First time brewer. I could use some tips!

[HooSteenTheGonz]

So this is going to be the first batch of beer I make! I've read forums and looked up multiple recipes but I still have some questions. First off, I'm not starting with a kit, I haven't gone out and bought anything yet but I have ordered all the ingredients. I chose everything before I read any recipes so if you have any imput to improve my beer please feel free to let me know.

I ordered enough for 2 different 2.5 gal. Batches. The only difference is the DME.

1.5 lbs. Muntons Wheat DME
1.5 lbs. Briess Golden Light DME

Weyermann CaraAroma

2-1 oz. Brewers Gold Hops
1/2 oz @ 60
1/4 oz @ 15
1/4 oz @ 5

Wyeast 1469 West Yorkshire Ale

I've read enough to understand how to brew everything, still deciding on a fermenting time. Also, is there a difference in using carabouy and a blue water container as my fermenter?
Thanks guys! Any tip will help!

 

[gotsumbeers]

Just brew it! See how it turns out and go from there. Your first batch will give you plenty of questions and ideas, etc. Get the first batch under your belt, then keep it up. Practice makes perfect.

 

[HopJuicer]

You don't want to use a standard water jug to ferment in. Use a glass carboy or better bottle if you want to go plastic. Its the type of plastic and better bottle should protect against oxygen better than an Alhambra jug.

 

[HooSteenTheGonz]

Alright thanks guys. Anything you guys think I should add to the recipe? And any tips for a beginner?

 

[JohnnySardonic]

Be sanitary and have fun! My first brew was also all extract, but looking back I kind of wish I would have steeped some specialty grains as well. I also used a weak bleach solution to sanitize bottles, but have since switched to Starsan as the bleach sketched me out. As far as fermentation time, buy a hydrometer if you weren't already planning on it. After two weeks take a reading, and then another one two days later. If they are the same (and by that point they should be only using extract) you know fermentation is finished.

Specialty grains or not, you'll make beer and hopefully have a blast while doing so (and while drinking it). Cheers!

 

[HooSteenTheGonz]

Awesome! Thank you. How do you like the new sanitation your using? And also guys I can get my hands on some oxygen tanks, should i shoot some into my wort before I start fermenting?

 

[1Mainebrew]

Just whirlpool really well and shake the carboy a lot before you pitch your yeast. Make sure that you do that when the wort is in the 60's because a cool liquid can hold more gas than a warm one, and its a better practice for your yeast's happiness and performance. Get the first few batches under your belt before you worry about the O2 tanks. You'll enjoy it enough to invest later! Have fun and don't sweat the details at this point.

 

[HooSteenTheGonz]

Okay thanks everyone for the help. I have an O2 tank on hand from a friend so I wouldn't have to worry too much. Once again if anyone has anything they think would make an improvement in my batch feel free to let me know!

 

[signpost]

You should try some maple syrup in one batch and some fresh pomegranate in the other batch. Then compare how they come out.


JUST KIDDING!!! Have fun with your brew.

I do have one question (I've only brewed a few batches myself). With only 1.5 lbs. of extract for the 2.5 gallon batches, what is your expected OG? If you don't know, maybe one of the other veteran brewers around here could help out. That just doesn't seem like much extract to me.

 

[HooSteenTheGonz]

Not sure. Would I be worried about that?

 

[signpost]

Not something to worry about. I'm just curious.

 

[HooSteenTheGonz]

Okay. Do you know if its okay to brew 2.5-3 gal in a 5 gallon carboy?

 

[1Mainebrew]

You need 3 lb of extract per 2.5 gallons to get an OG of 1.050. Yes that should be a concern. The gravity of a brew is the most important information you can work with to determine how any given brew potentially will be, how much time it needs, and if it's done fermenting, between OG and FG.

That is crucial info.

Yes it's fine to make 2-3 gallon batches in 5 gallon carboys for primary. Don't use it for secondary.

 

[HooSteenTheGonz]

So with the 3lbs of extract would that be in my wort? Does my recipe seem good enough to produce the right amount for 2.5gal? Or should I buy more DME for each batch?

 

[1Mainebrew]

You will need to boil 3 lb of dme for each 2.5 gallon batch. When you boil the malt and hops in water that is your wort. It becomes beer after the yeast have eaten the sugars to produce alcohol.

Are you doing full volume boils or partial volume boils and topping up with water ?

 

[HooSteenTheGonz]

I'm going to attempt to do full.

 

[1Mainebrew]

Also buy a hydrometer...it will really help you.

 

[HooSteenTheGonz]

Yeah I plan on purchasing everything. I didn't want to buy a kit but saw an awesome intermediate kit online at Midwest supply. Know of any other place that has good kits?

 

[1Mainebrew]

Northern brewer, farmhousebrewingsupply.com

 

[signpost]

You need 3 lb of extract per 2.5 gallons to get an OG of 1.050. Yes that should be a concern. The gravity of a brew is the most important information you can work with to determine how any given brew potentially will be, how much time it needs, and if it's done fermenting, between OG and FG.

