And so it BEGINS! First brew day but kinda confused

[ZamaMan]

Hey All,

First off thanks for taking a look and any tips offered. This community is awesome and freindly. I just went to my local LHBS and they hooked me up with 20% off since we know the same freinds...naturally I ended up buying some equipment and ingredients as im a sucker for a deal

I got a Brewers Best premium kit so got the two buckets, glass carboy, auto siphon bottleing stuff ext for about 110. I was looking at Brewers best ingredient kits as it was the only ones they carried and they didnt have a huge variety of them so just deceided to try to make a clone so we could grind up our malts right there,...my bro and I ended up settling on a monster of a beer and hope that we didnt chose too difficult of one for a first brew, I think its still considered an extract brew. I will be brewing on Saturday. heres the instructions

Duvel Belgian Golden Strong Ale (All ingredients only costed me $40 =) this beer is WAY WAY more in store)
OG 1.080-1.081
FG cant read copy will have to get new one
IBU: 31
SRM 5
ABV: 8.5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It says to steep grains in 1/2 Gallon of water for 20 min, than sparge grains with 1/2 gallon. Add another 1/2 gallon and then add most ingredients. Will 1/2 gallon be enough water to steep grains (only 6 OZ total)? Should I use a small pan instead of my 10 gallon pot as it would seem like it would have a hard time being submerged in such a large pot.

Also i needed to double check on my fermentation process. They only gave me one yeast bag but I think I need two if Im reading the instructions correctly:

" Ferment in the primary for 7 days or until fermentation slows, than siphon into secondary fermenter and add 8 OZ cane sugar in 2 cups hot water (im using corn) Prime beer in second stage with another dose of the same strain of yeast. When fermentation is complete cold condition at 35 degrees for 4 weeks."

So I need to go and buy another bag of wyeast right? Even though the book said prime beer in second stage its referring to fermenting again right?

The yeast the book reccomended was wyeast 1762 belguin abbey II. The instructions say on package that it is good up to 1.060 OG which mine is gonna be 1.080 OG. Will this be okay? Im assuming its why the receipe calls for another dose in the carboy.

Also how do I prepare an aluminum pan? I was gonna clean it up and boil water once or twice. The pan has never been used.

Also since the bitterness is rated low and it seems to have a ton of sugar 8.5 LB in all would it taste better to add the extra 1/2 oz styrian goldings to add to the original 2 OZ for more bitterness? I just dont want it to taste too sweet...but I get the feeling I need to just follow the receipe.

Oh heres the ingrediants FYI
4 oz belgian aromatic malt
2 oz 10*L german light crystal malt (cara-hell)
6.5 lb Muntons extra light DME
1 Lb belgian clear candi sugar
1.2 lb Cane sugar (using corn)
2 OZ styrian Goldings @4.25 AA (bitterings)
1/2 oz styrian Goldings (flavor)
1/2 oz czech saaz (flavoring)
1 tsp irish moss
1/2 oz czech saaz (aroma)
Wyeast 1792 belgian abbey II (think I need another packet)
8 OZ corn sugar and second yeast packet for second fermentation

Any other thoughts, tips reccomendations? Anyone brew this beer before?

Thanks
Salvador

 

[C-Rider]

Just take it slow, read the instructions. Get all the tools, ingredients all measured and laid out on the counter/table/whatever. Read the instructions. Start heating the water. Read the instructions again.

Good luck, that's a BIG beer for a first time brew. You got guts my friend. :=)

 

[superjunior]

your brewers best kit also has a full boil option on the instructions under "brew tips". this will increase the ibu's and change the profile of the beer a bit, but something to consider since you have a large enough pot

 

[ZamaMan]

Ill try to take it slow im just so amped! Its not a BB ingredient kit so I don't have full boil instructions. Since the post was so long its kinda hard to see my questions.
Whats the besbest way to preape an aluminum pan thats brand new?

Since I'm only using 1/2 gallon of water per instructions to steep grains in do I need to use a small pan to steep than transfer for boil oor should I use my aluminum 10 gal pot for the steeping as well? The grains are only 6 oz.

