Newbie Here!! - First Brew - Bock Beer

[ASassyBeerChick83]

Hi!!! Thank You!! I am excited to begin brewing! I think it's going to become one of my most favorite hobbies!

I also use a storage tote with ice bottles and a t shirt, just keep a good eye on it in the summer.

Yes, I think the hubby and I have decided to get a huge laundry basket with handles on the sides - like of like a bucket a keg would be stored in. Place the bottle in the bucket and use wet t-shirts to keep it cool. I have a dark closet in our bedroom and it's the coolest spot in the house.

It's gettin' hot here in Texas. Hopefully the rain comes and cools it off for us.




Peace. Love. & Beer.

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

Which ones are you wondering about?

Hi!

Ummmmmm...... I don't know right now... I just learned what AAU was this morning. Just learning little bits at a time. So glad that there is a place like this!

As soon as I see something that I can't figure out, I will let ya know! Asking Questions is Always Good...




Peace. Love. & Beer.

 

[BrewinHooligan]

I live in the AZ desert and my house is about 80F right now. I use a large rubbermaid tub with water halfway up my Ale Pale (although up to the beer level would be better). I swap out frozen water bottles varying in size (between 1 and 2 liters) twice a day and can easily get under 62F this way with no fan and no t-shirt. You have a good plan and if you keep that temp under control you will end up with good beer!

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

I live in the AZ desert and my house is about 80F right now. I use a large rubbermaid tub with water halfway up my Ale Pale (although up to the beer level would be better). I swap out frozen water bottles varying in size (between 1 and 2 liters) twice a day and can easily get under 62F this way with no fan and no t-shirt. You have a good plan and if you keep that temp under control you will end up with good beer!

Whew! Arizona must be a hot one right now!! I heard you guys set record temperatures... It definitely get ls like that here in Texas... We are only in June!! I think that is what I am gonna do to start off.. I am close to my brew shop so I might just shimmy down that way and see what I can find.

I need a thermometers... Do you recommend any? I have a cooking thermometer to test the water temperature while it boiling and what to bring it back down to.. Do I need anything else?

Also, anyone - do I need to get a calculator that measures the gravity to the alcohol content of the beer? If there are any threads on that part, I would greatly appreciate it!


Peace. Love. & Beer.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I need a thermometers... Do you recommend any? I have a cooking thermometer to test the water temperature while it boiling and what to bring it back down to.. Do I need anything else?

Also, anyone - do I need to get a calculator that measures the gravity to the alcohol content of the beer? If there are any threads on that part, I would greatly appreciate it!


Peace. Love. & Beer.

I use floating milk thermometers for most things. You can get them at your LHBS (local home brew supplier ) for ~$5. I'd also get a hydrometer for measuring gravity and calculating ABV. The formula for ABV is simple; OG-FG x 131.25 = %ABV.
I'd also recommend some type of software. I use BeerSmith 2, but for a long time I used BrewPal for the iPhone. $1.99 for the app and it has pretty much everything you need to design recipes. Software also helps when brewing kits, IMO. You can put in all the ingredients and it'll give you some guidelines and expected results.

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

"5. Rehydrate the dried yeast. Although many people skip this step with fair results, re-hydrating it assures the best results. While you are waiting for the brew water to boil, rehydrate two packets of dried ale yeast. Put 1 cup of warm (95-105°F, 35-40°C), preboiled water into your sanitized jar and stir in the yeast. Cover with plastic wrap and wait 15 minutes.









Next, "proof" the yeast. Start by adding one teaspoon of malt extract or table sugar to a small amount of water (1/4 cup, for example) and boil it to sanitize. (A microwave oven is good for this step.) Allow the sugar solution to cool and then add it to the yeast jar. Cover and place in a warm area out of direct sunlight. Check after 30 minutes, it should be exhibiting some signs of activity - some foaming and/or churning. If it just seems to sit on the bottom of the jar, then it is probably dead. Repeat the rehydration procedure with more yeast. (See Chapter 6 - Yeast, for more info.)"


Okay... Found this info. in John Palmer's "How to Brew" I wanted to ask... Am I actually going to go this far with the yeast as it is here or do I need to just dump into the carboy? Or is this more for adding extracts and such? Trying to stay on the easiest path to start... Just keep reading information and learning new things.



Peace. Love. & Beer.

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

I use floating milk thermometers for most things. You can get them at your LHBS (local home brew supplier ) for ~$5. I'd also get a hydrometer for measuring gravity and calculating ABV. The formula for ABV is simple; OG-FG x 131.25 = %ABV.
I'd also recommend some type of software. I use BeerSmith 2, but for a long time I used BrewPal for the iPhone. $1.99 for the app and it has pretty much everything you need to design recipes. Software also helps when brewing kits, IMO. You can put in all the ingredients and it'll give you some guidelines and expected results.

