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Complete HomeBrew Noob.

135

Comments

  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18,300 ✭✭✭✭Seaneh


    Anyone have a good first try recipe for a stout/poter?

    I'd want something nice and rich, not just something that tastes like guinness.

    Would like to limit it to LME/Spraymalt and maybe a kid as a base.

    Any ideas of what kit and what extracts to add? Also, any idea of what hops to use to offset sweetness?


    Cheers ladeens.


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 11,758 Mod ✭✭✭✭BeerNut


    Seaneh wrote: »
    I'd want something nice and rich, not just something that tastes like guinness.
    Pump up the chocolate and crystal, so.

    Off the top of my head:
    2.5kg DME (any sort)
    300g Chocolate Malt
    200g Crystal Malt
    100g Black Malt
    30g EK Goldings @ 60 mins
    15g EK Goldings @ 10 mins
    S-04 Yeast

    20L will give you OG 1.052 and BeerTools expects it'll finish at 1.013.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,923 ✭✭✭cloptrop


    My inmate brew tasted nice , It however seems to be still fermenting, even though I froze it. I had it out the back garden and opened it this morning and it let out a huge burst of gas.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,431 ✭✭✭Sky King


    I do that most mornings as well. I wouldn't worry about it.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18,300 ✭✭✭✭Seaneh


    BeerNut wrote: »
    Seaneh wrote: »
    I'd want something nice and rich, not just something that tastes like guinness.
    Pump up the chocolate and crystal, so.

    Off the top of my head:
    2.5kg DME (any sort)
    300g Chocolate Malt
    200g Crystal Malt
    100g Black Malt
    30g EK Goldings @ 60 mins
    15g EK Goldings @ 10 mins
    S-04 Yeast

    20L will give you OG 1.052 and BeerTools expects it'll finish at 1.013.

    Was really hoping to avoid grains for a first batch but sure what the feck, go hard or go home!


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,561 ✭✭✭Martyn1989


    Seaneh wrote: »
    Was really hoping to avoid grains for a first batch but sure what the feck, go hard or go home!

    Kits arent much easier then extract as far as Im concerned. You still need everything sterile, and thats the most important bit. The most difficult part of extract is learning a bit about different grains and hops and what makes particular beer styles the way they are. You'll enjoy it more and end up with a better beer. Good luck!


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,431 ✭✭✭Sky King


    I am about to migrate to all-grain and for my first batch I intend buying a mash kit from the home brew company and that means I can learn to use the brew equipment in the early stages without getting to hung up on the grains. It's just handier not having that one extra thing to worry about.

    I'll learn recipe tweaking too at some stage as well of course :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,561 ✭✭✭Martyn1989


    Sky King wrote: »
    I am about to migrate to all-grain and for my first batch I intend buying a mash kit from the home brew company and that means I can learn to use the brew equipment in the early stages without getting to hung up on the grains. It's just handier not having that one extra thing to worry about.

    I'll learn recipe tweaking too at some stage as well of course :)

    Just saw this comment now. Ive been interested in trying THC's mash kits, it avoids the left over ingredients that can be difficult to use.

    Heres a video a guy put on youtube where hes brewing THC's Irish Red mash kit, might be useful to you.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsA0n1ENU8M&context=C30634a4ADOEgsToPDskLQ6eXCl5IyqlHg9UxBn5Oa


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,431 ✭✭✭Sky King


    Nice one thanks.

    I put the last pieces of my all grain micro brewery together last night so i'm looking forward to getting started.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,561 ✭✭✭Martyn1989


    I did my first there a few days ago. Took a shade over 5 hours which wasn't too bad. Its looking good too!


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  • Registered Users Posts: 255 ✭✭Ronan cork


    I'm about to bottle my second batch, and you wouldn't even know it was there, except for the occasional bubbling (which has woken me up the odd time, despite the fact that I brew downstairs and sleep upstairs (I'm a very light sleeper!).

