Set up a little stock for extract brews

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Suicid

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Hi folks,

I am moving a bit away from nearest LHBS, so decided to setup a little goods stock at home to avoid rushing for every single hop pack to the shop.

If I could brew alone for half an year or a bit more (5-6 gals every 3-4 weeks) without need to visit store it would be fine.

I usually brew wheat (say 40% of all brews), English bitters (40%) and stouts (15%) (as for the rest 5% I am ready to drive to the shop ;) )

Can you please help me to gather the inventory list - mostly used DME/LME types, special grains, hops and yeast and amount of each make sence to stock upcfor occasional brews?
I guess I need as much "substitutable" hops,yeast and specials as those can be :)

I already noticed I need quite alot wheat and light DME, but anyway could not figure out the reasonable amount to stock. Overstocking is also not quite an option because of budget.

Anyway, ladies and gentlemen! you suggestion please!

Thans in advance! :mug:
 
Plan what you want to brew over the next 6 months, look at the recipes, buy those ingredients :p
 
^This.

I like plan out a year of brews in a spreadsheet, with a column for every grain, hop, yeast, and other ingredients. I'll note how many of each item I need for each brew, then simply sum up the total for the whole year in a bottom row. From there I can break out the next 6 months, 4 months, and 3 months to see what I should order. I usually just use it for hops, but if I got a grain mill it'd be useful for grains as well. Seems like ordering large amounts of extract could benefit from this as well.
 
Like the people above have mentioned....create a list of what you want to brew and they buy it! Bulk always works out better!

:mug:
 
Im new to extract brewing. Hops, yeast, and extract can be stored for 6+ months and still be fresh?
 
Hi folks,

I am moving a bit away from nearest LHBS, so decided to setup a little goods stock at home to avoid rushing for every single hop pack to the shop.

If I could brew alone for half an year or a bit more (5-6 gals every 3-4 weeks) without need to visit store it would be fine.

I usually brew wheat (say 40% of all brews), English bitters (40%) and stouts (15%) (as for the rest 5% I am ready to drive to the shop ;) )

Can you please help me to gather the inventory list - mostly used DME/LME types, special grains, hops and yeast and amount of each make sence to stock upcfor occasional brews?
I guess I need as much "substitutable" hops,yeast and specials as those can be :)

I already noticed I need quite alot wheat and light DME, but anyway could not figure out the reasonable amount to stock. Overstocking is also not quite an option because of budget.

Anyway, ladies and gentlemen! you suggestion please!

Thans in advance! :mug:

Want a hint? DME/LME is much more expensive per batch than all grain and with BIAB, all grain is so simple. Instead of a bunch of malt extract you buy a bag of a base grain and "extract" the malt sugars from it. The only difference between steeping your grains for an extract batch and BIAB is the temperature must be controlled a bit better. Learn to brew all grain and your budget will allow you to overstock the specialty grains.:rockin:
 
Im new to extract brewing. Hops, yeast, and extract can be stored for 6+ months and still be fresh?

Hops can be stored in vacuum bags in the freezer for that long for sure. Dry yeast can be stored that long in the refrigerator. Dry extract yes, liquid depends on how it is packaged.

Want a hint? DME/LME is much more expensive per batch than all grain and with BIAB, all grain is so simple. Instead of a bunch of malt extract you buy a bag of a base grain and "extract" the malt sugars from it. The only difference between steeping your grains for an extract batch and BIAB is the temperature must be controlled a bit better. Learn to brew all grain and your budget will allow you to overstock the specialty grains.:rockin:

I agree, move on to all grain. Storage is bulky but pretty easy. You have more control over what ingredients go into your beer. With extracts you don't always know what malts or the quantities are.
 
My equipment takes up a lot more space than my grains. Clean out a closet.

;) Thats why I told about extract. No mash tun, chiller, gas burner, several pots including 7gal one etc...
Just 1 gal traditional kitchen pot (serving also in "non-brewing" life) and 7 gal fermenter. ;)

Cheers, mate!
 
;) Thats why I told about extract. No mash tun, chiller, gas burner, several pots including 7gal one etc...
Just 1 gal traditional kitchen pot (serving also in "non-brewing" life) and 7 gal fermenter. ;)

Cheers, mate!

