Complete beginner first ever brew Options

[TimmyB]

Hi guys, I'm completely new to this so go easy on me please (not too much jargon), I may not have a clue but am quite eager to have a go.

I've gathered a bit of info off here and a few other places on the web and sort of understand the very basics of brewing but thought I better ask you experienced brewers before I start work on my first ever attempt.

I've gathered what I think enough equipment to try a small batch of 2 gallons including-

10litre boiling pot
10litre cooler/tun
2 1 gallon demijohns+airlocks
Ritchies mashing and sparging bag
Thermometer
Hop boiling bag
Syphoning tube

I also bought some ingredients including-

3kg standard pale malt maris otter
50g kent goldings
1 pack premium gold yeast

My plan was just to heat up some water to 156f mix it in the tun with 2kg of the malt, leave it for an hour, drain it into my demijohns and sparge it with enough to top up both demijohns plus another half. Then boil it up for an hour with 28g of the hops, stick it in the sink with some ice water. Once its cool put 4g of yeast in each demijohn then tip it in.

Please tell me if this is a daft idea, I'm trying to keep it simple to start. I understand the learning curve is a long one with this hobby. To start with just having something I made myself thats drinkable and has some alcohol in it would be great. Very much value your opinions please! (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/cheers.gif)

[Pseudolus]

Welcome!

You've got the idea, certainly.

Where are you located? What kind of ingredient availability do you have? I ask because the way you plan on doing this is what we would call the "All Grain" method. What most beginners start out with, especially if they don't start off by working with an experienced brewing friend, is the "Extract" method. Essentially you skip the whole mash/sparge thing, add powdered or liquid malt extract to some water in a pot instead, and then proceed with the boil/cool/fermentation as usual. Some very good beer can be made this way, and it's certainly easier, faster, and less equipment intensive than All Grain. It might help to do things the easy way first, at least once, to get the hang of the concepts before going right to All Grain. (Although, before anyone jumps on me, All Grain surely does have many of it's own advantages, and it's certainly not impossible to start off with All Grain.)

The other issue you'll need to think about, whichever route you go, is sanitation. This means killing off all the micro-buggies on everything that will touch your wort (that's what we call the beer before it's fermented) after it's boiled. This involves a product like Starsan, or Iodaphor, or One-Step, one of which (at least) should be available where you get your ingredients. Bleach can also be used, and is cheap, but requires some more work (like rinsing so that your beer doesn't smell like, um, bleach). If you can get one of the other products that's probably best.

Oh, and do take a look at www.howtobrew.com . Best source of beginning brewing info on the web.

Good luck, and have fun!

[ewanzel]

Welcome!

You've got the idea, certainly.

Where are you located? What kind of ingredient availability do you have? I ask because the way you plan on doing this is what we would call the "All Grain" method. What most beginners start out with, especially if they don't start off by working with an experienced brewing friend, is the "Extract" method. Essentially you skip the whole mash/sparge thing, add powdered or liquid malt extract to some water in a pot instead, and then proceed with the boil/cool/fermentation as usual. Some very good beer can be made this way, and it's certainly easier, faster, and less equipment intensive than All Grain. It might help to do things the easy way first, at least once, to get the hang of the concepts before going right to All Grain. (Although, before anyone jumps on me, All Grain surely does have many of it's own advantages, and it's certainly not impossible to start off with All Grain.)

The other issue you'll need to think about, whichever route you go, is sanitation. This means killing off all the micro-buggies on everything that will touch your wort (that's what we call the beer before it's fermented) after it's boiled. This involves a product like Starsan, or Iodaphor, or One-Step, one of which (at least) should be available where you get your ingredients. Bleach can also be used, and is cheap, but requires some more work (like rinsing so that your beer doesn't smell like, um, bleach). If you can get one of the other products that's probably best.

Oh, and do take a look at www.howtobrew.com . Best source of beginning brewing info on the web.

Good luck, and have fun!

Additionally this weekend is teach a friend to homebrew day and there will be many demonstrations across the nation. Check out this site to see if there is a location near you. The best way to learn is to watch and then do it in my opinion. Best of luck.

[TimmyB]

Hi guys, thanks for the warm welcome!

