First Time brewer

[Brew_4iT]

Ok, I am still learning a lot, and learned quite a bit from this forum. Using multiple sources for researching and being on a budget I came up with this recipe and directions thus far. Some things will probably need tweeking especially for the fermentation process. I don't want to have to wait months on end for my brew... but I don't want to drink an immature beer either. I don't know if using honey should be in my recipe for a first brew because I read it takes longer for fermenting. Anyways, this is my procedure thus far (haven't boughten supplies yet)

Add grains Cold to water 3 gallons (Belgian Pilsen Malt, Honey malt)
alternate pot of water heat up to loosen honey and malt extract
bring to boil for 25 min at 155 deg
take out bag and bring the wort to a boil
Add Malt extract (really needed, some Briess or cooper's kind?)
about ten minutes foam will disappear
After I will add “Wheat Dry Malt DME”
shortly after add hops, “Crystal Pellet Hops 1oz”
Set for hour, don't cover remove hops on sides,
15 minutes prior to finish, add “BrewVint Yeast Fuel”
10 minutes prior to finish I'll add an additional bit of “Hop Dust Magic”
chill, make sure not under 140 deg,
Stir in half honey (clover honey? 0.5 lb) let steep 10 min
Sterilize all equipment
Test the gravity and temperature, compensate with more honey and/or cold water
airrate the wort, either mix vigorously or shake in fermenter
I'll then add yeast (White Labs Belgian Style Ale Blend WLP575)
Let ferment for a week in plastic primary

Now this is an area I'm not sure what's best to do....

I have 3 coor's mini draft kegs That I was planning on doing the secondary fermenting in originally adding 3-4 tablesppons of honey then put them both in a fridge for a couple weeks. Or maybe fridging it and releasing a co2 cartridge would carb them up good? (depending on fridge space might have to leave one in a dark cool place)

But Seeing how I'm also going to get a carboy with my kit for my secondary I'm thinking to just let it age longer in that maybe one to two weeks, test with hydrometer then transfer to bottling/kegging

 

[Brew_4iT]

sorry double posted by accident, you can delete this... can't figure out how to.

 

[brewit2it]

Your recipe is a little hard to follow in parts and impossible to do in some aspects like "bring to boil for 25 min at 155 deg". Also you don't really state how much extract you plan to use. Really what I would recommmend would be to make a couple of basic ales, preferably kits before branching out to wheats and other styles. I mean, if your first batch comes out not as good as you had hoped you are going to have a hard time figuring out what made it that way.

Really everyone should probably do a kit for their first batch just to get a feel for the process. It's highly recommended even if you just do it once, and they can actually be pretty economical and tasty.

But if you are set on winging it with your own recipe for your first batch I'd lose the Honey personally. Find out what home brew made without it tastes like before making a batch with it. Personally I found I don't like honey ale. Too fizzy and dry and my all malt batches are much more to my taste. It is mostly just expensive sugar IMHO. You may or may not find the same but try making beer without it first.

 

[Brew_4iT]

Well... what I was thinking of doing was to primarily go with a basic kit like procedure. But then I started thinking about tweeking it a little bit maybe I got a little carried away.

Sorry, yeah I meant to type bring it to a 155 deg boil. I should of included the amount of each, lol don't know why I didn't a little overzealous.

I was just going to do a pound of each grains used at the beginning just for some light tones. Then use an oz. of hops and another dash at the end. The rest of the ingredients the basic amounts.

I would like to atleast give my ale some honey tones, maybe just a little towards the end of fermenting? Not really trying for a mead type of thing. Basically belgian style, like a honey wheat but a little different to make it original.

 

[sendkyleanemail]

Well... what I was thinking of doing was to primarily go with a basic kit like procedure. But then I started thinking about tweeking it a little bit maybe I got a little carried away.

Sorry, yeah I meant to type bring it to a 155 deg boil. I should of included the amount of each, lol don't know why I didn't a little overzealous.[\QUOTE]

What is a 155 degree boil?

 

[Brew_4iT]

"soak for 25 minutes at 155 deg"

 

[warndogg]

Brew_4it;

If I was you I would order an extract kit from NorthernBrewer.com or other similar Brewing supply. Following the instructions in these kits will help you get a feel for the process of brewing. Once you get a feel for what you are doing and why, you can start experimenting with tweaking/changing receipes. Also check out John Palmers "How to Brew" for free online for some good info. My two cents.

 

[Brew_4iT]

I was going to go through austinhomebrew.com, has anyone else used this site before? The only thing is they don't seem to have that much for extracts, but the prices seem good.

 

[sendkyleanemail]

Austin Homebrew Supply is great, as is Northern Brewer.

I agree, do an extract brew or two to get your sanitation and fermentation down. Extract, Mini Mash or All Grain all rely on good sanitation and good fermentation. If you get those two thins right, great beer can be made in any of those ways. If sanitation and fermentation (temp and duration) are not right, your beer will all but certainly be no good.

Happy Brewing!

 

[Yooper]

The very first line in the instructions to start with cold water is incorrect. There are base grains in there, and it must be mashed. You want 1.5 quarts of water per pound of grain (you don't say how many pounds of grain) and bring that up to 165ish and then add the grain. Stir very very well, and keep it at 150-155 for 45 minutes. Then, lift out the grain bag and pour 170 degree water over to get to your boil volume- and 2/3 up the sides of your pot. Discard grains.

Bring that to a boil. Add the extract (about 5 pounds total, whatever kind you want), bring back to a boil and add the first hops. Set your timer for 60 minutes. I have no idea what "hop dust magic" or "yeast vint fuel" is, as I've never used anything like that, or even heard of it.

If you're adding honey, add it when the 60 minute timer goes off.

Cool to under 80 degrees, add water to get to your boil volume and make sure the temperature is under 70 degrees then stir/shake/stir to aerate, and then add the yeast. Cover with a bung and airlock.

When it's finished, I'd recommend bottling the old fashioned way but if you want to use some sort of draft set up, you don't want to put it in the fridge unless you're adding co2. Beer won't carb up naturally at fridge temps- the yeast stop working.

 

[Brew_4iT]

Thank you very much! It makes a lot more sense to me now.