    Threw in the yeast Thursday night and it's been bubbling away ever since!! Wouldn't advise home brew in ur bedroom to be honest it's quite loud through a bubble airlock anyway and makes you want to pee a lot!! Quite a strong hop smell too but that's probably the 100g of cascade pellets I threw into it!!better than scented candles any day!

    Making a st peters ipa kit with extra wet hopping.
    Also went with an aquarium heater to control the temp as a damp problem means I have to leave the window open most of the day


  • Registered Users Posts: 19,491 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    Ronan cork wrote: »
    Threw in the yeast Thursday night and it's been bubbling away ever since!! Wouldn't advise home brew in ur bedroom to be honest it's quite loud through a bubble airlock anyway and makes you want to pee a lot!! Quite a strong hop smell too but that's probably the 100g of cascade pellets I threw into it!!better than scented candles any day!
    From reading threads on this forum, you don't really need the airlock. So perhaps just cover the hole in the fermenter lid with some clingfilm, and make a tiny hole in the clingfilm with a pin. That'll do away with the loud bubbling.


  • Registered Users Posts: 255 ✭✭Ronan cork


    Ronan cork wrote: »
    Threw in the yeast Thursday night and it's been bubbling away ever since!! Wouldn't advise home brew in ur bedroom to be honest it's quite loud through a bubble airlock anyway and makes you want to pee a lot!! Quite a strong hop smell too but that's probably the 100g of cascade pellets I threw into it!!better than scented candles any day!
    From reading threads on this forum, you don't really need the airlock. So perhaps just cover the hole in the fermenter lid with some clingfilm, and make a tiny hole in the clingfilm with a pin. That'll do away with the loud bubbling.

    Thanks. Might try that tonight if it's still as bad


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,923 ✭✭✭cloptrop


    From reading threads on this forum, you don't really need the airlock. So perhaps just cover the hole in the fermenter lid with some clingfilm, and make a tiny hole in the clingfilm with a pin. That'll do away with the loud bubbling.

    In jail they just open the lid every 8 hours and let the air out.
    This however is donr with a plastic bottle . Im not sure what kind of expansion your vessel allows for.


  • Registered Users Posts: 19,491 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    cloptrop wrote: »
    In jail they just open the lid every 8 hours and let the air out.
    This however is donr with a plastic bottle . Im not sure what kind of expansion your vessel allows for.
    Ronan cork's fermenter has a permanent hole in the lid (for the air-lock). so if he covers it over (to prevent contamination), and leaves a tiny hole, he shouldn't need to open the lid at all. Good to know about the jail thing though. I haven't paid my property tax. :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 936 ✭✭✭leggit


    I just put a lid loosely on top of mine, works fine and never had a problem, no noise out of it whatsoever!

    airlocks aren't necessary really, the co2 sits on top of the beer like a blanket since it's denser than the surrounding air.


  • Registered Users Posts: 426 ✭✭Baneblade


    the new version of the coopers kit does not use an airlock either the lid just sits on top of it
    the pressure from the gas just lifts the lid enough to let it escape and prevents any outside air from entering
    have not heard it making any noise either


  • Registered Users Posts: 255 ✭✭Ronan cork


    Thanks for your replies lads. It's my first brew so am trying to keep it simple. The bobbling slowed a lot after the first 48 hours but may try the cling film for my next one.


  • Registered Users Posts: 92 ✭✭Volovo


    Learning a lot from this thread, might try some brewing over the next few months..


  • Registered Users Posts: 386 ✭✭The Minstrel


    Just a couple of questions about the use of a Secondary in a kit-based brew:

    Am I right in saying that the reasons for using a secondary container are filtration and batch priming?

    Isn't the beer 100% fermented before being transferred to the secondary?

    And finally, I'm adding hops for dry hopping. When exactly should I add the hops? My understanding is that they should be added before fermentation has ended, so that must mean the primary container? What is the optimum point at which I should add the hop pellets?

    Thanks


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  • Registered Users Posts: 936 ✭✭✭leggit


    Just a couple of questions about the use of a Secondary in a kit-based brew:

    Am I right in saying that the reasons for using a secondary container are filtration and batch priming?

