First "real" Brew!

[strambo]

Finally trying my first beer that is a full 5 gal batch...in the past I have done some "Beer Machine" beers (pre-hopped mixes) and a half batch of an Imperial Stout fermented in the Beer Machine (verdict is still out on that one...aging).

Anyway, my wife bought my some real brewing gear for Christmas! I couldn't bring myself to use a kit since the thing I like most about brewing is the artistic expression, so I made up a Pale Ale recipe with Beersmith. I kept it simple: Extract w/ steeping grains. 8lb Pale LME, 1lb C20, Warrior hops for bittering and Citras for aroma/flavor. Yeast was S05.

I hit my OG at 1.058, my FG was 1.011. Primary for 3 weeks, and 1 week in the bottle so far. I just had to open one (for educational purposes ), the rest I'll save for the 3 week mark.

It is carbed nicely, decent head. Cloudy (to be expected). Great flavor! Tastes as good as any micro Pale I've had...but with a nice citrus-y flavor from the Citra hops. IBUs are about 40 and ABV is around 6%.

If this is green beer, I can't wait for it to mature! Love the site, I have learned a ton. :rockin:

 

[jmprdood]

Congrats and get another into the primary!

Cheers!

 

[BradleyBrew]

Its a fantastic experience! Now get another going lol

 

[strambo]

Congrats and get another into the primary!

Heh, I have a partial mash porter in primary as of last week...and then my wife asked me for a B-day beer. Her birthday is St. Patty's Day. After doing the math, I can make it, but I'm brewing blind. She likes flavored stouts/porters (coffee, chocolate etc.)...so I scaled the porter recipe I haven't tried yet to be a 2.5 gal all grain BIAB batch. Gonna add some coarse ground coffee beans to the mash and vanilla extract at bottling. I may go down in flames...but the grain bill was cheap and 2.5gals isn't a huge loss.

 

[Stauffbier]

Heh, I have a partial mash porter in primary as of last week...and then my wife asked me for a B-day beer. Her birthday is St. Patty's Day. After doing the math, I can make it, but I'm brewing blind. She likes flavored stouts/porters (coffee, chocolate etc.)...so I scaled the porter recipe I haven't tried yet to be a 2.5 gal all grain BIAB batch. Gonna add some coarse ground coffee beans to the mash and vanilla extract at bottling. I may go down in flames...but the grain bill was cheap and 2.5gals isn't a huge loss.

You should cold brew the coffee and add it at bottling instead of mashing it. It will taste better IMO.

 

[strambo]

You should cold brew the coffee and add it at bottling instead of mashing it. It will taste better IMO.

Okay, thanks. By "cold brew" meaning something like letting it sit overnight in a French Press? How about sanitation?

 

[Stauffbier]

Okay, thanks. By "cold brew" meaning something like letting it sit overnight in a French Press? How about sanitation?

Exactly! Sanitize the press and use pre-boiled/cooled water. Put it in the fridge, and rack on top of it with your priming sugar in the bottling bucket. The amount of water/coffee is up to you. It's mostly trial and error on that. There are a few threads on the topic if you search. They might give you insight as to how much to use. I use about 2c of water and 2 to 4 oz. of coffee depending on how much coffee flavor I want.

Also, use a nice quality dark roasted coffee. Espresso works nicely..

 

[djfriesen]

You shouldn't have to worry too much. The alcohol in the beer will make it pretty tough for an infection to get a foothold. On a mocha chocolate stout I did recently with my brother, we just brewed 8 cups of coffee in a normal coffee maker, let it cool to room temps, and then added it in with the priming sugar at bottling. Turned out pretty good, though the coffee flavor is a little muted. I seem to recall reading here somewhere that that flavor will come out as it ages, but this is my first real experience, so I can;t speak to that too much.

Either way, no worries on sanitation.

 

[strambo]

Okay, thanks for the tips on the coffee guys! I'll be happy if it has even a hint of coffee...a skosh of vanilla...and doesn't taste like watered down ass.:cross: