First Beer Trial

[MountedGoat]

I just went into the yard yesterday and proceeded to make my first beer...by myself. I did an all grain batch (no malt powders or syrups) and the only thing that I have to say is, "Plan an afternoon/day and take the plunge, it's easy!"

Here is the recipe I used to make a cream ale.

5 lbs 2 row malt barley
2 lbs 6 row malt barley
1/2 lb Carapils malt barley
1 lb flaked maize
1 lb dry rice extract
1 tsp irish moss
.5 oz Perle Hop Pellets (60 min. boil)
1 oz Hallertau Hop Pellets (30 min. boil)
5 gal water
1 package liquid yeast, Chico Ale or English Ale Yeast

1. Heat water 1.5 quarts/lb of water to 165*F (I did 3 gal water for the grains) and then add all grains, except Carapils, for 60 minutes. Add Carapils last 15-20 mins.
2. Strain liquid off through the grain bed (my pot is a keg with a spigot at the bottom, so I did it in the pot). Easy way to do this is get a bucket, drill a hole in the side at the bottom to put a spigot, put a nylon straining bag inside about 2-3 inches from bottom and place grain and liquid into bag. Then let sit for 10 minutes to settle and then strain. Keep 1 inch of 170*F water on top of grain while draining and drain until you have the quantity of liquid you are looking for (I did 6 gallons for a 5 gallon batch at end).
3. Put liquid on stove and boil for 90 minutes. 30 minutes in add Perle hops (60 min boil) and then 60 minutes in add Hallertau (30 min boil) and irish moss (clarifying agent).
4. Chill down using a wort chiller (I don't have one and had to let it sit overnight in the garage to get to 75*F, not ideal). Put in primary fermenter (7 gal bucket with loose lid) and add yeast when at 70*-75*F. After a day or so the foam should start to die down from yeast and then you want to rack into secondary fermenter (5 gal carboy with ferm lock) and leave in garage for 1-2 weeks until no more bubbles show.

I am on day one, so I have just pitched the yeast today. I have to say, get a big freaking burner to do this as it took me about 5 hours to do this entire process of heating liquid. I used a Target purchased "Turkey Fryer" setup that cost me about $40. It works well, but still takes a while. Some 30,000BTU. Be sure to use the hour of "mashing" to heat up the water that you will use to pour through the grain because you want the hot water to "melt" the sugar out of the grain. Heat up at least the amount that you want to finish with (I heated 5 gallons) as the grain will soak up alot of water and you want to get all the goodies out.

Hope that this goes well for anyone else and let me kow if you try it. I will keep this updated with how it turns out.

Cheers

[MountedGoat]

cooler mash and lauter tun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGqu2jWC ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

try this out, easy peasy

[Old_Blue]

Congrats...

I've been brewing my own for many years. I can't stomach store bought any more.

It will just keep getting better and better as you learn and work the kinks out.

About 10% of the store bought price too

[punkin]

I'm not game to start allgrain beers, i drink too much of the stuff, it'd cost me a fortune....and take all my time.

I drink about 20l or one kit brew of beer a week...

[MountedGoat]

Thanks Blue!

Punkin, I figured that I am making about 50 bottles each 5gal batch. That is enough for 1.6 beers a day for a month. If I drink 3 beers a day then it will last me just over two weeks and with friends it will go faster. As soon as this one is done I am going to start my next batch right away in order to keep up with drinking/fermenting timetable.

6 pack here is about $8 (and going up soon apparently) for some good micro brew stuff, not the large companies in cans.

Also, including equipment, I figure that I am costing $0.91 per bottle 330ml (beer only) this first batch. If I do just the beer every time and save bottles or keg then I am looking at about $0.70 per bottle. That is $0.14 less than my favorite beer at the moment at a big store. I know it sounds small as a case I am only saving $3.36, but that is $174.72 a year, which means I get three free brews a year extra

I would take you for wanting to do this Punkin...

