Hey all

[shelden816]

Hello, I am getting ready to purchase a home brew starter kit and I was wondering if IPA’s are harder to brew as a first brew than other beers?

 

[Redpappy]

Welcome. As far as your question, I can not give you an answer. I’m still new to the brew world and still working on simple recipes.

 

[jheinikel]

They are no more complicated than anything else. The only extra step is that you have to watch your timer to know what your additions are. You might make sure your additions are all during the boil or at flameout. I wouldn’t do hop stands or whirlpools for your first brew.

 

[shelden816]

They are no more complicated than anything else. The only extra step is that you have to watch your timer to know what your additions are. You might make sure your additions are all during the boil or at flameout. I wouldn’t do hop stands or whirlpools for your first brew.

Thank you both, I do have one more question. What room would be the best room for fermentation? Closet? Garage? Or does it not matter?

 

[stieg000]

It's relative to your house. Best situation would be a room that stays in the mid 50's and control you temps with a temp controller and a heat wrap. In my house in the winter is around 68 deg, I'd put the bucket in a tub of water with a wet towel around it for the first 3 days then let it go.

 

[Sammy86]

Thank you both, I do have one more question. What room would be the best room for fermentation? Closet? Garage? Or does it not matter?

Temperature control is essential to fermentation...so you will want to find a place that keeps cool temperatures....your wort should stay in the 60-70° depending on what type of beer you brew. This may take some trial and error but you want to keep the wort cool during fermentation.

 

[Calder]

It's relative to your house. Best situation would be a room that stays in the mid 50's and control you temps with a temp controller and a heat wrap. In my house in the winter is around 68 deg, I'd put the bucket in a tub of water with a wet towel around it for the first 3 days then let it go.

Most ale yeasts will stall in the mid 50s. I assume you meant mid 60s.

For the OP: Check temp range of the yeast, probably 65 to 70 F. Try and keep the fermenter somewhere where the temp is in this range. Too low, and the yeast will stall (will wake up when temps rise), and if too high, will develop undesirable flavors, or even higher alcohols which can result in headaches from drinking only a small amount.

 

[stieg000]

What I meant is cool enough to regulate with heat only using a heater wrap. I have the reverse situation in the summer being in Phoenix, my fridge only cools. In the fall/spring it ends up heating and cooling and in the winter it only heats which is cheaper, no need for a $200 fridge.

 

[thehaze]

Depends on what kind of IPA you are trying to brew and how youn think, you want it to taste.

Kegging is better than bottling, as you will have a fresher, better IPA, but if you want something that will turn out good, anything belgian, english or less hoppier styles would do just fine.

 

[jalc6927]

IPA’s are a bit harder than standard ales, due to the dry hopping

May start with an amber ale to get a feel for the process first

Or just jump right in

 

[spiff2268]

Temperature control is essential to fermentation...so you will want to find a place that keeps cool temperatures....your wort should stay in the 60-70° depending on what type of beer you brew. This may take some trial and error but you want to keep the wort cool during fermentation.

Really? I'm doing an IPA right now and I've been worried because this recent cold spell been keeping the part of my house where my fermenter is in the low-mid 60s. Glad to hear I'm good.

 

[SleepyCreekBrews]

The truth is, generally speaking, IPAs are no more difficult to brew, they're just more expensive because they have more hops and a little more ABV. You may want to consider getting your feet wet with a simple American pale ale and then it'll be "old-hat" when you brew your first IPA. As far as your fermenting location, If you had a dark room that was constantly 67 (+/-2) degrees all year long, that would be just about ideal for starting out.
Welcome, and Brew on!

 

[Sammy86]

Really? I'm doing an IPA right now and I've been worried because this recent cold spell been keeping the part of my house where my fermenter is in the low-mid 60s. Glad to hear I'm good.

Yes, temperature is key...generally the higher the temp the more esters you will get from the yeast...I generally ferment in the low 60’s because I want a cleaner yeast flavor, if I want a more estery fruity flavor I’ll ferment in the 67-70 range.

 

[stosh]

Hello, I am getting ready to purchase a home brew starter kit and I was wondering if IPA’s are harder to brew as a first brew than other beers?