I'm based in the stix of the north yorkshire moors so I'm pretty much relying on uk internet suppliers. There seems to be a few pretty well stocked ones out there. To be honest I've not really given the extract method that much thought. Boiling up the ingredients and watching my creation bubble away through the airlock is whats attracting me. As for sterilisation I've got some Iodaphor. I've read a good bit on howtobrew.com, thats where I based my ammounts from but a lot of it is going straight over my head, specially the chemistry. Do the ammounts look somewhere near to you? I notice most recipes have more than one malt and hop, is it ok just to use one? I dont know anyone who brews but I've watched quite a few vids on youtube. (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/smile.gif)

[ewanzel]

Hi guys, thanks for the warm welcome!

I'm based in the stix of the north yorkshire moors so I'm pretty much relying on uk internet suppliers. There seems to be a few pretty well stocked ones out there. To be honest I've not really given the extract method that much thought. Boiling up the ingredients and watching my creation bubble away through the airlock is whats attracting me. As for sterilisation I've got some Iodaphor. I've read a good bit on howtobrew.com, thats where I based my ammounts from but a lot of it is going straight over my head, specially the chemistry. Do the ammounts look somewhere near to you? I notice most recipes have more than one malt and hop, is it ok just to use one? I dont know anyone who brews but I've watched quite a few vids on youtube. (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/smile.gif)

Although this is a great board and you will get a ton of great info, you may want to also check out This UK homebrew board to see if you can connect with others in your neck of the world as well. You can brew a good beer with one malt and one hop... marris otter and east kent goldings for hops will make a fine bitter, but as with cooking you will get more depth of flavor with more diversity in your grains/hops. There are some free calculators like Tastybrew that will help you with your numbers re: the amounts to add. Since it is your first batch I would calculate your Brewhouse Efficiency at about 50%. If you pick a style like ordinary bitter you can tweak your hop addition to the middle of the style and you will be good to go. You will not be able to ferment to full gallons of beer in 2 x 1 gallon containers because you will need some head space in the container - it will bubble up a bit. So I would plan on doing .75 gallons in each container to give yourself some head space. For something like a bitter you could do something like (you will need to multiple by 1.5 - I think - if using UK gallons (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/hehe.gif) ) :

CODE

04B. Bitter And English Pale Ale, Special or Best Bitter      All-grain
Color
    
Stats
OG    1.043
FG    1.011
IBU    28
ABV    4.1 %
SRM    7
    
Specifics
Boil Volume     2 gallons
Batch Size     1.5 gallons
Yeast     75% AA
    


Fermentables
3.5 lbs Marris Otter (british 2-row)    

Hops
0.50oz     East Kent Goldings     boiled for 30 minutes
0.13oz     East Kent Goldings     last 5 minutes of boil

EDIT: to add that some of my favorite international travel has been in York and the surrounding area

This post has been edited by ewanzel: Oct 30 2008, 11:28 PM

[hullabrew2]

The above recipe looks like a good beginner beer, but I would lower the mash temperature from 156F (stated by OP). Somebody else correct me if I'm wrong. 156F is going to give you fewer fermentable sugars, and with the low amount of IBU's in that recipe I think that it would just be a cloying malt bomb, no?

This post has been edited by hullabrew2: Oct 30 2008, 11:56 PM

[Pseudolus]

I read 156 as being the temperature of his strike water. Idunno what ballpark that would put his mash temp (Tim - that's the temperature of your water and grains when all mixed together, which controls a lot about the character of the final beer), except "lower".

[TimmyB]

Thanks, some really helpfull info there chaps. Glad I'm ok just using one of each as it keeps it nice and simple for now. I'll try reduce my boil time to 30 mins and add two batches of hops as per the recipe (thanks ewanzel). I was planning to do my mash at 156 with strike water a bit higher, what temp would you suggest I aim for? I'd also like to have a go at making a yeast starter, can I do it by just boiling up some sugar and water? If I can what ratio sugar/water/yeast would you suggest? I think I should be able to fit 2 US gallons in my demijohns as UK gallon is 0.5 litre more.

[ewanzel]

Thanks, some really helpfull info there chaps. Glad I'm ok just using one of each as it keeps it nice and simple for now. I'll try reduce my boil time to 30 mins and add two batches of hops as per the recipe (thanks ewanzel). I was planning to do my mash at 156 with strike water a bit higher, what temp would you suggest I aim for? I'd also like to have a go at making a yeast starter, can I do it by just boiling up some sugar and water? If I can what ratio sugar/water/yeast would you suggest? I think I should be able to fit 2 US gallons in my demijohns as UK gallon is 0.5 litre more.

I think I miss read your first post last night and calculated a 30 minute boil based on what I thought you wrote...my bad.

