First 5-gal brew...

[431brew]

I finally used up all of my MRB recipes and want to make my first 5-gal batch to enjoy during football season (or at least the first week of football season ).

Here's what I know: I do not like the IPA's, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, and other pale ales, or at least the kind of hops used in those store bought PA's that I have tried. Taste too piney to me. I tend to choose like light beer when buying off the shelf.

I am thinking about going with AHS Canadian Ale or AHS Kolsch. Not sure what the hop flavor will be, but from reading the description on their website, seems like what I am looking for. I saw on another thread that AHS Blonde was a good first brew, too. I plan to use extract, although the mini-mash sounds like fun.

Any suggestions/ comments on these three as a first-time 5 gal brew?

Thanks.

 

[carnevoodoo]

I think any of those kits will do you well. They're all going to be along the lines of what you're looking for. Personally, I don't think you can go wrong with a blonde.

 

[BarleyWater]

Most of the AHS kits are going to be good for a first timer. I wouldn't recommend the mini-mash until your next batch, so you get a handle on the 5-gal procedure before stepping it up.

The beers you listed as not being a fan use the west coast "C" hops; Cascade, Columbus, Centennial, Chinook. You may also not like Amarillo or Simcoe hops. Knowing this, as long as you stay away from the pale ales and IPA's, you won't find those flavor profiles many other places.

 

[knewshound]

Well, since you are the brewer, the hops will be whatever you decide.

A blonde is a good choice but if I was advising you (and I am) I would suggest a Kolsch.

It has the qualities you say you like, looks like typical "American" beer, is lightly hopped and is able to be fermented at temps you are likely to be able to sustain.

If you do either style, be sure to monitor your fermentation temps to keep them as low as possible in order to prevent fruity flavors from developing.

Good luck and BE PATIENT !

Cheers,

knewshound

 

[Laurel]

Kolsch yeast prefers lower fermentation temps, so be ready to do the water bottle exchange game for a week or so while it's fermenting if it gets hot.

 

[Revvy]

You don't like IPAs but how do you feel about less hoppy ales, like Pales or Ambers...or even porters and stouts, where it is more balanced? IPA's can be a little over the top...

How do you feel about some of the english hops, like fuggles?

There's a whole big world of beer out there, and not everything is a hop monster, you will find plenty to brew....Enjoy your Kolsch...and you might as well order another kit of something, or the ingredients for one of the recipes on here...biermuncher's got some great recipes, as does Yooper...If you like brown ales, you could do mine from the pull down as a standard extract with grains.

Have fun!

 

[Mutilated1]

If you like Light Beers and thats what you typically buy, then why not make a Light Beer ?

Get you a canned Lager kit, and instead of 2#s of extra sugar/malt just use 1# and pick a light sugar like rice syrup solids. Shoot for OG in the range of 1.036 and there you go. Since you mentioned AHS kits, sometime when you order from them order the 1% alcohol boost - use the boost and a canned Lager mix - maybe get a dry Lager yeast if the kit you choose doesn't have a real lager yeast and you're golden.

 

[431brew]

You guys are the best, and have helped me alot more than you realize. Thanks for taking the time to respond...

I think any of those kits will do you well. They're all going to be along the lines of what you're looking for. Personally, I don't think you can go wrong with a blonde.

Thanks, carnevoodoo.

The beers you listed as not being a fan use the west coast "C" hops; Cascade, Columbus, Centennial, Chinook. You may also not like Amarillo or Simcoe hops. Knowing this, as long as you stay away from the pale ales and IPA's, you won't find those flavor profiles many other places.

BarleyWater, thanks for the list of hops that have this flavor profile. I have often wondered how many I could eliminate immediately, and you answered that for me.

A blonde is a good choice but if I was advising you (and I am) I would suggest a Kolsch.

It has the qualities you say you like, looks like typical "American" beer, is lightly hopped and is able to be fermented at temps you are likely to be able to sustain.

If you do either style, be sure to monitor your fermentation temps to keep them as low as possible in order to prevent fruity flavors from developing.

Good luck and BE PATIENT !

Cheers,

knewshound

Thanks for the advice, knewshound.

Kolsch yeast prefers lower fermentation temps, so be ready to do the water bottle exchange game for a week or so while it's fermenting if it gets hot.

