Your First All Grain Brew

[brewmeister13]

I am getting ready to do my first all grain batch in a few weeks and was wondering about everyone else's first brew. What kind of beer did you brew? What methods did you use? How did it turn out? And the biggest question, what did you learn from it and what would you change if you could?

 

[outside92129]

• Keeping it simple. I jumped straight into fly sparging and it took me a few batches to sort out the problems. I should have started w/ batch sparging.
• Place more importance of temp control. At first i thought "that's close enough, my themometer is crap anyways". 20F makes a big difference!!! And get a quality thermometer.
• Too much new gear at once. Just about everything i use is DIY and my first batch i troubleshooted more than i should (and took my eye off the brew kettle). Maybe if i designed the stuff better it wouldn't have been so bad

 

[quantrellc]

For my first brew I ordered an all grain cream ale kit from northern brewer they come with directions and work well.
I batch sparged so my tips would be to mash at a ratio that allows you some extra room in your tun to allow hot or cold water additions if needed to adjust temperature
Also have some extra water boiling or near boiling ready to go in case you miss your mash in temp
Do all your water calculations before hand. The one thing I do different than I did on my first batch is now I don't pour a beer until the wort is chilling, have fun and good luck!

 

[sptaylor70]

I'll second Keep it Simple. My first was a dunkelweizen, and because I was doing BIAB/decoction mash, it took me seven hours from start to finish.

Seeing as how it's still spring, you might look at Biermuncher's Centennial Blonde for a first brew. It's a citrusy, warm weather beer and easy to make.

If I had it to do over again, I might get an experienced brewer (someone who can give advice but let you screw up) to help with my first brew.

Read as much as you can stand before getting started.

Welcome to the insanity.

 

[kh54s10]

My first was an Oatmeal Stout kit from Northern Brewer. I did not want to do a recipe to limit the variables. I did a batch sparge and had planned everything out so I had no issues and the beer was great.

 

[Holy_Hops]

+1 on the Centennial Blonde. That's one of the first, easiest, and best AG brews I ever made. That recipe is really pretty magical.

As far as advice - keep it simple. Get the basics down first and you'll make great beer.

 

[WTWjr]

I just did my first all grain batch last month. It was a simple American Pale Ale. I didn't get very good efficiency, but it tastes good and it was fun to make. I too agree with the advice to keep it simple, but would also say "pay attention to details." I did my second batch last week, but this time I checked the crush carefully, measured volumes carefully, and paid close attention to temperatures. This had an enormous impact on my efficiency. I'm going to have to wait a while to see how it tastes, though. I also use brewing software and think its well worth it.

 

[Yooper]

My first AG batch was this one: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f69/dogfish-head-60-minute-clone-ag-extract-25709/

Single infusion, batch sparge, with a cooler and using my stove for boiling. Here's a photo of the basic set up:

I loved it, and still make the beer with the same exact recipe even all these years later, albeit with a slight more sophisticated system!

Current system:

 

[jperry]

I kept the recipe simple for my first all grain, I did a single batch sparge. Everything was going well. I started collecting the first runnings, then I realized, I needed a second brew pot to heat up all the sparge water. doh!:smack:

 

[brewmeister13]

Sounds like quite a few success stories, which is nice to hear. I brought this topic up more to hear your stories, but you guys have some really good advice too. Thanks.

Yooper, this is quite the set up. Very nice.

Current system:

My first batch I am planning is a simple bastard pale ale (a bit english and american, probably more american though). You can check it out here if interested: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/first-batch-pale-ale-413691/. I wish I would have just started brewing years ago when the itch hit, but I've read tons. I won't get into it too much, I explain how I finally started brewing here:https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f29/finally-brewing-404374/.

Anyways, keep the good stories coming. I love to hear people talk about their experiences.

 

[brewmeister13]

I kept the recipe simple for my first all grain, I did a single batch sparge. Everything was going well. I started collecting the first runnings, then I realized, I needed a second brew pot to heat up all the sparge water. doh!:smack:

That sucks, but it makes me smile at the same time.

