First All Grain Brew

[MarkZ56]

Hello all. I've taken to this site quite a bit and have learned a ton-enough to make me think I'm ready to take the AG plunge. I've gone through a lot, found a recipe I think is pretty easy, built a mash tun, determined boil off and heat loss rates (as best I can) but I've broken the number one rule of brewing-I'm not relaxing. I'm confused about water treatment\mash PH. I have a friend who swears by PH52 and uses the same water I'll be using. I've done enough research and it appear that stuff is utter garbage so I'm looking to the forums for some guidance. This first attempt is as much about making good beer as it is about learning what my brewing system can do. Do you all treat brewing water before mashing? Adjust mash PH while the mash is occurring? Both? Neither?

 

[ryanryates]

Yes, I do water chemistry on my beers. I suggest you go to: https://sites.google.com/site/brunwater/

 

[MarkZ56]

Found this from user msa8967-I want to keep the recipe simple and my wife loves Amber beers so I figure why not kill two birds with one stone and make her happy too right?

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Wyeast 1056, US-05
Yeast Starter: yes
Batch Size (Gallons): 5.0
Original Gravity: 1.057
Final Gravity: 1.015
IBU: 40
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 12.7
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 21-28 days at 67 F
Additional Fermentation: N/A
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): N/A
Tasting Notes: This is my second most popular beer that I brew for my friends. Scored 40/50.

7.5 lbs 2-Row Brewers Malt
1.5 lbs Munich
1.5 lbs Crystal 60L
4-6 oz Amber Malt (optional if you want to add a bisquit flavor and darker color)
1.0 oz Centennial (60 min)
0.5 oz Cascade (10 min)
0.5 oz Cascade (5 min)
Wyeast 1056 American Ale yeast or US-05 dry yeast

 

[ryanryates]

Found this from user msa8967-I want to keep the recipe simple and my wife loves Amber beers so I figure why not kill two birds with one stone and make her happy too right?

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Wyeast 1056, US-05
Yeast Starter: yes
Batch Size (Gallons): 5.0
Original Gravity: 1.057
Final Gravity: 1.015
IBU: 40
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 12.7
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 21-28 days at 67 F
Additional Fermentation: N/A
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): N/A
Tasting Notes: This is my second most popular beer that I brew for my friends. Scored 40/50.

7.5 lbs 2-Row Brewers Malt
1.5 lbs Munich
1.5 lbs Crystal 60L
4-6 oz Amber Malt (optional if you want to add a bisquit flavor and darker color)
1.0 oz Centennial (60 min)
0.5 oz Cascade (10 min)
0.5 oz Cascade (5 min)
Wyeast 1056 American Ale yeast or US-05 dry yeast

If it were me, I'd back off on the crystal a bit.

 

[MarkZ56]

If it were me, I'd back off on the crystal a bit.

Why? I'm not being rude-text never conveys tone-I'm just curious.

 

[Jimbodaman]

The biggest thing to correct as far as water treatment goes (especially for a new AG brewer) is to remove the clorine/choramine. To be absolutely positively sure neither will affect your brew just let your total amount of water sit out for 3 days. Both will go away with sitting. As for your first brew RDWHAHB, or just let your water sit out a few days and you will produce fine beer. I wouldn't worry about mash pH if you haven't brewed AG before you'll have a 100 more things to worry about.

 

[dwhite60]

I'd back off the crystal too. It'll add a good bit of sweetness. I'd shoot for 0.75 to 1 pound max.

Just me though.

All the Best,
Happy Brewing,
D. White

 

[BigMack]

Too much crystal malt can sometimes lend too much sweetness to a beer, but in an amber I'm not sure thats too much. I also think the best way to brew and get a feel for things is the best way to learn. Make mistakes, form your own opinions on things. So if you want to try the recipe as is go for it. It will make beer.

 

[ryanryates]

Agree with the other gents, the crystal will add a little too much sweetness. Again, my opinion. As the others have also stated, homebrewing is a learn by doing experience.

 

[charliehorse]

Hello all. I've taken to this site quite a bit and have learned a ton-enough to make me think I'm ready to take the AG plunge. I've gone through a lot, found a recipe I think is pretty easy, built a mash tun, determined boil off and heat loss rates (as best I can) but I've broken the number one rule of brewing-I'm not relaxing. I'm confused about water treatment\mash PH. I have a friend who swears by PH52 and uses the same water I'll be using. I've done enough research and it appear that stuff is utter garbage so I'm looking to the forums for some guidance. This first attempt is as much about making good beer as it is about learning what my brewing system can do. Do you all treat brewing water before mashing? Adjust mash PH while the mash is occurring? Both? Neither?

I've made a lot of good beer by going straight from the hose into the Hot Liquor Tank and toss in a Campden (if I remember). Do I worry about water chemistry? Nope. It makes the beer local. Do I worry about the pH? Nope. Do I use the Iodine test? Nope.

