Back to Basics... What do you wish you knew before starting AG?

[crushingblackdoom]

Put a little sticker on your carboy that says, "Take OG before pitching yeast, you idiot!"

Did that. Doesn't work sometimes, tho.

 

[hops2it]

Get Beersmith. It's amazing how much you learn while setting everything up to perfectly reflect your system. Keep some DME on hand just in case a bonehead mistake still occurs. Clean while you go. Enjoy the moment and don't get all freaked out about small details that aren't going to make or break the final product.

 

[Wreck99]

Get Beersmith. It's amazing how much you learn while setting everything up to perfectly reflect your system. Keep some DME on hand just in case a bonehead mistake still occurs. Clean while you go. Enjoy the moment and don't get all freaked out about small details that aren't going to make or break the final product.

+1 great advice!

 

[duffbeer71]

Finally, I'd drink lower alcohol beers during all-grain days... they seem to take longer than expected, so my ratio of 1 beer/hour of brewing is a painful day if they are IIPA's [What is the standard beer/hour of brewing out there?]

Agree with this. Drinking high ABV beers all brew day leads to a sloppy day for me.

 

[hmmmbeer]

I keep seeing brewers say how surprised they were on how easy it is to AG, I couldn't agree more! I started out extract brewing as most do, following directions to the T, worrying about the time at every moment, checking my temps way more often then needed, etc. It may be because of all the batches I did extract that I got the AG part right but I think AG is even easier than extract! Hope it turned out GREAT!

 

[hmmmbeer]

Oh, and get brew smith!!! It makes brewing even easier!

 

[VonAle]

I'm only 5 AG brew days in and Here's what I learned.. without echoing everything mentioned above..
1. Pre-Measure additions and label them.(hops, Irish Moss, etc.) have them in baggies and/or cups labeled with times.
2. Have a brew day sheet with everything already calculated out on it as well as spots for readings along the way. Times, Temperatures, Volumes.
3. I don't start drinking beer until after the Sparge. Too many things that I need to watch and do before then and I don't want to miss them. (Yes I do start after the boil is coming up)
4. Relax.. it's really not as hard as it's made up to be.

** if you have a SWMBO over estimate your time. the last thing you want to do is tell her you'll be done by X time and it's Really X+2 Hours.. makes for unpleasantness.

+1 this is so right on. I brew umteen times in my head before brewday. The cheat sheet keeps me on schedule and helps me avoid missing something.

 

[dooman333]

To not drink so much while brewing.... Too many drunkin mistakes!