Thanks, Laurel. I will keep that in mind.

You don't like IPAs but how do you feel about less hoppy ales, like Pales or Ambers...or even porters and stouts, where it is more balanced? IPA's can be a little over the top...

How do you feel about some of the english hops, like fuggles?

There's a whole big world of beer out there, and not everything is a hop monster, you will find plenty to brew....Enjoy your Kolsch...and you might as well order another kit of something, or the ingredients for one of the recipes on here...biermuncher's got some great recipes, as does Yooper...If you like brown ales, you could do mine from the pull down as a standard extract with grains.

Have fun!

Thanks, Revvy. I haven't tried porters or stouts, though I have been considering those as well. I have spent alot of time in my Joy of Homebrewing book, and the characteristics of both seem good.

I always drank Miller Light or Coors Light until I got my kit near the end of last year. Unfortunately, I live in a small town and there aren't a lot of different commercial brands to choose from for taste testing. Usually when I find something that I like, I stick with it. I can honestly say that the MRB's that I have been making are better than the ML and CL that was drinking, so whichever of the Kolsch, Blonde, or Canadian Ale that I go with should taste even better.

If you like Light Beers and thats what you typically buy, then why not make a Light Beer ?

Good question, Mutilated1!

Get you a canned Lager kit, and instead of 2#s of extra sugar/malt just use 1# and pick a light sugar like rice syrup solids. Shoot for OG in the range of 1.036 and there you go. Since you mentioned AHS kits, sometime when you order from them order the 1% alcohol boost - use the boost and a canned Lager mix - maybe get a dry Lager yeast if the kit you choose doesn't have a real lager yeast and you're golden.

Thanks for the advice. Sounding like a noob for sure now but...can rice syrup solids can be found at the LHBS or AHB?

 

[dzlater]

If you don't have a local shop and you are ordering off the internet.
I'd suggest getting at least two kits.

 

[431brew]

I decided get the Canadian Ale and it came with Ahtanum hops. I did have a boil over while trying to find a muslim bag, but got it under control quickly. Luckily, I am boiling outside and I didn't have to hear it from SWMBO. The unlucky part is that my driveway has a steep slope, so I had a river to clean up.

Quick question....do you guys put your hops into the primary with your wort? On previous batches, I have been doing that. What do most of you do?

Thanks.
Chris

 

[Stratotankard]

You can go either way with the hops in the primary. Some folks will siphon off the top of them, leaving them in the boil pot. If you are worried about it, using a hop bag will help keep your hops contained in the boil and easier to keep there. I usually don't bother and just let them go into the primary. It won't hurt anything either way.

Keep us posted on the brew. And keep asking questions. These folks are the best!

Terje

 

[431brew]

Thank you, Stratotankard. Your response came at a good time...I was transerring to the primary. I decided to take the hops out since I didn't like what I was using as a hops sack. I posted earlier that I had a boil over while trying to find a sack. Never found it and had to use some material from an old pair of underwear because I didn't have time to keep looking...my stuff was boiling! I'm sure others have done that.

My wife has been trying to get me to throw those things away for years and I always told her that they were still good. My brother named my last beer Hairy Ass and Hops. If he only new now...

Still an extract brew, but my first 5 gal away from the Mr. Beer kits. It had a 1.046 OG and I will keep you guys posted.

Thanks everybody for the help. Trying Kolsch next and want to find an easy recipe for Oatmeal Stout.

 

[431brew]

I just wanted to let you guys know that the Canadian Ale I made is still young, but it is good! Thanks for all the input.

It took much longer for it to naturally carbonate than my previous batches of MRB, which I primed in the bucket, but no other complaints. The one I tested last weekend was flat after about 3 weeks in the bottles. Since that was my second sample, I got all of the bottles out of the storage area, gave them a gently shake to stir up the yeast again, put one in the fridge Friday and tried it today. Nice, foamy head. I don't know if the shake helped (I primed in the bottling bucket again) or if it was just that extra week that did it.

Also, I bottled my Oatmeal Stout yesterday and looking forward to it. I tasted the leftovers after bottling and didn't notice an oatmeal nor coffee flavor as I was hoping, but maybe it will be there in a few months. Right now, it kind of tastes like an Oktoberfest, so still should be good.