Seriously, it's your first all grain brew. Relax and enjoy the experience. The first time you dough in your grains, you're going to smell the best aroma on the planet. In fact, here's what you're going to want to do... get a tasting glass and add a shot of good bourbon to it. When your mash is almost done, fill the glass the rest of the way with wort. Drink that and only that. What you don't want for your first few brews is a bunch of non-brewing buddies over getting hammered because you'll loose track of what you're doing.

Get some software (I'd recommend Brew Target, because it's free), enter your recipe and print off the brew sheet. Use that to guide you. Relax and enjoy the experience.

 

[Elkobrewer]

I'm with charliehorse I also don't worry about water, I buy spring water from the store and dump it in. I know it cost me a bit more money for the water but I did not get into home brewing to save money. When I first started this obsession and old home Brewer told me as long as your water tastes good to you it will tast even better in your beer.

 

[max384]

It's your first AG brew, and you're already having trouble relaxing. Forget about water chemistry for this one. It's unlikely your water is so bad that it will ruin your beer.

 

[Aristotelian]

Brew first, ask questions later. I would not worry about water chemistry unless you have a reason to suspect it is a problem. Does your water taste good enough to drink? Have you made good beer using it with extract? If so, you should be fine using it for your first AG batch.

 

[chickypad]

If you're very worried you can always use RO water and follow the water primer instructions. As some of the others have mentioned though, unless you've got some extreme water chances are you'll be fine especially with an amber. There certainly exists the possibility of significant off flavors depending on the actual water and the recipe, and I don't believe the "if it tastes good it'll make good beer" argument, but many times we get away with it because things are close enough. One of the most common water related problem occurs when trying to brew light beers and not doing anything to address the alkalinity. So you might want to learn about your water or use the primer before you brew any all base malt beers. Definitely do something for chlorine/chloramine though if using city water, 1 tablet of campden per 20 gals will do the trick.

I think the crystal is okay for an amber but certainly wouldn't go any higher (you're about 13%). I'd probably drop it to 1-1.25 lb for 10-11% but that's kind of ticky tack.
Have fun!

 

[Creston24]

if your that worried about the water, could always fill up a 5 gallon jug at those water filling kiosks for $1.25. I am actually considering doing that, but could just as easily use tap. But, good luck! I am about to venture into my own AG brew!

 

[MarkZ56]

I appreciate all of the talking down from a ledge. Thanks all. I'm taking the approach that I'm going to concern myself with sanitation and noting what I do and what I measure. I'll move on from there with each batch. I convinced myself I needed to hit a home run on the first pitch I saw and forgot I'm playing a game. Its funny, at my job I have a saying "No one will die if they don't get their product today" (I work for a company in the hospitality industry) and yet here I am panicking about making beer-something I've done well as an extract brewer thus far.

Thanks all. I needed the perspective.

 

[Redlantern]

Make it easy.

Everything clean, but sanitize the stuff used after the boil. Sanitizing everything is nice, but takes a lot of time and if you are as twitchy as me (and that is twitchy), you can obsess over things that accomplish nothing more than killing time.

Go ahead and make the beer. Your recipe will make beer. That part is taken care of.

Since this is a recipe you have found, there is nothing to it but to do it. If you like the crystal, keep it. If it is too sweet and chewy and you don't like that, back off the crystal next time out. Someone liked this recipe. May work out great, may not.

Have a blast brewing this batch!

 

[z-bob]

I looked up your local water report, and it doesn't say anything about hardness or alkalinity. The only somewhat useful number it gives is sulfates. But it does say your water is drawn from Lake Michigan, so I assume it's not full of bicarbonates like ground water. Brew with it and see what you end up with; adjust next time if necessary.

If you lived here, I would urge you to use Reverse Osmosis water from the dispenser at Walmart. My local water is not suited for brewing anything except stouts w/o a lot of work, and it's like that in a lot of place. The water tastes good but is too alkaline to brew with -- so taste is not always a good indicator of water quality.

 

[MarkZ56]

Well it went well. Got a solid 5.5 gallons in the fermenter. Temp held like a champ in the tun. Hit my numbers almost on the head. Only casualty was my hydrometer but thankfully it was after measurements. Really excited to see how this bad boy turns out.

 

[MarkZ56]

Make it easy.

Everything clean, but sanitize the stuff used after the boil. Sanitizing everything is nice, but takes a lot of time and if you are as twitchy as me (and that is twitchy), you can obsess over things that accomplish nothing more than killing time.

Go ahead and make the beer. Your recipe will make beer. That part is taken care of.

Since this is a recipe you have found, there is nothing to it but to do it. If you like the crystal, keep it. If it is too sweet and chewy and you don't like that, back off the crystal next time out. Someone liked this recipe. May work out great, may not.

Have a blast brewing this batch!

Backed it down to one pound. Mostly because I didn't want a half of of grain so I bought one 1 lb bag.