I need a few recipe questions answered.

[hans_shu_east_gluff]

Hey everyone. I need help purchasing grains. Well, I know how to buy grains. I just need suggestions from you all as to what types. I have made a couple all grain beers but they were 1gal BIAB. I didn't pay too close of attention as to what grains were in these BIAB. I recently purchased a large enough pot to upgrade to 5gal batches. I am still working on getting the propane hooked up (that's a whole other thread) but figured it would be time to start looking up recipes. Problem is, there are so many and I like so many different types. It is quite overwhelming while doing reading online.

Here is my main question/ challenge for you all. I am looking for a few types of grains that will give me the most versatile selection of recipes. I would assume I purchase quite a lot of base malts and a few lbs. of various other grains for variations between recipes. I have a few oz of Nugget, Saaz, cascade and centennial hops and buying a few more would be a huge shot to my bank account. My experience with all grain is fairly limited and I am sure I will run into problems as I go along. But that's what I like so much about brewing. I just need to start somewhere. Thanks everyone.

 

[WoodlandBrew]

If you have a grain mill then a large bag of 2-row would be good to have around. Once it is milled most people say it will keep for a month in the fridge. For me it's simple enough to buy per batch instead of keeping an inventory of grain. The ingredients are always fresh this way and I don't need to invest in a grain mill.

 

[hans_shu_east_gluff]

Thanks. I am just starting out and literally only have a pot so far. I do plan to slowly upgrade but money is tight. At the moment I am planning on using a painters bag. I read it was cheap and fairly effective but efficiency can be an issue. This is my cheap way of avoiding buying a second brew pot with a screen and a mill. I am in a small town in BC Canada and buying ingredients per brew isn't really an option here. My only option is buying online. Maybe buying smaller bags of grains would be a better way about starting so I don't waste money on spoiled grains (freshness) and maybe save on shipping due to weight. Thanks for the reply, any advice is good advice!

 

[kingwood-kid]

You can buy a corona mill for about $25 online. It works great, provides an excellent workout for one arm, and will pay for itself before too long. If you buy a bag of 2-row, you can simulate a lot of specialty grains in your oven, which will save you even more money. Unmilled grains will keep a really long time, milled much less so. Either way, the key is to keep them dry.

 

[permo]

I always have the following two base malts in stock. Pale Two Row and Munich. I keep at least 50 pounds of each around. With the pale malt, a cookie sheet and an oven you can make a variety of crystal and roasted malts whenever you feel the need. If you have yet to make a beer with fresh roasted/toasted specialty grains you are missing out!

 

[jerrodm]

If you make a lot of English ales--bitters, ESBs, pale ales, stouts--keep a bag of Maris Otter on hand.

 

[hans_shu_east_gluff]

That's a great idea. I bought a bag of barley and malted it myself and used the oven once it was dried in the dehydrator. Too much work and inconsistent results. Didn't think of buying already malted grains and using the oven after that failed experiment. I tried to malt my grains based on the colour they were and the time/heat they were in the oven. Is there a better way to roast grains consistently to get specialty malts? I also didn't know that mills were so inexpensive. I have never looked around for them but the couple I have seen online were much more expensive.

 

[kingwood-kid]

Go to barleypopmaker.info for instructions on home toasting, roasting and caramelizing. I would guess 75% of my specialty malts come from his instructions. Still gotta run to the LHBS for black patent and a few odds and ends.

If you can get in on a group buy, you can get grain pretty cheap. The mills you saw online were made specifically for brewing, and, I hear they do a fine job. Corona mills are used to grind chicken feed, but work great for beer too. You just have to visually inspect the crush as you go and adjust accordingly, instead of relying on numbered settings. If you read the section on malt conditioning at braukaiser.com, you can easily get 75% efficiency at home with a corona. If you bulk-order hops and re-use yeast, you can save a lot of money, although you'll probably end up using most of that money on other beer-related merchandise.

 

[hans_shu_east_gluff]

Kingwood-kid, you just introduced me to my new favourite page. That site has a ton of good DIY on the cheap. That's the kind of stuff I can get behind. Thanks!