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O.T Any all grain brewers out there?

Hey folks.... I haven't been egging much lately for two reasons one being winter sucks and I am sick of facing the cold and snow(only had about 16ft) and secondly all my time and $$$ have been going into setting up for brewing all grain beer which is actually as expensive a hobby as egging believe it or not!!

So far I have made a mash-tun from a coleman cooler bought a 15g brewpot with ballvalve and thermometer and tonight thanks to the mad tom IPA  im drinking I ordered a 3/8" 50 ft wort chiller and a bottle of star san(32oz).Still gotta get a grain mill and a bunch of other stuff but i am hooked already:)

So who out there eggs and brews beer also??? Anyone care to suggest a first brew?? Preferably something easy drinking and not to hoppy so my miller high life drinking wife will get a good first impression from my new hobby albeit it won't be a lager but an ale for my first go!!!

Damn it!!!!...... credit cards and beer should be illegal....lol

Jamie.
Hows ya gettin' on, me ol ****



Kippens.Newfoundland and Labrador. (Canada).

Comments

  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    Since you have plenty of natural coolant do a lager and stick it in the snow bank to stay chilled.
  • CANMAN1976
    CANMAN1976 Posts: 1,593
    Since you have plenty of natural coolant do a lager and stick it in the snow bank to stay chilled.
    Good idea but by the time my grains make it to the boonies where I live the snow will be all gone!!

    I'm thinking of a cream ale if my water wasn't so damn alkaline....total alkalinity of 160mg/L
    Hows ya gettin' on, me ol ****



    Kippens.Newfoundland and Labrador. (Canada).
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    Can you get filtered water?
  • CANMAN1976
    CANMAN1976 Posts: 1,593
    Yes I work in a lab so I can get all the de-ionized water i want for free...id just have to add the minerals/salts to bring me up to spec!!!

    I was thinking of going 50/50 mix and using the bru n water spreadseet!!

    Do you brew your own beer Eggcelsior??
    Hows ya gettin' on, me ol ****



    Kippens.Newfoundland and Labrador. (Canada).
  • Jeremiah
    Jeremiah Posts: 6,412
    Have you brewed any yet? Or are you still researching? I've been wanting to jump in but lacked the time and money.
    Slumming it in Aiken, SC. 
  • CANMAN1976
    CANMAN1976 Posts: 1,593
    Jeremiah said:
    Have you brewed any yet? Or are you still researching? I've been wanting to jump in but lacked the time and money.
    Haven't brewed anything yet as i'm still reading and buying equipment.It is expensive at first but I believe it will end up saving money in the long run as beer prices are crazy where i live almost as bad as the 1200 dollars for a large egg I had to pay!! Also it seems like so much fun!!!
    Hows ya gettin' on, me ol ****



    Kippens.Newfoundland and Labrador. (Canada).
  • chays99
    chays99 Posts: 41
    Check out the Centennial Blonde recipe at homebrewtalk.com. Its an awesome "gateway" beer. I keep it on tap almost all of the time. Ive been doing all grain for a few years. Let me know if i csn help.
  • CANMAN1976
    CANMAN1976 Posts: 1,593
    chays99 said:
    Check out the Centennial Blonde recipe at homebrewtalk.com. Its an awesome "gateway" beer. I keep it on tap almost all of the time. Ive been doing all grain for a few years. Let me know if i csn help.
    Actually i have that exact recipe saved in my favorites.I think that will be my first:)

    thanks!!
    Hows ya gettin' on, me ol ****



    Kippens.Newfoundland and Labrador. (Canada).
  • pretzelb
    pretzelb Posts: 158
    I've been brewing for a few years. It can be pretty cheap if you don't get tempted by some of the nice equipment. I only made one brew using a bucket as a fermenter but the 2x chocolate stout was loved by everyone. 

    Which brew to start with? That is tough. It might be wise to go with a recipe that uses a very strong yeast like Safale US-05. A lot can go wrong with a brew and the last thing you want is the yeast to not be up to the job. I also think that dark beers are easier than light beers since the malts hide off flavors. Dark beers won't appear to the lite beer fans though. I will say that I have never tried a lager yet. I want to get a chest freezer with a temp controller for fermentation before I try one. 