 

[cbrown9064]

My first brew ever, was an all grain Newcastle Clone from Austin Home Brew. I skipped doing extract brews, as a good friend (and experienced brewer) gave me some good instruction. The Newcastle turned out good, but I tried to "cask condtion" in the keg with priming sugar, which was a mistake.

So, my thoughts are KISS on the first few all grain brews and experiment as you pick experience. That being said, my "mistakes" were still plenty drinkable...

 

[Cyclman]

I did a California Common, fly sparged, new three tier system using two turkey fryers and a Blichmann Mash tun. Actually, it went fairly well and the beer came out great (the aa of the hops was high, so it was a hoppy steam beer, in a good way. The only major change I have made since is better thermometers and I added insulation for the mash tun. Saving for a 20G Blich boil pot / burner, then my system is ready for easy 10G batches (right now to do 10G I have to get the grains out of my mash tun and boil in that, bit of a pain. I made great beers extract, skipped BIAB (probably a mistake) but I do prefer my AG beers, somehow they seem to have more character to them. More "grainy" maybe?

 

[BlindFaith]

My first AG was a basic APA that I rushed into (iPhone picture of recipe out of some brewing book from the LHBS, no real numbers as far as volumes, fly sparging with no practice) and completely screwed up process-wise. I ended up with a beer that was about 10 points low with too many hops for style: an IPA. I called it "Accidental IPA" being I completely screwed up the brewing process, but it wasn't bad and I actually just drank the last one a few nights ago. It had really mellowed out over time and turned out to be a good session beer.

 

[Yooper]

Yooper, this is quite the set up. Very nice.

It really is! It has been a work in progress for years, and I think I'm finally "done"! I've changed it quite a alot over the years and am finally completely pleased with the design and power levels.

It's a HERMS set up, and the HLT and MLT are bottom draining. I'm happy with a CFC, and with two March pumps. I really like the all-electric indoor set up!

Any recipe you want to do for the first batch is fine, but I'd stay away from step mashing for the first few batches. I'd also not use adjuncts at this point, until you have a few batches under your belt. But otherwise, brew what you want to drink!

 

[masskrug]

I hovered too much; stood around and kept an eye on temps, watched the kettle come to boil, left everything to clean up until afterwards.

Now I dump in the mash, go inside and do other things. I clean up items as I go. I have cut my time from 6 hours to under 4.

 

[GASoline71]

I kept the recipe simple for my first all grain, I did a single batch sparge. Everything was going well. I started collecting the first runnings, then I realized, I needed a second brew pot to heat up all the sparge water. doh!:smack:

I have been doing 5 gallon AG batches now for almost 6 months, and still don't have a second pot to heat up sparge water.

I heat up my sparge water in my 8 gallon boil kettle while the grains mash in the round cooler tun. I batch sparge at 168 to 170 so I heat the water up to 175ish, and then transfer that into a spare 6 gallon fermenter bucket. Now my boil kettel is empty and ready to collect the first runnings after the vorlauf (sp). The sparge water in the bucket roughly cools to about 168 to 170 after it sits for a very brief period of time while I collect the first runnings from the tun.

Then the water gets dumped into the tun to sit for 10 minutes before the sparge.

My beers turn out great, and there was no need to have a second pot.

Oh... and my first AG beer I did was a simple Pale Ale I whipped up with 2-row, C15, and Centennial hops. 5.4% ABV. It was a great beer!

Gary

 

[Varmintman]

My first beer was a Moose Drool clone. I had built a fly sparging system that while worked left some to be desired. Stuck sparge and missed temps made me wonder if the beer would turn out OK and it was great.