I think I would mash this around 152-154 if I were you. A 1 hour boil is not a bad thing - a longer boil will help in some regards. If you boil for 1 hr I would change it slightly (changes in bold):

CODE

OG    1.044
FG    1.011
IBU    30
ABV    4.3 %
SRM    6

[b]Boil Volume      2.5 gallons[/b]
Batch Size     1.5 gallons
Yeast     75% AA

Fermentables
3.50 lbs     Marris Otter / British Two-row Pale     

Hops
[b]0.25oz     East Kent Goldings (boiled for 60 minutes)     
0.25oz     East Kent Goldings (boiled for last 20 minutes)    
0.13oz     East Kent Goldings (boiled for last 5 minutes)[/b]

Edit - to add that it sounds like you are using a dry yeast in a little foil pack. If that is true don't worry about a starter. Just proof the yeast in some water for about 10 minutes prior to pitching. If you make a starter do not use plain sugar. Yeast will forget how to ferment the more complex malt sugars a bit if you feed it plain table sugar. If you want to read up on how to make a yeast starter I think there is a write up in the FAQ section. If not if you search for starter on this board you will get some good info.

This post has been edited by ewanzel: Oct 31 2008, 11:10 AM

[hullabrew2]

I would agree with a mash temp of about 152. You will have to heat the water hotter than that so the grain and water equalize at 152. I would also recommend a 60 min boil.

Keep things simple for now. I strongly suggest that for the first batch people either just use dry yeast, or a smack pack of liquid yeast. (Preferably dry yeast). I applaud your enthusiasm, but take one step at a time. Once you have a couple batches under your belt then try a starter. When you do, use Dry Malt extract and water to make a small volume (2L per 5 US gallons.) of wort with a gravity lower than your recipes. The starter gravity will usually be about 1.040. This only needs to be done with liquid yeast. You don't need a starter for dry yeast. You can proof (see Howtobrew.com) the dry yeast if you wish, but it's not really necessary.

This post has been edited by hullabrew2: Oct 31 2008, 11:26 AM

[ThePurpleDino]

Just proof the yeast in some water for about 10 minutes prior to pitching. If you make a starter do not use plain sugar. Yeast will forget how to ferment the more complex malt sugars a bit if you feed it plain table sugar. If you want to read up on how to make a yeast starter I think there is a write up in the FAQ section. If not if you search for starter on this board you will get some good info.

That's good advice.. It may be overkill... But I usually boil the water I proof(hydrate) whith when I use Dry Yeast. During my Mash, I just put 1+ cup of water in a pyrex measuring cup and microwave it for 3 mins.. By then it's boiling like crazy.

I take it out and let it sit on the counter while I proceed with my brewing. usually with 15-20 mins left in my boil, the water has cooled down to room temps and I hydrate soon after.

Otherwise..Sounds like your well on your way..

Question - did you local supplier crush your grain for you?

[TimmyB]

Well thats it! Ive got it in my demijohns and its bubbling through the airlocks nicely. (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/smile.gif) I decided to be a bit adventurous and added 100g wheat malt and 200g of crystal (was pre ground). I also added a bit of irish moss. I think I got the mash to around 149f by the time I got the lid on which dropped to around 143f after an hour. I sparged enough to fill the demijohns to the brim and boiled it up for an hour with the hops. It took a while to boil as I did it on an aga so ended up losing more to evaporation than I'd have liked. Maybe I'll try a shorter boil next time. I ended up with all the dregs in the demijohns as I didnt have a decent siphon set up (auto one on order) and had to pour it straight in.

Next question is- Whats the best way to carbonate my beer when bottling? I've got some coopers carbonation drops but I'm a bit worried about how much to use and contamination as they wont be sterile. It says on the pack to use two per 750ml but surely you would want to add different ammounts depending on the style of beer? I'll be bottling straight into 1litre plastic bottles. Any suggestions? Thanks again for being so helpfull. (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/smile.gif)

[Boo Boo]

Well for a start you really need that 1 hour boil as the boil also gets rid of DMS as well as provide the bittering potential
from the hops. If you find you are losing too much to evaporation, then just add more water to the boil, even as it is boiling.

For carbonation for a bitter which is usually less than other styles I'd use the 2 drops for the 1 liter bottle. If you find
that it isn't sanitary enough then you can estimate how many drops per batch, and dislove in some water and boil it.
Cool it down and add to your bottling vessel and stir gently mixing the priming sugar solution into your beer. Siphon
into bottles and cap.