Lastly I'm reading the directions for the second fermentation? I need another pack of wyeast to add the secondary wwith the sugar right?

oh and my packet says the wyeast is good up to OG of 1.060 where my OG will be 1.080. Is this okay as it was the yeast recommended by the receipe book?

 

[Cranapple]

Check out the Mr. Malty pitching rate calculator for your amount of yeast...

I don't want to discourage you, but I tried a 1.075 brew for my first, and it didn't come out very well. It had a LOT of off flavors that I think came from stressed yeast. I had (and still have) a lot of learning to do about aeration and pitching rates. Most of the time when you get above about 1.064 you need to do things a little differently. Check out the August 24, 2006 episode of Basic Brewing Radio, it's all about what you need to do differently for beers above 1.064 OG.

Anyway, I can't really tell you not to do it, since it's what I did for my first! Just make sure you pitch the right amount of yeast, and you aerate as well as you possibly can. Good luck, and have fun!

 

[edmanster]

I would do step additions on the simple sugars (candi and cane). This will allow the yeast to work on the more complex sugars and not get stressed out and maybe poop out early.. If you do step it there won't be a need for a second pack off yeast.. So after 5 days add your candy sugar and then 3 more days half of the table sugar and then the other half 3 days after that.. You could do secondary but it wouldn't hurt just to leave in primary for a total of 1 month..

 

[malkore]

Lastly I'm reading the directions for the second fermentation? I need another pack of wyeast to add the secondary wwith the sugar right?

oh and my packet says the wyeast is good up to OG of 1.060 where my OG will be 1.080. Is this okay as it was the yeast recommended by the receipe book?

No, you rarely add yeast to prime for carbonation...because Secondary isn't for fermentation, its for clearing the beer. (if you were making wine, you do use a second stage fermenter, but not for beer).

It says OG of 1.060 because above that, you either need two wyeast smack packs, or a yeast starter.

but the kicker is you ALWAYS need a yeast starter with liquid yeast, or buy 2-4 packs. There is not enough yeast in a single pack to make 'optimal' pitch rates, unless you made an OG of 1.040 or less.

Its a lot cheaper to make a starter to ramp up your cell counts for pitching.

Using dry yeast, you rarely need more than one 10gram satchet because there's way more yeast in those packs.

 

[Wakadaka]

search around the site for how to prepare an alluminum pot, it has been discussed. And I would recommend doing some reading of the sticky's in the beginners forum. The directions seem to be contradictory to some common practices on this site, although I have yet to brew a beer that big.

I would agree that you should just make a starter instead of buying another pack, but make sure you read up on that, and prepare it a few days before you plan to brew.

Good luck on the first brew, but just a suggestion: as soon as you transfer that thing to your secondary I would try to get a quick turnaround beer like a wheat, blonde or cream, or possibly even a pale ale going, because that big of a beer is going to take a LONG time to be tasting good, and for your first brew patience is going to be the hardest thing.

 

[ZamaMan]

I'm hooked on that brewers radio. Going throug them like an addict. I really need to learn alot about brewing. I'm kinda thinking ill just stick t the receipe.. I mean it seems like a smart thing to do since i don't know alot right? sine this brew wont be ready for 3 months or so I'm gonna brew something else next wekend.

Can't wajt to keep learning from you guys.

 

[Becks]

Welcome to the addiction

 

[EarlyBirdBrew]

I have to disagree with Malkore, you don't ALWAYS need a starter with liquid yeast. I have only used liquid yeast (white labs and wyeast brands) and have never used a starter. All of my beers have fermented perfectly and I generally hit my FG. Although I did double pitch on one of my big beers.

I would say a starter is recommended and probably need for any beer over 1.05 SG. However, I recently brewed up a Baltic porter with a SG of 1.086 and attempted to make a stater with washed yeast that were dead so I ended up only pitching one package of yeast. That bad boy was done fermenting in 3 days and was down to 1.016. I think this was a rare case with such a big beer and I was worried that the yeast weren't going to get the job done but they are generally hard workers.

Good luck with this one and I hope it turns out great for you!

 

[ZamaMan]

Awesome. the owner of the brewing supply shop is gonna come and brew it with me since its my first batch. tomorrow can't come fast enough.