If you don't start off with a high gravity DIPA you'll be fine brewing a IPA. Dry hopping is really the only extra step you'll take and it's easy peasy.

I'd recommend a kit from Northern Brewer. It really comes with everything you'll need to make your first batch. I bought a wort chiller and hydrometer right off the bat which I'd recommend adding to your purchase if you can afford them. Then use the 20% off coupon they'll give you to buy a yeast starter kit, oxygen wand, stir plate, whatever. I personally have had nothing but superior customer service from them.

The kits are on sale right now for $100 and you can get their Chinook IPA kit included. That's what I brewed my first time and I can tell you how to tweak it depending on your taste for IPAs.

As far as where to ferment in your house it depends on the temperature each room is and the type of beer you're making (along with the type of yeast you're using). I ferment between 65-75 degrees generally speaking. My IPA fermented at about 68-70 and it came out just fine.

The brewing instructions should also tell you what temp to ferment at. The more you brew the more you'll get into different styles and yeasts and the more you'll pay closer attention to that stuff.

I wouldn't over think too much b/c you'll suffer from analysis paralysis. Follow good cleaning and sanitation procedures, read the instructions multiple times so you understand what you're doing and when and lay out all your ingredients and have fun most of all. Oh and don't get too liquored up until AFTER you're done brewing including cleaning up!

 

[BR3W]

If you don't start off with a high gravity DIPA you'll be fine brewing a IPA. Dry hopping is really the only extra step you'll take and it's easy peasy.

I'd recommend a kit from Northern Brewer. It really comes with everything you'll need to make your first batch. I bought a wort chiller and hydrometer right off the bat which I'd recommend adding to your purchase if you can afford them. Then use the 20% off coupon they'll give you to buy a yeast starter kit, oxygen wand, stir plate, whatever. I personally have had nothing but superior customer service from them.

The kits are on sale right now for $100 and you can get their Chinook IPA kit included. That's what I brewed my first time and I can tell you how to tweak it depending on your taste for IPAs.

As far as where to ferment in your house it depends on the temperature each room is and the type of beer you're making (along with the type of yeast you're using). I ferment between 65-75 degrees generally speaking. My IPA fermented at about 68-70 and it came out just fine.

The brewing instructions should also tell you what temp to ferment at. The more you brew the more you'll get into different styles and yeasts and the more you'll pay closer attention to that stuff.

I wouldn't over think too much b/c you'll suffer from analysis paralysis. Follow good cleaning and sanitation procedures, read the instructions multiple times so you understand what you're doing and when and lay out all your ingredients and have fun most of all. Oh and don't get too liquored up until AFTER you're done brewing including cleaning up!

Thanks for the info! Like shelden816, I'm new to brewing and just purchased the Chinook IPA deluxe starter kit from Northern Brewer, spoon, hydrometer and a 10 gal MegaPot 1.2. It set me back a few bucks, but I'm hoping that I will become addicted to this new hobby and wanted to start out with some better quality supplies. Looking forward to it arriving and getting started with the brewing process!

 

[shelden816]

Thanks for the info! Like shelden816, I'm new to brewing and just purchased the Chinook IPA deluxe starter kit from Northern Brewer, spoon, hydrometer and a 10 gal MegaPot 1.2. It set me back a few bucks, but I'm hoping that I will become addicted to this new hobby and wanted to start out with some better quality supplies. Looking forward to it arriving and getting started with the brewing process!

Thank you all for your advice!

Let me know how it turns out if you can

 

[lagerman71]

I’m quite new too and I picked a double IPA as my first brew and didn’t regret it! Even though the kit said to ferment for 7 days I fermented for 9 and conditioned it in the bottles for 4 weeks instead of 2. The patience was worth while as it was a cracking pint!!

 

[jalc6927]

And the temps are not really that important unless you’re getting wild swings like from 45 to 90 in any given day

Room temp for most beers I’d more than fine

Even lagers will ferment just fine at room temp,

There is so much noise about temp control, water ph, efficiency, secondary fermenter that will blow your mind

Start simple and work out your processes over time taking a piece of advice form here and there, blended with your experiences and you’ll be in great shape

Van Gogh didn’t paint a masterpiece with his first attempt either it took time and one if his ears, before he became an artist