Newbie question

[NatiTime]

I have created a recipe to achieve a NE IPA around 8.3%. This will be my first time brewing so I'm trying to understand the amount of water i need to start the mash with. I think for my first batch I won't do a sparg. 60 min boil 5 gal into fermentor

2lb flaked oats
1 lb flaked wheat
.5 rice hulls
9 lbs 2-row
3 lbs wheat malt
1lb cara-ils

2oz hop at boil
2 oz hop at flame out
7 oz dry hop

Am i way off base???

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

I use 1.25qts of water per pound of grain for my mash.

Then sparge the grain with the additional water to achieve my pre boil volume.

 

[NatiTime]

So based of my grain bill 16.5 X 1.25 = 20 gal of water at mash??

That seems like a huge amount to achieve a 5 gal batch at fermentation....please understand I haven't ever brewed before so maybe I'm off base

 

[balrog]

16 pounds will soak up about 1/2qt/# = 8qt = 2 gal.
Boil off is (you REALLY REALLY REALLY have to test this on your system) aroun 1 to 1.5gal/hr
Deadspace (left behind, not xfr to boil kettle) in mash tun = ?? in your system
Deadspace in boil kettle, left behind not xfr into fermenter = ??? in your system
5 gal into fermenter.

water needed = 5 + ?? + ??? + 1.5 + 2 = about 9 maybe.
I BIAB. My mash tun is my boil kettle, I have no deadpsace, I boil 1gal/hr, my absorption rate is .077875 gal/lb. = .315 qt/lb.
If I had a 5gal FV desired, with 16# grist, I would put 29qts in (See for instance this calc)

I cannot help you with your system however.

 

[3toes]

So based of my grain bill 16.5 X 1.25 = 20 gal of water at mash??

That seems like a huge amount to achieve a 5 gal batch at fermentation....please understand I haven't ever brewed before so maybe I'm off base

That's in quarts.

If you're going no-sparge, you need a different calculation: https://byo.com/article/skip-the-sparge/

 

[doug293cz]

NE IPA's are one of the most difficult beers to achieve success with. It's not so much the brewing process, but the packaging process (bottling or kegging.) If you don't have the ability to prevent oxygen contact with the beer after fermentation, it will likely be oxidized (with loss of hop flavor, and darkened color) before it's finished carbonating. Look for the threads on HBT of people asking for help with the poor flavor, or lack of flavor, in their NE IPA's, and read them before you attempt to brew one. If you don't know how to handle the beer to eliminate oxygen exposure, you will likely be very disappointed with the results.

Brew on

 

[Jag75]

20 gallons is way too much. I use a Grainfather and just checked out my recipe. I use 16# of grain and my total water amount is about 7.6 gallons

6.10 mash
1.49 sparge

 

[mongoose33]

Let me slow you down a bit, if I can.

I don't believe new brewers should be fooling with recipe development until they have mastered the process of brewing. In fact, unless you have an experienced brewer helping you, I believe you should use a kit for the first few times while you figure out the process.

Brewing isn't rocket science, but neither is it simplistic. There are a lot of moving parts, and it takes a bit to figure them all out.

Further, if your beer doesn't turn out, what will you identify as the cause? The recipe? The process? No way to disentangle those things, more than likely

In my opinion, you should brew a simple kit the first time or 3, and get the process down. When you're able to produce what the kit intended, then consider going to more involved recipes and even starting to do your own. In fact, I don't think newbies should be doing all-grain for their first few times, as it complicates the process even more. Doing a few extract kits would reward you.

To me, the key is to ask yourself where you want to be in six months, not in 3 weeks. You're not going to be brewing world-class beer in 3 weeks but if you use a relatively simple recipe and focus on learning the process, you might be closing in on that world-class goal in a year or so.

My 2 cents. Either way, welcome and good luck!