[MountedGoat]

As for the beer, I pitched the yeast on July 3rd in the morning and about six hours later went to look at it...nothing. I called up the local brewshop and bitched and moaned that I had killed the yeast and he said, "Patience, shake it up"

I went to the garage and grabbed the fermentor and gave it a healthy shake, then again and then again. I had the hole (6gal water container very similar to a gas container) covered with some plastic wrap in order to allow the C02 to escape without crap falling in. I made sure it was good and left back upstairs.

That evening after dinner with family I went back into the garage only to see some green puke flowing out of the hole. I cleaned up and replaced the plastic and went to bed.

Next morning I went in and it had puked again, so I racked it into a carboy and put the ferment lock on, then went to work.

Driving along I peeked at my cell phone and noticed that my girlfriend called like 6 times, apparently the damned thing blew the ferment lock (I think I am the only one to notice hops and beer on the ceiling ) about 2 minutes after I left. There is a head on top that is all the way from the beer to the ferment lock!

Now it is day four I guess and I have had to clean out the ferment lock about 10 times because it keeps foaming into it. I even took off the lid to it so that it doesn't just build up pressure and fly off again. When I get home tonight I hope that it will have gone down again as this is just getting absurd.

Note to all beginning this hobby, get a 7 gal primary fermentor and a 5 gal secondary. Fill the primary with wort only to 5.5gal (to make up for loss when racking) and let it do its thing there for a few days to a week. Then rack it over to the secondary after the "head" foam goes down to about half. I was instructed to rack after a day and that was a big problem (as I now have to get a ladder to clean the ceiling ) Have patience grasshopper.

Good luck and more later, maybe even a pic...

[punkin]

Thanks Blue!

Punkin, I figured that I am making about 50 bottles each 5gal batch. That is enough for 1.6 beers a day for a month. If I drink 3 beers a day then it will last me just over two weeks and with friends it will go faster. As soon as this one is done I am going to start my next batch right away in order to keep up with drinking/fermenting timetable.

6 pack here is about $8 (and going up soon apparently) for some good micro brew stuff, not the large companies in cans.

Also, including equipment, I figure that I am costing $0.91 per bottle 330ml (beer only) this first batch. If I do just the beer every time and save bottles or keg then I am looking at about $0.70 per bottle. That is $0.14 less than my favorite beer at the moment at a big store. I know it sounds small as a case I am only saving $3.36, but that is $174.72 a year, which means I get three free brews a year extra

I would take you for wanting to do this Punkin...

Good for you Mg, sounds like you're well on your way to some quality product.

If i was to compare my situation, i'd compare to the cheap big name beers here and say they're around $35 a 24 pack week in week out.
I brew cans of malt extract with dextrose, the can costs around $10 and 2.2 kilo of dextrose costs $3.50 if you buy it in bulk.

1 can and dextrose makes 2.1 cartons of beer, which is what i'm getting through a week, so i'm $13.50 against $73.50.

Obviously not taking into account the hot water to make it or wash my kegs (gas is free).

I've got a mate who has been giving me broken 40 kg bags of white table sugar (he loves my wheat/barley ujsm) so i've been experimenting lately on just using white sugar instead of the dextrose.

Not saying my beer is anything towards that yours will be, just that i can't afford to get hooked on making it
And that's what'd happen if i tried, so i'm never gunna try

My favourite lately in the cans has been the wheat beer, just love the lightness and the crisp taste.

That is enough for 1.6 beers a day for a month.

ISpillMoreThanThatPunkin

[MountedGoat]

That is enough for 1.6 beers a day for a month.






ISpillMoreThanThatPunkin

I totally understand that! I was just saying that if I made a batch a month then I could only drink 1.6 per day in order to keep drinking every day. I am thinking of getting in the two week turn around so that is my three a day

1 can and dextrose makes 2.1 cartons of beer, which is what i'm getting through a week, so i'm $13.50 against $73.50.

Sounds good to me, a savings of $60...right? A week! That is worth it!

Not saying my beer is anything towards that yours will be, just that i can't afford to get hooked on making it
And that's what'd happen if i tried, so i'm never gunna try

Hey now, as long as you know what you are looking for then your beer is everything you could ever want. It is like you were saying in another post, the UJSM is affordable and reliable and people like it. So why not keep making it? With the beer, I like a porter typically and so when I drink an ale I still like it to be tasty. I haven't tried the malt powder or can yet, so I don't know what they are tasting like. Could save time, money and energy to go that route for me too.

