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Bibbles's Bubbles

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A few months ago, I started brewing 1-gallon batches and was hoping to get some feedback and advice. I used a kit at first, but after that my batches have been experiments based on reading recipes or just seeing what works. I have settled on this process for my batches, and they have all come out enjoyable so far but I am sure they could be better. Most of my yeast strains have been Ale (American, British, Cream).

My procedure normally goes like this:

Grain – 1lb, in bag

Hops - 1-2oz (pellets)

Yeast (2-3oz dry or 15ml liquid)

Heat 1 gallon of water to 155*F. Float grain bag in water for 60 min, keeping temp steady(150*F-160*F). Remove bag and drip over pot. Pour hot water (165*F) over grains until 1.5 gallons. Boil for 60 min (hops at 60, 30, and 10, if needed). Cool and transfer to glass carboy with an auto syphon, filtering out as much as possible. Top with water until 1 gallon. Pitch yeast and shake vigorously. Pop in an airlock and let sit for 2 weeks @ 68*F(closet) or 77*F (kitchen cupboard). On bottling day, combine 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar with 1 cup of water and boil for 5 minutes. Cool syrup and syphon beer from carboy onto cooled syrup, then into bottles. Cap and store for 2 weeks @ 68*(back in closet). After 2 weeks, cool and drink.

The main questions I have at this point:

Would it hurt the wort to add the grain to the cold water and bring it to temp together?

I was hoping to add more “grain” taste to some batches. Is the answer more gain, different grain(s) longer steep, or a combination?

Is it true that steeping the grains at a higher temperature (160*F-170*F) will help achieve a sweeter beer.

I have noticed some kits and recipes have a much smaller grain bill with up to 2 pounds of DME (for a 1 gallon batch). Does the DME itself bring something unique to the table or is it just convenience? Should the DME be transferred to the carboy or remain behind?

Will more time in the carboy (3-4 weeks or more) increase ABV or just allow for settling/drop out? I want to make sure I don’t end up too boozy to properly balance.

Is cold crashing after fermenting worth the risk or is it more cosmetic?

My batches tend to have sharp, small bubbles. Is there a way to accomplish a “smoother” finish and more head?

Is this procedure better for a different yeast strain or style of beer?

~Cheers~
 
Are the grains you're steeping crushed, if so how and when, as in how long before you make your batch.

I would wait til 150f to add grain.

As for more grain taste I assume you mean more malty? So to achieve that it could be a combo of different malts and also more malt.

Steeping grain at a higher temp making a beer sweeter is probably derived from when a grain is MASHED at a higher temp it creates less fermentable sugars and therefore the yeast wont attenuate as far leaving a sweeter flavor. Is this true with steeping grain? Donno.

Dme is where you get your sugar content and flavor, the more dme the higher your abv. The dme will dissolve entirely so it will all be transferred to the carboy.

Cold crashing is more for clarity and drop solids like yeast and protein, and can be done a couple ways but first you need to have a way to not allow oxygen in. Or for now just give it more time to drop out naturally.

Different yeast strains require different temperature ranges and some "work" faster then others. The main thing is to try to keep them within their ideal temperature range.
 
Are the grains you're steeping crushed, if so how and when, as in how long before you make your batch.

I would wait til 150f to add grain.

As for more grain taste I assume you mean more malty? So to achieve that it could be a combo of different malts and also more malt.

Steeping grain at a higher temp making a beer sweeter is probably derived from when a grain is MASHED at a higher temp it creates less fermentable sugars and therefore the yeast wont attenuate as far leaving a sweeter flavor. Is this true with steeping grain? Donno.

Dme is where you get your sugar content and flavor, the more dme the higher your abv. The dme will dissolve entirely so it will all be transferred to the carboy.

Cold crashing is more for clarity and drop solids like yeast and protein, and can be done a couple ways but first you need to have a way to not allow oxygen in. Or for now just give it more time to drop out naturally.

Different yeast strains require different temperature ranges and some "work" faster then others. The main thing is to try to keep them within their ideal temperature range.
Thank you for all of that, it helps add a lot of clarity. Luckily I have a supply store nearby so my grains are milled the day of or the day before
-I may have used the term wrong, is "Mashing" not the same as steeping the grain in 150* water for an hour before the hot break(initial boil)?

I appreciate the time and knowledge shared.
 
Thank you for that lead. It seems like I was combining the two without taking advantage of the actual process going on. hopefully this will lead to more depth and flavor.
 
Do you have a hydrometer and take the SG readings to get your OG and FG? Knowing what your SG is will better let you know if you are consistent from batch to batch and if you are getting what the recipe expected you to get. Though some simple recipes ignore SG altogether.

If you have a high OG for one batch and a low OG for another, there will be different levels of alcohol that will affect how the beer tastes and is perceived.
Would it hurt the wort to add the grain to the cold water and bring it to temp together?
I wouldn't. Modern malts don't need some of the intermediate temps for your typical beer brewing. So just figure out your strike temp of your water so when you add the malts you go right to your desired mash temp.

There are enzymatic processes going on when you mash and certain temp ranges are critical. Different beers might want a slightly lower mash temp and others a higher mash temp.

You are using malts from a brew shop supplier and not just grain from some miller, correct?

Though you do mention DME so that throws a wrench to some of what I said above. My comments are mostly for all-grain brewing with malts and not dry or liquid extract (DME, LME).
 
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Do you have a hydrometer and take the SG readings to get your OG and FG? Knowing what your SG is will better let you know if you are consistent from batch to batch and if you are getting what the recipe expected you to get. Though some simple recipes ignore SG altogether.

If you have a high OG for one batch and a low OG for another, there will be different levels of alcohol that will affect how the beer tastes and is perceived.

I wouldn't. Modern malts don't need some of the intermediate temps for your typical beer brewing. So just figure out your strike temp of your water so when you add the malts you go right to your desired mash temp.

There are enzymatic processes going on when you mash and certain temp ranges are critical. Different beers might want a slightly lower mash temp and others a higher mash temp.

You are using malts from a brew shop supplier and not just grain from some miller, correct?

Though you do mention DME so that throws a wrench to some of what I said above. My comments are mostly for all-grain brewing with malts and not dry or liquid extract (DME, LME).
Thanks for taking the time to read and respond

I do not have a hydrometer yet but will be getting one soon. I am lucky enough to live near a brew shop so I should have one by my next batch this weekend.
 
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