Are you making five gallons of beer in a one gallon pot? If so, my hat's off to you, but I imagine that's a serious pain in the ass! Maybe consider springing for a bigger pot as your next brewing investment.
 
;) Thats why I told about extract. No mash tun, chiller, gas burner, several pots including 7gal one etc...
Just 1 gal traditional kitchen pot (serving also in "non-brewing" life) and 7 gal fermenter. ;)

Cheers, mate!


All grain, smaller batch BIAB = 1 pot and a mesh bag. If not too big you should be able to boil on the stove and ice bath in the sink.
 
Are you making five gallons of beer in a one gallon pot?

Yes, sir! :)

If so, my hat's off to you,

Thanks, sir! :)

but I imagine that's a serious pain in the ass!

Not at all, sir! :)

I guess using dme/lme not many ppl really need to boil more than one galon. It is usually pretty enough for either steeping grains or hopping experiments.

Topping up to 5-6 gals I am usually doing with a spring water directly into fermenter bucket.

Maybe consider springing for a bigger pot as your next brewing investment.

Agreed, sir! :) But it is not necessary at the moment :)

:mug:
 
What kind of beers are you making? Can't be anything over 15 IBU since you're only getting 15% of a theoretical 100IBU max after diluting with so much water.

You most likely forgot about possibility to use a prehopped kits as a base? ;)
 
You most likely forgot about possibility to use a prehopped kits as a base? ;)

I've also heard of people making a "hop tea" on the side to improve utilization and then combining that with the wort in the fermenter. It seems like a lot to go through given that you can buy an 8 gallon tamale pot at Walmart for $21, but to each his own!
 
Getcha one of these.

Slainte!

IMG_20150822_130302.jpg
 
When ordering hops, check their per pound price, it may be cheaper :mug:


May be cheaper, but I've bought magnum, cascade and EKG by the pound because I thought I used them "all the time".

Right now I'm so sick of using magnum, cascade and EKG I may never use them again.

Save room for some variety
 
I've also heard of people making a "hop tea" on the side to improve utilization and then combining that with the wort in the fermenter.

I tried that couple of times. To me it was very hard to fit into certain IBU I mean to predict the final IBU doing a hop tea.

Making a proven recipe it was ok (someone before passed all the test steps then ;) ), but next time I tried to develop my own and it turned out to be a "megabitter" instead of just old good English Bitter :)

But yes, I guess you can easily hit 100 IBU for final beer just using a French press :)
 
So you added another variable here with pre-hopped LME. This may not come in bulk like you had hoped. Where are you located? Nothing specific, just state or country.

The issue I see here is you're concerned about space. How many batches do you want to brew? So what if you say you want to be able to brew for 6 months without hitting a store. That could be one single batch for all we know. If I missed how many batches you intend to brew in 6 months then sorry.

Either way, you need space to store LME as well. You can buy in bulk, but I'd worry about who good that LME would be towards the longer end of your 6-month brew schedule.
 
Hops can be stored in vacuum bags in the freezer for that long for sure. Dry yeast can be stored that long in the refrigerator.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but won't grains also last longer being kept refrigerated/frozen? Depending on his brewing intensity, it sounds like the OP might do well to find an old fridge and use it strictly for brew ingred. storage. Of course, there is the added electricity cost and it takes up room, but the longer you can store bulk stuff, the further ahead you will be cost-wise.

I have an old fridge in my cellar where I keep EVERYTHING for brewing that's not being used right away, inc. grains. Vacuum-sealed hops or packets of yeast that are pushing a year old, no worries.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but won't grains also last longer being kept refrigerated/frozen? Depending on his brewing intensity, it sounds like the OP might do well to find an old fridge and use it strictly for brew ingred. storage. Of course, there is the added electricity cost and it takes up room, but the longer you can store bulk stuff, the further ahead you will be cost-wise.

I have an old fridge in my cellar where I keep EVERYTHING for brewing that's not being used right away, inc. grains. Vacuum-sealed hops or packets of yeast that are pushing a year old, no worries.

Probably the grain would last longer refrigerated/frozen but dry is the most important. I have too much grain for a refrigerator. I use buckets with Gamma Lids for the 50 lb sacks and lock and lock boxes for the specialty grains. I have some grain that is over a year old and it is still fresh enough that I use it at the normal amounts. If I was concerned I would use a little more.
20150811_161232_zpskrwdb1jz.jpg


20150811_161218_zpsw2pd1n8u.jpg


And these pictures don't show all the grain I have.
 
