New to this forum - first batch fermenting

[jeansberg]

Hello there.

I've been reading through this forum for a few days and found a lot of useful information. This seems like a great community! My first small batch has been fermenting for about eight days now, and I thought I would share the recipe.

Malt:
750 g Munton amber DME

Hops:
Challenger Pellets
5 grams @ 60 min
7.5 grams @ 20 min
7.5 grams @ 2 min

(Edit: I put the hops in single-use "brewing bags". I think I will use metal tea strainers in the future.)

Yeast:
Wyeast American Ale Activator smack pack

I boiled everything in about 6 liters of water and mixed it with an additional 2 liters of preboiled water. I'm aiming at a batch of 6-7 liters. The batch size is limited by my smallish pot.

I will bottle this first brew at the 14 day mark. Around the same time I'll probably start batch no. 2 with an identical recipe except I will steep about 130 grams of 120L Caramel Crystal malt. I'm not a rich man, so I want to use the remaining DME and hops for batch no. 2. I will probably use the yeast cake from batch no. 1.

Cheers

 

[Grinder12000]

Welcome - I believe you are the first person I have red here that does things in grams.


750 grams = 25 ounces? I'm having a hard time wrapping my 5:00AM brain around this LOL - All I can visualize is a cup size batch LOL

 

[jeansberg]

You are correct.

25 ounces of spray malt for a ~ 1.7 gallon batch according to my conversions.

 

[EvilTOJ]

Many people use metric in their recipes, they just don't post them as such. What country are you from, jeansberg? And why the smaller recipe? Don't you know that if you make smaller batches it'll run out sooner?

 

[jeansberg]

I'm from Finland. Imperial units are just weird to me.

The smaller batch is because I only have a really small pot. I might also screw something up, since I am a beginner and I figure it's better to screw up a smaller batch.

 

[Homercidal]

No worries there. It's a good start size if you are unsure about whether you want to continue brewing (but of course you do!). The problem is that most of us here are used to larger batches and American units. It will take some time to convert.

I have no idea what kind of spare equipment you can find laying around in Finland, but I do recommend upgrading your batch size for the next batch. You spend nearly as much energy and time with small batches and get less beer. Make more!

Look around for a larger pot and fermenter bucket or carboy (if plastic use the PET type). I'm a frugal person as well, and have gotten much of my equipment used or homebuilt.

I think it sounds like a light beer recipe, but sounds like it will work. Can you describe what style of beer you are shooting for?

 

[jeansberg]

My bucket is actually around 8 gallons. It's just the pot that needs upgrading.

As far as style is concerned I don't even remember why I picked those particular ingredients. I'm definitely shooting for an ale, though. Some kind of British/American crossbred amber ale. I kind of wish I would have gotten light DME, but I guess this will work.

Edit: According to Beersmith projections I will get an IBU of 34.4 and an ABV of 4.8 %.

 

[jeansberg]

Well, I bottled it two days ago and am now sampling half a bottle. It tastes like beer.

I can't wait to taste the final product in three weeks time.

 

[Crash]

I'm no expert; I've done a half dozen batches or so and most of my recipes call for about 4 weeks of fermentation before bottling or kegging. Most of the fernentation is done in the first week, but waiting will give it time to clear and give you a better finished product especially if you do a heavier beer. I'm sure this will turn out fine, but you might consider longer fermentation in the future. Good luck

 

[jeansberg]

Tried a whole bottle now. This definitely turned out ok.

Now to be patient and wait at least a week until I drink the rest. I wouldn't be ashamed of showing this to a few friends and family members once it has a bit more fizz. Thanks for sharing your wisdom.

 

[McGarnigle]

You boiled 6 liters and then topped off with 2 more. You could top off with 6 more (half your amount). You'd be moving even further away from a full boil, which is somewhat bad, but you'd end up with about 12 liters (~ 3 gallons). It's a tradeoff, but it might be easier on you. The 6-7 litre batches are going to drive you crazy eventually.

Or if you have two pots you could split the boil.

 

[jeansberg]

I'm about to purchase a bigger pot. I should be able to brew batches twice as big from now on. It was never my plan to keep brewing 5 liter batches forever.