*****

I taught a buddy to brew all grain, but he learned it under a fairly controlled set of conditions. The first time, I made all the decisions as to recipe, water amendments, mash temps, boil, hop additions--everything. He watched me brew that first recipe; I explained what I was doing and why, he asked questions, and that beer was great. To his great credit, he decided to pursue a learning agenda, focusing on where he wanted to be as a brewer in six months, and not forcing the issue.

The second time, he did everything while I watched and kibbitzed. I still made the decisions for him, but he did all the physical things, and he had to be corrected a few times. That beer also turned out great.

The third time he brewed I wasn't there. I still made the decisions (approved recipe, told him water amendments, discussed timing and mash temp with him), but he did all the process on his own. I got about 5 texts and 1 phone call during the brew day, but he made it through, and that beer also turned out great.

IMO, you *can* get up to speed in a hurry, but only under the right conditions. If you want your learning curve accelerated (and who doesn't?), focus initially as much as you can on the learning and less on the creating.

 

[deeve007]

First time brewing, I'd go for a much simpler recipe with less hops ($$$) than a NEIPA. The recipe section in this forum not a bad place to start, loads of great recipe ideas and you can easily ask questions of the poster before brewing.

Or start with an all-grain kit as recommended above. I did and so was able to work out that my OG was really low due to my mashing & sparging processes not being great, so was able to focus on improving that next batch, and then each batch identify any specific issue due to knowing what the expected outcome should be as per the provided kit recipe.

 

[deeve007]

(I also probably had about 30 posts in this forum alone before I made my first brew, just to be sure I covered all the basics... )

 

[HDBomber]

So, here's my comment on the process. The rig you chose to use can greatly affect your learning curve.

I've watch/assisted a friend brew on his all-grain rig a few times, getting more and more involved each time. He's an experienced brewer but his OG has been off on every batch with this new rig. About 6 brews so far.
I purchased a Brewzilla 35L v3.1 for brewing on my own.
Yesterday I used it for the first time (and without assistance) with an all-grain Pale Ale kit.
It was much easier than my buddies 3 tank rig.
A kit lays out the steps fairly well with some minor on the fly interpretations for the all-in-one nature of the BrewZilla.
Nailed the OG at 1.054. Estimated OG: 1.052-1.057.

 

[Day-Day]

OP, I enjoy your enthusiasm and your head first approach, but NEIPAs are some seriously technical beers. You really need to have your process and system dialed before you're going to be successful with this style... when I say you... I mean anyone.. FYI. Every step of the brew process is critical for these beers...from water chemistry, mash temp, hop schedule (hop stand, whirlpool, etc.), yeast choice, wort oxygenation, pitch rates, yeast starter, fermentation temp, dry hop schedule, reducing oxygen post fermentation (closed transfer)... the list goes on. These beers are not forgiving... any flaw in your process will present itself in the final product.

I'd take everyone's advice on here and try a simpler recipe for your first batch...at a minimum.


But... if you're adamant on doing a NEIPA... I'd at least buy a kit with an established recipe and instructions... just my 2 cents.

 

[Jag75]

OP, I think we were so involved with your water amount and thoughts about brewing a Neipa for your 1st beer that your hop addition may have been overlooked. I noticed you have 2oz at boil. What's your breakdown for those 2 oz ? Your not talking 2oz @ 60min are you?

Here is what my hop schedule looks like in my Niepa during the boil.

.25oz @60
.5 oz @10
.5 oz @ 5

 

[Tyler B]

OP, I attempted to brew a RIS from an extract kit my first time and it was... better than I expected but not as good as I had hoped. It was a great learning experience and so much more complex than I ever imagined. I think I would have been completely lost trying to do all grain for my first batch. As others have said, take it easy on yourself and at least do a kit or follow a well respected recipe. If you don't want to butly the kits, you can usually download the recipes for free on sites where they sell kits. Or just support your local homebrew shop.

How much help/support do you have for this one? What kind of system are you using? As others have said, some are going to have much steeper learning curve than others.

Having said all of that, I say brew a NEIPA if that's what you want. That's probably why you're here in the first place. Just don't be surprised when brew day doesn't go as planned and the beer doesn't turn out like you expected.