    I would recommend Brewing Classic Styles by Jamil. It was my go to book for all grain. I still use it as a reference. Only problem is that most come out higher in ABV than I'd like. I'm drinking a smoked pale ale based on his pale ale and I'd say it's 6.4% which is more than I'd like for a pale. Now that I think of it, all 4 beers I have on tap now are based on recipes in that book. 

    I could go on but I'll wait to see if you have more questions. I don't want to ramble. 
    XL egg owner, home brewer, jogger, coffee roaster, gamer 
  • bigalsworth
    bigalsworth Posts: 685
    I have not done a scratch brew because a craft brewer in my city packages and sells fresh wort and they change the recipes all the time.  I basically have to finish it off in some carboys, add sugar and yeast, wait and then bottle.  What I can say is that brewing beer is not as forgiving as making wine so use that star san on everything or it will go bad.  Also beware of light and hot temps while in the carboy process, you want a nice dark room or cover it somehow but still be easily accessible.  The sugar you use matters, and so does the yeast.  High quality yeast will make a huge difference, and different yeasts can yield different flavors.  If you can get find liquid yeast at a local brew supply you will have many more options because there are only so many dry yeast varieties available.  I have been told that liquid yeast will flocc better but I do not know if it is true.

    Scott
    Large BGE
    BBQ Guru DigiQ II

    Martensville, Saskatchewan Canada
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    Wow!! I gotta say you are jumping in the deep end before learning how to swim. I've got my 5th batch of brew fermenting right now, have read two books on home brewing and countless threads on forums and I'm still not ready to go all grain. I feel like I learn more stuff every day and am taking notes all the time. Why don't you start easy and then expand? At least go with a partial lme first and see how it goes? You can still get good beers that way. I'm a chemist and some of the stuff I have read still has my brain swimming. All the temps and break downs and all that. I'll get there, but still need some time. What research have you done so far into all grain?

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    edited March 2014
    Interesting. Have a local U-Brew with maybe ten 10 gallon kettles. After brewing their recipes a number of times, they let me bring in some of my own ingredients and just charge me for what I use, plus $40 for their equipment. Usual batch is 12 dozen 355ml bottles for under $100. 

    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • CANMAN1976
    CANMAN1976 Posts: 1,593
    Griffin said:
    Wow!! I gotta say you are jumping in the deep end before learning how to swim. I've got my 5th batch of brew fermenting right now, have read two books on home brewing and countless threads on forums and I'm still not ready to go all grain. I feel like I learn more stuff every day and am taking notes all the time. Why don't you start easy and then expand? At least go with a partial lme first and see how it goes? You can still get good beers that way. I'm a chemist and some of the stuff I have read still has my brain swimming. All the temps and break downs and all that. I'll get there, but still need some time. What research have you done so far into all grain?

    So far I have read  John Palmers how to brew and the Complete joy of homebrewing by Charlie papazian and I am a member on three brewing forums. I admit I am jumping in headfirst and maybe extracts would have been the smarter route but from what I have read I wouldn't be this first to successfully do all grain from the start. I know sanitation is very important as well as controlling a  steady fermentation temp so with that in mind I'll probably start with a single malt single hop brew (smash) and learn as I go.It's too late to bail now and I  already have most of the all grain equipment so wish me luck!!

    Jamie.
    Hows ya gettin' on, me ol ****



    Kippens.Newfoundland and Labrador. (Canada).
  • pretzelb
    pretzelb Posts: 158
    Having started with extract I can say the all grain isn't all the much more complicated. I used to think it was but in some ways it is more basic. It does require some extra equipment though.