Luckily! I am on my way to the brew shop soon!! Gonna stop and pick up a thermometer.. I have an app, actually that I have already downloaded to help with the calculations....

Let me ask this... Maybe I am missing something here.. But how do I test the gravity levels? How will I read the alcohol content? And what instrument will I use to do this?



Peace. Love. & Beer.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Luckily! I am on my way to the brew shop soon!! Gonna stop and pick up a thermometer.. I have an app, actually that I have already downloaded to help with the calculations....

Let me ask this... Maybe I am missing something here.. But how do I test the gravity levels? How will I read the alcohol content? And what instrument will I use to do this?



Peace. Love. & Beer.

A hydrometer is the tool used to measure gravity. It'll have ABV% markings too, but those are potential and not actual ABV% and only used in distilling. For beer, take a reading for OG (original gravity) after the boil and chill, before pitching and write it down. When the beer is finished, tags a few FG (final gravity) readings over three days. That's your FG. To calculate ABV%, see the formula in my last post.

As for 'proofing' dry yeast, I don't. I do rehydrate, and then pitch the rehydrated yeast. You can proof if you want, but you don't have to. In fact, you don't really 'have to' rehydrate either, you can just pitch dry by evenly sprinkling the yeast over the wort after aerating.

 

[DeafSmith]

Let me ask this... Maybe I am missing something here.. But how do I test the gravity levels? How will I read the alcohol content? And what instrument will I use to do this?

You need a hydrometer and test jar to use it in (maybe these came with your kit?)
http://www.homebrewhq.com/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=1079
http://www.homebrewhq.com/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=1083
and a "thief" or turkey baster to pull wort from your bucket or carboy:
http://www.homebrewhq.com/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=1091

Check to see if any of these came with your kit.


I don't much like the floating thermometers, but if you use one, DO NOT DROP IT INTO THE WORT! They tend to sink like a rock, hit the bottom of the pot, and break. Lower it in gently. I use a ThermaPen, but any metal proble type thermometer will be good enough.

While you are at the LHBS, pick up some StarSan sanitizer. Before brew day, mix up a gallon in a gallon jug (use distilled or RO water, not tap), and then put some into a spray bottle - enormously useful for quick sanitization.

I agree you don't need to worry about the proofing of the yeast, but do rehydrate it, and aerate the wort well before pitching the yeast.

 

[DeafSmith]

I'd also recommend some type of software. I use BeerSmith 2, but for a long time I used BrewPal for the iPhone. $1.99 for the app and it has pretty much everything you need to design recipes. Software also helps when brewing kits, IMO. You can put in all the ingredients and it'll give you some guidelines and expected results.

Software if useful as you get farther into brewing and BeerSmith 2 is great - it's what I use. But for your first extract brew, you really don't need it. Just follow the brewing instructions that came with your kit. The place you may want to vary from those instructions is fermentation. The kit instructions usually say to ferment for a few days or a week. Most of us have found that we get better beer by leaving it on the yeast for at least a couple of weeks - some leave it even longer.

One thing you might want to pick up, and this is completely optional depending on how much money you want to spend, is a large (6.8 or 7.9 gallon bucket) for fermenting. I see that your kit has a large bucket with a hole at the bottom for dual use as a fermenter and bottling bucket. That's the way I did my first beer and it worked out fine. But there is always the possibilty of a leak during fermentation from the spigot, and if you are going to have the bucket submerged in a tub of water, bacteria can get up into the spigot. Not likely they will get into your fermenting beer, but it just increases the chance of leaving something in that spigot to infect your beer when you use the spigot for bottling.

 

[frazier]

Beerchick, above all, RDWHAHB! It's easy, as a beginner, to get swamped with details. In reality, it's hard to screw up too badly. Like sex, it's always good, even if it could be better!

A journey of a thousand kegs begins with a single brew. Someone said that, I'm sure. Anyway, each brew will be a new adventure, don't feel like you have to get everything right the first time.

No worries!

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Beerchick, above all, RDWHAHB! It's easy, as a beginner, to get swamped with details. In reality, it's hard to screw up too badly. Like sex, it's always good, even if it could be better!

A journey of a thousand kegs begins with a single brew. Someone said that, I'm sure. Anyway, each brew will be a new adventure, don't feel like you have to get everything right the first time.

No worries!

That's really good advice.... you probably have more info going into this first batch than a lot of us did, so go for it. It's gonna be good.