That is crucial info.

You don't NEED to brew up to an OG of 1.050, so you don't NEED 3 lbs of extract for each batch. There is no reason you can't brew a lower gravity beer. Higher OG just means higher ABV in the final product.

So, if 3 lbs of extract in a 2.5 gal batch would give an OG of 1.050, does that mean the 1.5 lbs he planned on would give 1.025? If so, that might be a bit lower than you want to do. You might consider 2 or 2.5 lbs of extract per batch. That would probably give something between 1.030 to 1.045, based on the 3lbs = 1.050 info.

 

[phatspade]

Do the first batch and don't worry about the OG and FG. Just either follow the directions or change it up and do it the way you're wanting to. Most important part is to have fun and enjoy it. Don't be stressed otherwise the batch will fail.

GL and just always remember to keep it fun and the beer will always be tasty.

 

[kwingert]

Go ahead and use a plain blue water bottle. Its food grade plastic just like a bucket and yes it will let in O2 but unless you plan on aging the beer for a few months, it won't be a concern. Water companies are starting to use PET bottles for water bottles. They are a darker blue and have an indented bottom instead of a flat bottom. Keep your eye out for those.

Also, go easy on oxygenating your beer. I wouldn't do it for more than a minute. You shouldn't have any problems doing a 2.5 gallon batch in a 5 gallon bottle. I do 3 gallons in a 5 gallon bottle and have no problems.

If you want really good beer, invest in temperature controlled fermentation. Its what makes the difference between decent beer and great beer. Good luck and welcome to the club.

 

[1Mainebrew]

You don't NEED to brew up to an OG of 1.050, so you don't NEED 3 lbs of extract for each batch. There is no reason you can't brew a lower gravity beer. Higher OG just means higher ABV in the final product.

So, if 3 lbs of extract in a 2.5 gal batch would give an OG of 1.050, does that mean the 1.5 lbs he planned on would give 1.025? If so, that might be a bit lower than you want to do. You might consider 2 or 2.5 lbs of extract per batch. That would probably give something between 1.030 to 1.045, based on the 3lbs = 1.050 info.

I was simply trying to highlight the importance of gravity in helping you plan your beer. I was not implying you need to use x amount of dme, just that in order to have a SG of 1.050 to start, it requires 3lb of dme per 2.5 gallon- like a baseline for what to expect on extraction, that's all. If it came off differently, my bad. 1.050 just seemed like the middle of the road gravity to know how to adjust to/from based on what whatever style the OP is looking for. It's just nice for any of us to know what kind of extraction we can expect any given product to give us. That is how we plan our recipes to attain what we are aiming for.

 

[HooSteenTheGonz]

Go ahead and use a plain blue water bottle. Its food grade plastic just like a bucket and yes it will let in O2 but unless you plan on aging the beer for a few months, it won't be a concern. Water companies are starting to use PET bottles for water bottles. They are a darker blue and have an indented bottom instead of a flat bottom. Keep your eye out for those.

Also, go easy on oxygenating your beer. I wouldn't do it for more than a minute. You shouldn't have any problems doing a 2.5 gallon batch in a 5 gallon bottle. I do 3 gallons in a 5 gallon bottle and have no problems.

If you want really good beer, invest in temperature controlled fermentation. Its what makes the difference between decent beer and great beer. Good luck and welcome to the club.

Awesome that will save me some money for my first couple of tries. Also where can I get a controlled fermenter at?

 

[HooSteenTheGonz]

Also guys I think I see where you coming at with the importance of OG. For my first go at brewing ill probably just use 3lbs of extract. Thank you guys for all your imput.

Also does anyone know of a good place for a decent starter kit? Just for now. In a couple of months I'm going to purchase an intermediate one off of Midwest.

 

[kwingert]

go to ebay and look for temperature controllers. You need a two temp controller, hot and cold. They go for about twenty bucks plus shipping. There is an article in BYO magazine from Dec or Jan? about how to wire it up. Its not hard. You'll also need a frig to put it in.

If that's a little out of your means, search the site for different ways to keep your fermentor cool.

You really want to make fermentation your priority. I think fermentation and sanitation are the most important parts of making beer.

 

[HooSteenTheGonz]

Sweet. I knew about the sanitation but I really had no plan for fermentation. Thank you. I made up this recipe...what temp you think I should keep it at?

 

[kwingert]

I would keep the temp of the wort no higher then 67. Remember you want to measure the temp of the wort not the air temp around it. Fermentation can cause the wort to be 5 - 10 degrees higher then air temp.

 

[HooSteenTheGonz]

Okay thanks! If I have a temperature controller and its set at 67 do I have to worry about the temp of the fermented being 5-10 degrees hotter? Or does it constantly keep it at the set degree?

 

[HooSteenTheGonz]

So I got everything I needed today! No kit, just the essentials. I got a 5 gal carboy, 6.5 gal bucket with spout, siphon and sanatizer. The guy at the shop I went to approved of my recipe and even went over how to make my wort. I start the batch on Tuesday. I'll upload photos!