I'm looking to brew my second batch ever and want to have it stronger than my previous belgian white (4.5%). This time I'm looking for some big favors like maybe chocolate or cherry and such. I purchased beer smith but I'm still trying to figure out how to work it, so I'm looking for a tried and true recipe that is great for around Thanksgiving or Christmas time.
What to brew for the holidays?
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Check out the recipes in the recipe forum here. lots of ideas to be had under the different style headings. I'm brewing Midwests' PM Traditional Stout with American oak soaked in bourbon for an 8 day or so secondary. Should come out about 5.3%. I do PB/PM BIAB in my 5 gallon kettle.
I only have a 7 1/2 gallon kettle and do 5 gallon batches all grain and do it right in that kettle. Read a little about BIAB. You could be brewing all grain this evening.:rockin:
Make sure you have a thermometer that is accurate in the 140 to 160 degree Fahrenheit range and have your grains milled as fine as you can get them to get the best efficiency. I usually start with about 6 1/2 gallons of water in my pot, heat it to strike temp (just above the mash temp) and stir in the grains as I add them. Stir well so you don't get any clumps, put the lid on and let it set for the mash time. You can insulate it for better temperature holding. Pull the bag of grains out an let them drain a bit, then squeeze the bag HARD so you get as much of the wort out as you can. If you are a little low on quantity, you can dunk the bag in sparge water (hot or cold, won't matter much) or just pour some water through the bag of grains and squeeze the bag HARD again.
When you start the boil, watch it closely. I've found that the hot break wants to boil over but if I turn the heat down just as it begins to foam up I can avoid a boil over. Others have used a spray bottle to knock it back down and some suggest Fermcap in the boil to control the foam.
I find I get good efficiency with PB/PM BIAB with the .039" setting on my Barley Crusher grain mill. Little of that floury stuff. I put a cake cooling rack in the bottom of my 5G BK/MT & then the paint strainer bag stretched over the lip of the kettle. Then I hang my floating thermometer inside that with a hangman's noose made out of a few twist ties lashed to the kettle handle.
Get my mash water up to about 153,then stir in the grains to wet evenly with no dough balls. Cover it & wrap it up in my quilted winter hunting coat tightly for the 1 hour mash. Usually gains a degree with 5-6lbs of grain in 2 gallons of water. I sparge with 1.5 gallons of water @ 165-168F,giving 3.5 gallons boil volume.
Get my mash water up to about 153,then stir in the grains to wet evenly with no dough balls. Cover it & wrap it up in my quilted winter hunting coat tightly for the 1 hour mash. Usually gains a degree with 5-6lbs of grain in 2 gallons of water. I sparge with 1.5 gallons of water @ 165-168F,giving 3.5 gallons boil volume.
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