And depending on the day...4%, light beer, hot day, deck outside...perfect

Just trying to do something new now before wine making season hits.

[punkin]

More power to ya MG, keep us informed, i definately enjoy reading about it

[MountedGoat]

Just looked at the beer and it has slowed fermenting. I am leaving on a camping trip and while gone it will spend a good four extra days to go to dryness. I am looking at a full 20 days to make sure fermentation is done, clarity is starting to be achieved and then I will bottle.

So worried that I messed it up...

Went over to a cousins house and brewed up a Blonde last night and nothing went right except for conversion, 1.035 sugar (aimed for 1.05 and over sparged...) and color. Other than that the kettle got stuffed up, the sparging didn't go right, we over sparged, I don't think we got all of the sugars out, and on and on and...

[blanikdog]

Bugrit, I didn't want to start making beer again but this thread is breaking me. As soon as the weather warms up I'll have to start again. I usually bought the cans at the supermarket and modify them with extra malt and/or hops. Seems to work OK and I have all the bottles stored away. At least making beer won't interfere with my spirit making and the savings has to be worth it.
Just gave a bottle of rum to one of my grandsons for his 21st birthday. That's all they want.

I often think what a wonderful group this is and what a boon the internet is to sharing information. If anyone had told me fifteen years ago that I would be making spirits of this quality, I'd have laughed at them, yet I now think I make a pretty good drink - as do my mates, but they'll drink almost anything if it's free. Anyway, thanks guys and special thanks to Harry who set me on this path.

graham

[MountedGoat]

Went over to a cousins house and brewed up a Blonde last night and nothing went right except for conversion, 1.035 sugar (aimed for 1.05 and over sparged...) and color. Other than that the kettle got stuffed up, the sparging didn't go right, we over sparged, I don't think we got all of the sugars out, and on and on and...

Talked with my cousin and apparently the beer is going full steam! Should turn out good as long as everything is done right. Going to be racking it by Monday and then bottling it probably by the end of next weekend. I think that there should be some good times hanging out afterwards.

[19Kilo]

Before your next brew-day, buy some blow off tubing. Just hit the home improvement store, and get some clear tubing you can jam in the neck of the carboy instead of the airlock, and run the other end into a jar full of sanitising solution.... this keeps the airlock from turning into a ballistic object, and keeps your roof free from green stuff!

[MountedGoat]

Just returned from camping for a week and going to be bottling my beer up either today or tomorrow. I will see what happens before letting you know how it all goes. My cousin decided to bottle less than one week in and I have yet to find out how it went. I want to think that all went well for him, however I must admit that I have my worries that he might have bottled a little bit early and not finished both fermentation and clearing. Oh well. Worst that happens is we have three cases of beer that need drinking

[MountedGoat]

Allrighty, so yesterday I went to the Home Brew Store and picked up bottles. Two things:

1. This goes against my being, I felt that I stabbed myself for not using the bottles that I saved.
2. This was about the easiest thing and best idea I have had in a while.

On that note I got home and bottled up the old cream ale. The smell was lovely, the taste crisp, dry and refreshing and the look beautiful. I can't say enough good about the fact that it came out decent after all the little problems that I had. I was super worried, especially when I grabbed the carboy and say just how much crap there was on top of the neck (just yeast, hops and other crusties...nothing to worry about). Then I siphoned it off and ended up with 26 bottles of beer and a healthy slug or four at the bottom that I happily tucked into

They are now hanging out for another week or so to carbonate and I think that I am going to start another brew here so that I can drink something once these are done. Maybe something a little bit darker...

Yay Beer!

[punkin]

Yay Beer!

Beer Is Good



In the famous words, known so well across the world, of Homer J Simpson

MMmmmm beeeerrrr



NationalFoodOfAustraliaPunkin

[The Chemist]

I want to think that all went well for him, however I must admit that I have my worries that he might have bottled a little bit early and not finished both fermentation and clearing. Oh well. Worst that happens is we have three cases of beer that need drinking

No...that's NOT the worst that could happen...