Where are you located? Nothing specific, just state or country.

It is Scotland, Highlands, very North. Feel my pain ;)

The issue I see here is you're concerned about space. How many batches do you want to brew? So what if you say you want to be able to brew for 6 months without hitting a store. That could be one single batch for all we know. If I missed how many batches you intend to brew in 6 months then sorry.

It is going to be roughly 6-7 batches in 6 months.

Either way, you need space to store LME as well.

Yeah, but anyway 12-14 LME tins take a little less room than kh54s10's stock ;)

 
I would by a 50 pound sack of Breis Wheat DME for 150 bucks and assume it was enough to be a foundation for 8 beers. Then I would buy like 10 pounds of vienna to add back in some pale ale qualities to the wheat malt when you need it for non wheat beers. Then a pound each of dark roasted grains (english C-150, US carapils, US C-40, Victory, Special B, Pale Chocolate, black patent (or whatever your stouts call for). Then buy 4 ounces each of: your favorite noble hop, Centennial, chinook, and either first gold or fuggles from Farmhousbrewingsupply.... and you can make quite a bit with those. Buy 4 dry yeast packets and repitch each yeast once to make 8 batches. Thats like under 200 bucks for 8 5 gallon brews.

Planning is key if you want to be efficient and frugal. Sticking to the plan will be tough as you don't have much to work with.
 
The thing about extract, especially LME, is that it does go stale, sometimes fairly quickly, depending on storage conditions. I don't know that I would stock up on liquid for more than a couple months ahead of time.
DME will last longer, but still not indefinite.
I know being farther from your LHBS is a pain (especially if you need something in a hurry, like on brew day you realize you are out of XXX) but do they ship? Or are there other HBSs that do ship in your area?
Prices themselves are usually lower, but shipping costs bring it pretty much on par with a brick-and-mortar shop.
 
I wonder what the results from using prehopped extract in one gallon as a base then boiling. I have never used prehopped but I was under the impression that you do not boil it because it boils away all the flavor. Don't know about the IBUs.

It does take more storage space to store for all grain, but IMO, it is so much easier than storing extracts. If canned, what preservatives go in there????

Not to mention using extracts is a PITA. Again IMO.....
 
I know being farther from your LHBS is a pain (especially if you need something in a hurry, like on brew day you realize you are out of XXX) but do they ship? Or are there other HBSs that do ship in your area?

Sure they ship. But you absolutely correct - shipping prices are not much reasonable if I order a little (unfortunately I am not ready to pay 16 GBP shipping for 25 GBP overall stuff).
Besides it usually takes 7-10 days here from putting an order till get package delivered.

If I order more lets say for 200, shipping willbe only 9 GBP more, but... it means I will establish a little stock here and it was my original question about such :)

On the over hand, for buying for 200 it is more reasonable to jump into a car, drive for 15 for gas to HBS pay your money and and take your choice looking at all details. But certainly not for every single yeast sachet.

:mug:
 
I wonder what the results from using prehopped extract in one gallon as a base then boiling. I have never used prehopped but I was under the impression that you do not boil it because it boils away all the flavor. Don't know about the IBUs.

No, you don't need to boil prehopped kit. Just open a can, pour it into FV with a gal of just boiled water and top up FV with cold water up to required vol.

Pot is needed then recipe calls either for steeping grains, sort of minimash or extra hop additions (usually flavour and aroma in case of prehopped base).

If canned, what preservatives go in there????

Thats excellent question, guess the only manufacturer knows what is and if there are any. My knowledges say that sort of sugar syrups can be canned without any preservatives using proper temp technology, but who knows....

:mug:
 
Well, I just looked up how long canned extract lasts and a forum had an email response from Munton's that stated shelf life is about 5 years, best before 2 years.

So I guess stocking extract is doable. It may be best for people due to space. I have plenty of space so that is not a consideration for me.

I prefer having the control over my beer that all grain provides. I am not in this to JUST get beer. I want really good beer. So when I do extract I use very fresh DME with specialty grains and hops. I don't want someone else deciding what the recipe for my beer is going to be. (Pre-hopped) I also really enjoy the process of brewing all grain. The beer is just one aspect of the hobby.
 
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