Second batch I remember standing there thinking man once I dump the grain in the tun I am committed to brewing and I honestly was having some doubts. I am glad I did because it went much smoother

 

[BrewerinBR]

My first all grain was a Black Lager batch number 2 I still have the brew day work sheet in a 3 ring binder. (Did an American Cherry Wheat today batch 76.) It was February and cold so it was easy to lager it. Made up the recipe on my own, 3 gallon system (now long gone). Have repeated that very same recipe every February since, a great beer my brother just loves it. I have tweaked it some but it is still the same basic recipe. What I would have done differently was to build the brew room sooner. Damn that black lager sounds really good I am going to go get one from my stash..brb

 

[Clef051]

:drunk

I kept the recipe simple for my first all grain, I did a single batch sparge. Everything was going well. I started collecting the first runnings, then I realized, I needed a second brew pot to heat up all the sparge water. doh!:smack:

I believe I put my first runnings in a bucket until I had my brew kettle free. Now I just use my old 7.5 gal brew pot and a big pot from the kitchen to heat up sparge water.

I believe my first all grain was a IPA with a simple grain bill. It went ok for me except i was way low on my target gravity. It actually probably should have been a double if I hit the correct gravity.

Just have everything planned out before you start brewing and the brew session should go pretty easy, also not too much of RDWHAHB. At least until after your done.

 

[LouBrew13]

Mine was a summer wheat using a new 3 tier system that my brother had welded together for me. I didn't try it at home first I just showed up for national home brew day and went at it in a parking lot.
I mashed and lautered alright. But I heated up my sparge water and melted the cooler. Then my gas line had a leak and fire was shooting out of the side. Then I ran out of propane. Then I borrowed another brewers floor burner and had a boil over. But it was fun and now it's pretty much all I think about(my next batch).
I've dialed everything in now and love it.

 

[nianticcardplayer]

I kept it simple I had my mash tun (10 gallon Igloo Cooler) boil pot with spigot and wort chiller......waynes #2 recipe for blue moon and about 6 hours........

 

[McBrewskie]

I did an American Bitter. Was easy and turned out quite well. About 4% and 50 plus IBUs. Was also my first kegged batch. Brewing was the easy part. Figuring out how to force carb and trouble shooting that was a learning experience.

 

[ineedit]

My first was a blonde ale. Pretty smooth until I realized that my cooler was to small. Had to keep heating my sparge water since it could not hold it all at once.

Traded in for a 10 gal cooler and moved on to a plisner.

This time I had plenty of room for the mash and sparge water, but 45 mins into a 90 min boil it started to rain.

Shut it down at 70 mins and knew it was ruined.

Not wanting to dump a full batch I went ahead and let it ferment just in case.

Three weeks later l'm drinking one of my best tasting beers yet.

Guess the most important lesson I learned was don't give up. It is proablty not as bad as you think it is.

 

[Shakybones]

I started with an IIPA:

Amt Name Type # %/IBU
13 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 87.1 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 2 6.5 %
1 lbs Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 3 6.5 %
1.00 oz Magnum [12.30 %] - Boil 70.0 min Hop 4 38.9 IBUs
0.50 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 5 19.9 IBUs
0.50 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 25.0 min Hop 6 13.8 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [6.80 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 7 10.3 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [6.80 %] - Boil 3.0 min Hop 8 2.6 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [6.80 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 9 0.0 IBUs

The yeast - US05 (2 packs)

My brewing equipment consists of a Coleman 40qt cooler conversion MLT, 3gal SS stockpot HLT (for batch sparge), 7.5gal Aluminum Turkey Fryer BK, and 50' x 3/8" copper immersion cooler.

I was shooting for a 4.5 gal @ 1.078 OG. I over sparged and got ~6.5 gal @1.054 OG. I put 4 gal in one carboy and let it be. I put 2.5 in another carboy and added ~3/4lb of honey to jack up the ABV.

Just bottled the 4 gal last week (1.008 FG). I'm waiting on my regulator to arrive so I can keg the 2.5 gal in my new mini-fridge conversion kegerator.

My second try at the recipe was right on the numbers! It's just two weeks in primary now.

The grainbill is a bit heavy, since my efficiency is low (still tweaking my corona grind), but it works out.