Sounds like you're hooked!! Relax, have a homebrew!!

[blanikdog]

I actually bought a Coopers Canadian Blonde kit a few days back after many years of not making beer. It seems to be going well and I did add some Fuggles hop pellets to it cos I like a bitter beer. Have any Australians had any experience with Coopers stuff and have good advice to pass on.

blanik

[MountedGoat]

I actually had one and let's just say that it tastes fine for a drinking beer. They sell them here as well, though I tried mine in Oz, brewed in the little Coopers home brew kit (complete with plastic barrel to ferment in). Came out awfully strong, two beers in at 500ml I was feeling it good and a third one made us all fall on the floor

[blanikdog]

Thanks MG. Sounds good to me. I just couldn't be bothered with the old method of making a mash and just wanted an easy to make summer beer.

blanik

[MountedGoat]

Well shit. I bottled up the beer, and just opened one last night. Looks like beer, smells like beer and tastes like beer. However there is a sanitizer taste that is from not waiting long enough for the bottles to air out before filling them. I am going to start another brew here on Tuesday I think. Get it right the second time.

[punkin]

I actually bought a Coopers Canadian Blonde kit a few days back after many years of not making beer. It seems to be going well and I did add some Fuggles hop pellets to it cos I like a bitter beer. Have any Australians had any experience with Coopers stuff and have good advice to pass on.

blanik

The Canadian Blonde is OK, so is the pale ale, if you like a pale beer the Brewieser Wheat Beer is an absolute beauty, do it with 1.1 kilo of dextrose for best results. Avoid the Spicy Ghost Draught though, my neighbour calls it smelly sock draught. Muntons Wheat beer is not too bad either
Pretty sure it was a Coopers one i brewed a couplea brews back called Mexican Czveza or some such, a little similar to Corona witha hint of lemon, quite tasty.
Tooheys Draught is one of the best to come in a kit and it is one of my regulars. Wander draught is also a good drop.

If you like a dark beer, you'll never go wrong with the Coopers Stout, rich and creamy, should be made strong for best results (up to 1.4kg raw sugar is good)

[Uncle Jesse]

the one thing I will say after a quick read of the process is that you definitely want to cool it off faster. Unlike some whiskey recipes, beer wants to be cooled to fermenting temps fast. Make a simple copper coil for cool water and immerse it in the beer for a while until it cools. Or work up a heat exchange system.

If it's a lighter beer you'll probably notice more than if you're making an IPA or darker.

[MountedGoat]

That's good to know there Jesse. Thanks. I cooled my next beer faster (a dark ale) and then just made a light ale again and didn't cool it quickly. I am giong to make a chiller soon.

[StabbyJoe]

From what I read getting it to the right temp in under an hour gives optimal results.

[blanikdog]

The best thing about this forum is that not a day goes past without learning something new. Thanks guys.

blanik

[Rudi]

I was under the impression the reason to get a wort to pitching temp quickly was to reduce the time bacteria hard to take hold before fermntation took over and blanketed the beer in co2? didnt know it changed the flavour profile?

[MountedGoat]

I was under that same idea, though apparently there are multiple reasons. I just did a light ale that spent all night cooling and I just tasted it as it went into secondary. Tasted fine, just super duper hoppy, compared to what I wanted. Gone from summer refreshing to Sierra Nevada bitter. Oh well.

Back on point being that with a chiller I think that the beer doesn't keep "cooking" over night and instead is ready for the yeast to eat it.

[theholymackerel]

Tasted fine, just super duper hoppy, compared to what I wanted.

Age will take most of the sharp edge off of the flavour. By the time ya bottle it it'll allready be milder, and a month or two later even more so.

[blanikdog]

My super bitter stout that I thought was undrinkable half way through the ferment has suddenly become quite tasty and it still has some fermenting to go. I guess I must have tasted it too early (?) or I had a shitty taste in my mouth already. Haven't made beer for a few years and must have forgotten that aspect. I've forgotten most stuff so this doesn't surprise me.