Making the leap...

[flaggonofmead]

I've successfully brewed two of my own batches now that turned out fantastic! What I would like now is to move away from the pre-packaged "kits" and start fashioning my own recipes or buying brewing supplies in surplus. How did you masters make the transition? Anything you would have done differently? Tips, tricks, suggestions?

Good in depth recipe to start with?

Any info greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

D

 

[maida7]

I'd highly recommend using other peoples recipes. Brewing classic styles is a great book. Start with one of the recipes in that book. Brew it, taste it, think about what you like and don't like and then tweak the recipe and make it again.

Some other tips. Get a scale! You will need to weigh out things from bulk

Get a food saver! Bulk hops are the bomb but a food saver allows you to package them for storage.

 

[flaggonofmead]

what size scale do you recommend? And why/usage? I'll definitely check into the food saver though! What is the relation of the hops to the outcome of the beer? I've often wondered this because I would love to brew a batch just for my friends. However, most of my friends don't share the same passion for beer that I do. This mostly correlates with the fact that they don't like their beer too bitter. My first brew was an English Bock that I dubbed "Goose Juice Dopple Bock" I was more than impressed with the outcome. To me, it was one of the most delicious beers that had ever graced my lips, but none of my friends seemed to care for it so much. Now obviously I'm a little bias because I brewed it myself....but my opinion aside, it was still a traditional Bock with a heavy/bitter flavor, a very 'caramel' head and lots of body. I know there are other "Americanized" beers that would probably accommodate their tastes better, but I want to be able to enjoy the brew as well. Could I have just added less of the bittering hops to this brew and made it a hit? Or would this have ruined the recipe?

 

[maida7]

I buy hops by the pound.

I buy base grain by the 55lb sack

I buy specialty grain in 10 lb increments.

I brew what I like to drink. If my friends don't like it then it's more beer for me. However that is rarely an issue. Most of my friends appreciate all sorts of beer.

 

[flaggonofmead]

With those quantities on hand, how much do you brew a month? In five gallon quantities please if you can.

My friends definitely do appreciate other types of beer, just not the same types I love the most.

 

[JJL]

IMHO...The actual scale you buy isn't so much of an issue. It just needs to have certain qualities. It should max out at no less than 10lbs. Most beers will have a grain bill somewhere between 8lbs and 15lbs. It should be sensitive enough to measure accurately to at least the 1/10th of an ounce (preferably, 1/100th of and ounce) for measuring things like hops, priming sugar, adjuncts, spices, etc. It needs to have a tare or zero function so you can set a container on top of it and still get an accurate reading. It's also nice if it weighs in ounces and grams.

Also, +1 on using a recipe to start, and brewing classic styles is a good resource.

 

[fatmoose]

What is the relation of the hops to the outcome of the beer? I've often wondered this because I would love to brew a batch just for my friends. However, most of my friends don't share the same passion for beer that I do. This mostly correlates with the fact that they don't like their beer too bitter.

Hops will add bitterness, flavor and/or aroma depending on when it is added to the beer. Some hops tend to have a higher alpha acid content (add more bitterness to the beer), some tend to be very flavorful and some tend to be very aromatic. There was a great chart floating around that listed a variety of hops and their characteristics (level of bittering, types of aromas and flavors) in a very easy to follow visual manner. Perhaps someone who remembers better than I will link to it again. I can link you to this page that gives hop data, just not in that really awesome to follow fashion. Read a good book on brewing to get the rundown on how this all works, How To Brew has its 1st edition posted on the web, http://howtobrew.com.

As to brewing for your friends, there's a lot of styles out there that appeal to different folks. If you can't brew a beer style that makes them happy then I wouldn't sweat it. But if you feel compelled, just because they don't like a real hoppy beer doesn't mean you have to resort to BMC. Most wheat beers from my experience aren't very hoppy, there's Belgian and French styles like a saison that have lots of flavor, just not in the hops area.

 

[JJL]

With those quantities on hand, how much do you brew a month? In five gallon quantities please if you can.

My friends definitely do appreciate other types of beer, just not the same types I love the most.

A 55lb sack will do approximately 5 batches of all grain beer. If you buy in bulk, typically rhe grain is unmilled, and will keep for an extended period of time under proper storage conditions. I figure I go through a sack in 6 months +/-, but I only brew about once a month these days.

 

[maida7]

I try to brew a 5.5 gallon batch every weekend. But sometimes other things get in the way. This year I have averaged 2.55 batches per month.

Properly stored, grain and hops will last a while. I have several pounds of hops in the freezer. It could take me all year to go thru those. I like to order fresh ones right after the I know the fresh harvest is for sale in the winter time.

I just got a new pot that will allow me to do 11 gallon batches. The hope is that I can get more output with less time invested. Time is something that is a precious commodity in my world.

 

[maida7]

Another book that is on my reading list is "Designing Great Beers". If you want to make your own recipes I have heard that this is a very good book to read.

 

[flaggonofmead]

WOW! Great info guys! Thanks for all of the input! And a special thanks to FatMoose. It's not that I'm trying to brew "for my friends" per say, just that I want to brew something they'll greatly appreciate so maybe they'll get into brewing also. Brewing solo is fun, but would be much better with someone excited to share the experience. I'll check out both of those books! I would definitely like to get a link to that hops chart though!

 

[Zamial]

I would 1st check out Death Brewers Partial sticky at the top of this section...super great stuff in there. I have no plans on cloning or brewing anyone's recipes at this point because I like to make my own. I will use another's recipe for a base even though I may end up far away from the original.

I like to do 3 things in every batch of beer I make.
- I always use raw pure honey 1 lbs in the wort and 1/2 lbs to prime with @ bottling.
- I always use 1 lbs of millet
- I always try to use a local seasonal ingredient (I used lilac flowers in SWMBO's last batch)

Why do I do these things? because I have access to them and in my mind that is what a brewer of yesteryear would have done. Does it make my beer better? unfortunately I have no idea because I have never made a batch without those 3 steps to compare against, nor do I really want to. I brew for myself and SWMBO if anyone else likes my hooch then that is great (btw I have yet to have a complaint and I ask for them all the time!).

If I were you I would continue to move towards all grain but do not rush, refine your process and try to think of a "signature" ingredient or process to really make every beer you make yours!

 

[maida7]

Join a homebrew club and you will have a whole new set of friends who really love beer with all their heart.

 

[HometownHoosier]

I've been reading "Tasting Beer" by Randy Mosher. It's a good resource on styles and great place to begin understanding the nuances of beer. Check your local library its surprising what it'll have on the shelf.

I haven't used any kits. There are great recipes provided by members on this site with plenty of feedback and customer support. I think alot of beginning brewers/bakers/cooks make the mistake of going with really complex recipes when simpler can really be better.

It's hard to accommodate for your friends' tastes, or less adventurous drinkers for that matter. If you like it, brew it. They'll come around in their own time.