 

[rifraf]

It may be too late but I use a digital meat thermometer for brewing. The one I use is wireless so I can wander away and get a warning beep before I hit steep temperature. Then I can monitor while I cool too

 

[DeafSmith]

I just noticed that you have the same Munton's beer kit that I used for my first brew, about 3 years ago. I used the yeast that came with the kit, and it worked out fine (it was some kind of ale yeast, so this kit doesn't make a true bock, but it was good anyway). Reviewing my brewing notes, here's what I did:

Brought 3 gallons Ozarka spring water to 170ºF in a 5 gallon pot (took a while to heat that on an electric stove), then removed from the heat, stirred in the can of extract and 2 lb. of Briess "Amber" DME (dry malt extract). Returned to heat and brought to a boil (stirring) for a few minutes. Covered the pot and moved it to the sink to cool with ice water - took about 45 minutes to cool down to 90º F. Dumped that into my bucket (did not try to filter out anything) with a little less than 2 gallons of spring water which I had previously boiled and then chilled in the refrigerator to bring the volume to 5 1/2 gallons. Stirred very thoroughly to mix (it is amazingly hard to get wort and water to really mix completely so that your gravity reading will be accurate). Took my OG (original gravity) with my hydrometer = 1.041, but I may not have mixed it up well enough, so I don't really know how accurate that was. Stirred a few minutes more to aerate then pitched the yeast which I had rehydrated per directions. Put on lid and airlock (take care not to push the grommet through the lid and into your beer). Filled airlock with vodka instead of water (added sanitization insurance). Fermented 6 days at 66-68º F (this was in January). I should have left it longer. Saw activity within 8 hours - vigorous by day 2 and 3, declined by day 4, done by day 5. Racked to seconday (5 gallon glass carboy) for a couple of weeks. Took FG (final gravity) readings 2 days apart to be sure they were the same and the beer was finished - FG was 1.013 @ 68ºF.

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

Hey! Hey! Hey!

Well, in my rat killin' today... I went by my local awesome brew shop!! The hubby & I bought a thermometer at the grocery store - ideally used for cooking thinking that it would work.. The thermometer did not read below 90 degrees.. And I know I need a temp. for my water below 100...





Glass thermometer... It will float and it's glass, so
I know it could break if tapped...

Also.. Made sure it had the correct reading...


View attachment 64767


The only things I have left to get... A bucket for my water to keep my brew cool & a long plastic spoon!! I am gettin' there... Slowly but surely!



Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers!

PS - I have no idea why there is a pic of my thermometer... Ha... Weird. I think... On my phone it shows a pic on my post.. Disregard. Ha. LOL!

 

[DeafSmith]

Glass thermometer... It will float and it's glass, so
I know it could break if tapped...

Also.. Made sure it had the correct reading...

Just be sure to set it gently into the wort - been many stories here about people just dropping them in and they dive to the bottom, hit the bottom of the pot and break.

The only things I have left to get... A bucket for my water to keep my brew cool & a long plastic spoon!! I am gettin' there... Slowly but surely!

Just be sure the spoon you use in your boiling wort won't melt. I use one of these (nylon):

http://www.homebrewhq.com/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=1865

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

Just be sure to set it gently into the wort - been many stories here about people just dropping them in and they dive to the bottom, hit the bottom of the pot and break.




Just be sure the spoon you use in your boiling wort won't melt. I use one of these (nylon):

http://www.homebrewhq.com/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=1865

The guy at the HBHQTR said that same thing about the glass thermometor. I am going to try to be as careful as possible. I know things happen... but when it comes to glass.. I wanna be on the safe side...


Awh! I just went by the the HBHQTR today! It's becoming one of my most favorite stores! Naturally. I will definitely have to make a trip back if I cannot find one before my brew this weekend...


Thanks for the help!!


Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers!

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

Dinner & Shiner







Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers!

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

Look what his girl bought for our library!? I know you read it online - trust me, I was... But now I have my first Beer Brewing Book - and this I one I am add to the library!!






I am already on ch. 2 and have been highlighting & writing my own notes



Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers!

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

That's a good book. The online addition is good too, but the print edition is newer and updated. When ya get through that, I highly recommend Brewing Classic Styles by Jamil Z and John Palmer. :rockin:

EDIT: holy cr@p, sorry for all the deletes. I posted, my wifi glitches in the thunderstorm and when it came back, it'd posted my message 40000 times.

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

That's a good book.

I want to read so much of it... I am about to head to the gym to burn some major calories and read it while running on that elliptical ---
Eh, it's my summer reading project. And it seems interesting... Considering I am in love with beer and so incredibly interested...


Woot! Well, it's off to the gym!


Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers!

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

Enjoying a Samuel Adams Summer Ale






Peace. Love. & Beer.

Cheers!

 

[travlinScott]

I think Wyeast makes a California Lager yeast that might work well for this application. I haven't used it myself, but supposedly it brings out lager characteristics at warmer fermentation temps. Just a thought.

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

I think Wyeast makes a California Lager yeast that might work well for this application. I haven't used it myself, but supposedly it brings out lager characteristics at warmer fermentation temps. Just a thought.

