently I have 4 carboys and 3 cornies.... Still not enough beer . Happy brewing and welcome to the club.

Great suggestion guys, I just may do that tomorrow. The wife did get me the "deluxe" kit that came with a 5g carboy and a 6.5g bucket (a b-day present). I'm very tempted to get 2 more carboys so I could have 3 batches going at a time. I'd love to have a nice hefe going and maybe another IPA...

 

[kh54s10]

So many recipes/kits and not enough time/$$/equipment to do them all.

But the ones done: :rockin:

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

:rockin:

So many recipes/kits and not enough time/$$/equipment to do them all.

But the ones done: :rockin:

:rockin: i hear ya there, bro. now's time to get you a few more fermenters!

 

[RM-MN]

I'm very tempted to get 2 more carboys so I could have 3 batches going at a time. I'd love to have a nice hefe going and maybe another IPA...

I'll advocate for the plastic buckets for fermenters. They are easier to get the wort into (just dump), easier to clean (big opening), safer (plastic won't shatter if bumped), cheaper, and easier to store if you have more than one empty (they stack quite nicely). I now have 3 sitting empty as I didn't want to make up a batch over Christmas/new years, all neatly stacked inside my bottling bucket waiting for me to fill.

 

[Taypo]

MOAR BUCKETS!

Welcome to the addiction. We went from a basic kit (fermenting in bottling bucket) to 3 better bottles in about 2 weeks...

Start collecting empty bottles now. Wish we had thought that far ahead, had to make several LHBS runs for bottles.

 

[RM-MN]

MOAR BUCKETS!

Welcome to the addiction. We went from a basic kit (fermenting in bottling bucket) to 3 better bottles in about 2 weeks...

Start collecting empty bottles now. Wish we had thought that far ahead, had to make several LHBS runs for bottles.

Make sure that the bottles you collect are not the screw off type as you will have problems getting a good seal unless you have a bench capper and when you try to pry the caps off with your opener it is really easy to hook the glass threads and chip that area.

 

[HopHeadGrady]

Good to hear everything is panning out. I'm bit with the brew bug too..... 3 batches in 5 days...:rockin:

1000 beers for spring? :rockin:

Non stop beer porn on the puter'...

 

[mtbcoach]

Thanks again for all the guidance and advice.

I know that buckets are the smart way to go, something about glass though. I'll probably split the difference and get one carboy and two buckets.

About bottles, we had recycling come the week before my birthday (the kit was a b-day gift from the wife and daughters, I'm a Christmas eve baby) and she thought I wonder why she was digging bottles out of the recycle bin (she is right, I would wonder). I'll have to throw a party so I can get as many friends as I can emptying bottles.

Yes, I've only been drinking beers than need an opener. Been drinking a lot of Smuttynose, Snakedog and Guiness.

Problem arose tonight, looking through all the threads, finding the DIY projects, making "brew sculptures". Being a bit of a fabricator, owning tubing bender, a couple welders and other things to manipulate metal, I've got the fever to build a "Brutus" knockoff. How am I going to explain how the kit SWMBO bought me turned into $1500 investment in stainless steel, propane burners and electrical controllers...

 

[mtbcoach]

Update...looks like its finishing the fermentation process. Bubbling has decreased to near nothing, no "action" in the carboy. I'll take a gravity reading in the morning to see how close it is to the FG predicted by the recipe instructions. I'll check it for at least 3 days to see how stable it is. I'll have to give it a taste also since I've resisted doing so, trying to be patient.

The kit calls for 2 oz of dry hopping, then a week later to add priming sugar and rack into bottles.

I've got a bock recipe ready to brew tomorrow before I try to transition to all grain recipes. One step at a time though, hope the current batch has come to fruition and my patience has paid off...

 

[mtbcoach]

Gravity check this morning: 1.030 @ 65F
Taste test: good, nothing noted to give me concern
Appearance: still very cloudy
No bubbling through the valve

Still, its clearly far from being done. More patience dictated...

 

[mtbcoach]

Dry hopped today with 1oz of Cascade and 1oz of Amarillo, all is looking good so far...

 

[mtbcoach]

Checked SG this morning...1.024, recipe called for a FG of 1.019-1.023, I'm in the ball park. I'm tempted to rack but I'm going to try and be patient for another week...

 

[Piratwolf]

How am I going to explain how the kit SWMBO bought me turned into $1500 investment in stainless steel, propane burners and electrical controllers...

Judging by comments here on HBT, there seem to be several approaches to this:
1. Hide the evidence?
2. If SWMBO really likes beer then get 'er drunk on your wonderful homebrew, or better yet, get her involved
3. If SWMBO has her own expensive hobbies (shoes, jewelry, implants...), resort to blackmail
4. Lie
5. Launder money for a local gang to offset costs
6. Provide free, delicious homebrew to her favorite organization or charity
7. Divorce

As with everything here, ymmv :cross:

 

[mtbcoach]

Good suggestions, yet, my biggest problem is I already have too many expensive hobbies already. But, so be it, she is the one who bought me the kit, tough cookies I say...

 

[klay23]

Good suggestions, yet, my biggest problem is I already have too many expensive hobbies already. But, so be it, she is the one who bought me the kit, tough cookies I say...

Ahahahaaaa, good luck with that....

 

[klay23]

Judging by comments here on HBT, there seem to be several approaches to this:
1. Hide the evidence?
2. If SWMBO really likes beer then get 'er drunk on your wonderful homebrew, or better yet, get her involved
3. If SWMBO has her own expensive hobbies (shoes, jewelry, implants...), resort to blackmail
4. Lie
5. Launder money for a local gang to offset costs
6. Provide free, delicious homebrew to her favorite organization or charity
7. Divorce

As with everything here, ymmv :cross:

I vote #5

 

[mtbcoach]

I bottled up the batch today, used the on-line label designer, hit up Kinkos and pasted them on with milk. What a great forum and my new found hobby/addiction...

 

[mtbcoach]

I'm enjoying the first beer from my first batch. I've had tastes, opened one this past Sat and shared with friends but it wasn't cold.

I couldn't be more pleased. I know it will only get better but I can't expect much better in all honesty. I like to think I'm a fair judge of beers and its actually good. I guess even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while...