    I will say it usually goes much better when you brew sober.
    XL egg owner, home brewer, jogger, coffee roaster, gamer 
  • I have been brewing for about 5 years now.  I only did a couple extract brews before I went all grain.  I still do an extract if I am pressed for time but in general I think all grain is the way to go and if you take the time like it seems you have to learn the method, doing extract first is not really necessary.  I would go with a cream ale if you are wanting an approachable brew for the American light lager drinker.  Something like:

    7 lbs 2 row Malt

    .25 biscuit Malt

    .25 honey malt

    155 Mash temp

    1 oz Cascade @ 60 minutes

    Nottingham Dry yeast

  • Griffin said:
    Wow!! I gotta say you are jumping in the deep end before learning how to swim. I've got my 5th batch of brew fermenting right now, have read two books on home brewing and countless threads on forums and I'm still not ready to go all grain. I feel like I learn more stuff every day and am taking notes all the time. Why don't you start easy and then expand? At least go with a partial lme first and see how it goes? You can still get good beers that way. I'm a chemist and some of the stuff I have read still has my brain swimming. All the temps and break downs and all that. I'll get there, but still need some time. What research have you done so far into all grain?

    Although you can get as deep as you wish in the chemistry of brewing the fact of the matter is the Monks who were making beer centuries ago were not chemists and had little knowledge of exactly what was happening in the brewing process yet still made beer.  I highly recommend reading John Palmers "how to Brew" but really if you get the basic idea and follow a recipe you will usually make good if not great beer be it all grain or otherwise.  I mean really its as simple as this:

    Grind grain

    heat water to a good strike temp (165 works for me)

    DOugh in try to get a mash temp in the 150-158 range (depending on the beer)

    If its too hot add ice

    If it too cold add boiling

    stir

    Put lid on mash tun

    in 30 minutes stir

    let it sit for another 30

    Heat up some sparge water

    vorlauf (look it up)

    drain off first runs to boil pot

    add sparge water to grains

    vorlauf

    drain sparge water to boil pot

    boil (add 60 minute hops when liquid gets boiling)

    add additional hops as recipe calls for

    cool

    drain to fermenter

    take gravity

    add yeast

    move fermenter to a place you can regulate temps (I usually keep it around 165 ish depneding on beer)

    prime and bottle when final gravity is where you want it

    THere are detail missing but thats the basics

  • horseflesh
    horseflesh Posts: 206
    I have to agree with ole Slim. Brewing AG isn't that hard. I'm a chemist too, Griffin... or at least, I am by schooling if not trade these days... and it doesn't have to be as complicated as all the books and forums make it look. 

    If you have done 5 extract batches, then you've got some brainpower free to learn all-grain techniques.

    AG brewing does require better note-taking. You will have to fiddle with your water volumes and temperatures as you learn the quirks of your setup. But, it's still hard to screw up a batch, even if you don't hit all your numbers to three sig figs. Just relax and have a homebrew. :)

    I do suggest buying Beersmith to help you with all the calculations and record-keeping. 
  • + 10000 on Beersmith! 

    I agree that note taking is helpful if you don't like re-re-reinventing the wheel.  Also helps when you make a really awesome brew and want to make it again.  I failed to take any notes on a brew recently and it turned out to be the best beer I have ever brewed.  Sadly I have no recollection of my recipe or hop schedule. :(

  • The main thing is to learn your system (notes from each brew).  I think the best piece of equipment to make consistently good brews is a fermentation chamber that you can control the temp of the fermentation with.  I use a refridgerator with a temp controller.  I have a pretty much ghetto brew system but with good temp control I am able to consistently brew good beers (at least they are good to me)
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    The main thing is to learn your system (notes from each brew).  I think the best piece of equipment to make consistently good brews is a fermentation chamber that you can control the temp of the fermentation with.  I use a refridgerator with a temp controller.  I have a pretty much ghetto brew system but with good temp control I am able to consistently brew good beers (at least they are good to me)
    Temp control for home brew will almost always result in success. For 5 gallon batches, I bungee an old water bed heater around the primary/secondary carboy. Dial the temp and forget it. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • Here in the Dirty Dirty South I have more problems with keeping it cool enough than having to heat it up!  I did have to use a heating pad once this winter on a brew though.  Do any of you brewers use a secondary much?  I tend to just leave in the primary and let the yeast clean up unless I am doing some type of fruit beer or a dry hop.
  • bigalsworth
    bigalsworth Posts: 685
    I do not use a secondary, the yeast has always settled well and the siphon I have also has a little filter on the end so I go right from primary to bottles.  The water bed heater is a great idea.
    Large BGE
    BBQ Guru DigiQ II

    Martensville, Saskatchewan Canada