Hi!

Thanks for the help! nestar: I have posted about this topic of temps for a week now.... Texas is one hot place! It's not too bad here -- yet -- but definitely have the potential to be! My Munton's Bock Beer Kit comes with a lager yeast packet already. I have been told it's too hot here in Texas & I have been told that because it is a lager and using an ale yeast, that I should be fine with my swamp cooler. I plan on using ice and water bottles - frozen - to keep the temps down in my swamp cooler. At least it's for 2 weeks and I can somehow keep the house temps low enough to keep the swamp cooler temps down.


Sunday Funday!
Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers!

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

CHRISTMAS IN JUNE!!!!

My sweet hubby has listened to me gripe about the temperature of TEXAS being so hot right now and how I was so worried about fermenting this Bock Brew Kit... Well, he SURPRISED me!! I got my Christmas in June!! We bought a fridge earlier this afternoon that is going to allow to my BEER BREWING experiences begin!! Yay!! The fridge is already hooked up and cold and ready to begin. I am checking the temperature currently so that I can get a good accurate reading of my temps. in my fridge. I have shelving units so that I can store my bottled beer after I have bottled.

I am including some pics!! :rockin:



Front View of Fridge



Inside view of fridge - both top freezer and inside cooler.



Bottom Inside Fridge - I am thinking I might be able to fit 3 carboys in here. What do you guys think?!



Temperature Control on Fridge.



Inside fridge door storage.

Okay, guys! You have seen my NEW set-up! I think this is going to be such a better set-up than the original plan with the swamp cooler, wet t-shirts and fans.
As we begin the brew, I will be adding pictures and hopefully this works! Whoot!! This is one Happy Girl!!


Have a Great SUNDAY FUNDAY!
(Looks like my fun is just beginning!)

Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers!

 

[DeafSmith]

Great news, Sassy. You'll like the whole experience a lot more with that fridge than you would having to change out frozen water bottles for several days. Be sure the shelves are strong enough to support the weight, especially if you are going to ferment more than one beer at a time in there (5 gallons of beer weighs about 42 lbs, + the weight of the container). I've seen some photos where people build a wooden platform at the bottom of the fridge to get a good strong and level support - you may need to do the same. Are you planning to ferment that bock kit with an ale yeast or lager?

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

Great news, Sassy. You'll like the whole experience a lot more with that fridge than you would having to change out frozen water bottles for several days. Be sure the shelves are strong enough to support the weight, especially if you are going to ferment more than one beer at a time in there (5 gallons of beer weighs about 42 lbs, + the weight of the container). I've seen some photos where people build a wooden platform at the bottom of the fridge to get a good strong and level support - you may need to do the same. Are you planning to ferment that bock kit with an ale yeast or lager?

Hummmm.... The brew kit came with the package of yeast on top of the can under the lid... It's just a silver square package that contains yeast... I went to HBHQ last week... Talked to a guy who works there... Asked him some questions about the kit when everyone was telling me to watch the temps because it's so hot here... He said that the kit I have is not a true bock... Because it was a lager bock.. Does that mean that the yeast is lager?



Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers!

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Does that mean that the yeast is lager?



Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers!

No, a true Bock beer would use lager yeast. Those Munton's kit's come with Munton's ale yeast, thus not being a 'true' bock.
With that fridge, you could easily use a lager yeast, and ferment at lager temps. But..... since it's your first batch, go with a quality, clean ale yeast like the us-05 I mentioned earlier. It won't be a true bock, but if you keep temps in the low 60s during fermentation, you'll end up with something very similar, not to mention a lot better than if you used the Munton's yeast that came with it.

 

[DeafSmith]

What NB77 said. I'd keep things simple for your first brew - with a lager you'd have to worry about a diacetyl rest, and at least 6 or 8 weeks of lagering after the fermentation. One thing you need to find out is can you turn the temperature on the fridge up into the 60's range? If not, you'll need an external temp. controller.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

What NB77 said. I'd keep things simple for your first brew - with a lager you'd have to worry about a diacetyl rest, and at least 6 or 8 weeks of lagering after the fermentation. One thing you need to find out is can you turn the temperature on the fridge up into the 60's range? If not, you'll need an external temp. controller.

Exactly. Lagers aren't hard, they just require more time and att'n to detail. Mainly, they take more time, which isn't conducive to a new brewer being able to RDWHAHB. I've made many pseudo lagers, meaning a lager recipe, but using a clean ale yeast and fermenting at the low end of that yeast's temp range (for us-05, fermenting at 58-59 degrees will make a very clean ale). It doesn't make a lager, but it makes a very nice beer. To be honest, I like the way a bock tastes with lager yeast, the slightly fruity esters play really nicely off of the malt flavors.