    Isn't the beer 100% fermented before being transferred to the secondary?

    And finally, I'm adding hops for dry hopping. When exactly should I add the hops? My understanding is that they should be added before fermentation has ended, so that must mean the primary container? What is the optimum point at which I should add the hop pellets?

    Thanks

    Don't use a secondary myself but from what I know it's mainly for clearing up the beer, that is, getting off the sediment that sits at the bottom of the primary and trying to avoid any bits that might me floating in it. Personnaly I just couldn't be bothered :D

    Batch priming in the primary is fine, do it myself. Just try not to disturb the bottom sediment to much when stirring.

    dry hopping should be done a week before bottling in my view. So if you stick to the principle of primary for 1 week, secondary for two weeks then the you'd dry hop right in the middle of the secondary.


  • Registered Users Posts: 386 ✭✭The Minstrel


    leggit wrote: »
    dry hopping should be done a week before bottling in my view. So if you stick to the principle of primary for 1 week, secondary for two weeks then the you'd dry hop right in the middle of the secondary.

    I thought I had to add the hops before fermentation was finished. So, the hops should be added after fermentation and batch priming?


  • Registered Users Posts: 936 ✭✭✭leggit


    I thought I had to add the hops before fermentation was finished. So, the hops should be added after fermentation and batch priming?

    Batch priming should be done about 30min before bottling, you don't want the secondary fermentation to start until you've sealed your beer in a bottle.

    Hops aren't ferment so the fermentation process has absolutely no effect on them. It would just be my preferred taste to put them in a week before I was going to bottle. You can do it more or less depending on what taste you're going for, you can put them in for the entire process if you wish.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,903 ✭✭✭DeadSkin


    Have my second brew on the go, almost at the end of week 2, checked the SG the other day - was at 1.008, checked today & it's at 1.011, both readings taken at 19 degrees wtf :confused:


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,903 ✭✭✭DeadSkin


    Just made an appointment with optician today :o


  • Registered Users Posts: 255 ✭✭Ronan cork


    I was getting inconsistent readings for a while too...now I leave the hydrometer in the tube for a half hour to settle itself before taking a reading and it seems to have sorted it


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,903 ✭✭✭DeadSkin


    Put on a Coopers ginger beer yesterday, used an extra light spray malt. Expected to see some evidence this morning of fermentation i.e that manky lookin' foam :P.
    All that's there is a thin[ish] strip of bubbles/foam across the top.

    With the last two ale kits I put on, the next day you knew fermentation was well & truly kicked off.

    I haven't used the extra light DME before, is this what is expected, is it a slower process?
    Thanks.


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 11,758 Mod ✭✭✭✭BeerNut


    Doubt it's anything to do with your spraymalt. Sounds like the yeast is just a bit sluggish. But leave it, it's fine.


  • Registered Users Posts: 255 ✭✭Ronan cork


    After 8 days in the fermenter the water in my airlock levelled out (no bubbling and no pressure) and I got 3 readings of 1018 over 3 days which is a bit high but all signs were saying it's ready to bottle so I started collecting and cleaning bottles...luckily I decided to order some starsan and leave the bottling till next weekend as after 3 days of nothing, pressure has gone up and it's started bubbling again!!i didn't move the fermenter or anything it just started again on its own!
    So today I learnt to trust my hydrometer as my gut told me to bottle 2 cases of grenades!


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,903 ✭✭✭DeadSkin


    BeerNut wrote: »
    Doubt it's anything to do with your spraymalt. Sounds like the yeast is just a bit sluggish. But leave it, it's fine.

    72 hours later and the top 4/5mm looks like thick sludge, no foam. Temperature is 21 degrees.

    The last 2 kits I did went all foamy about 3 to 4 inches in height within 24 hours. The first kit came with the Coopers DIY package, second was St.Peter's 3kg all malt kit[no sugar required].

    Any one do a Coopers ginger beer kit with spraymalt? Just don't know if this what I should expect to see!!
    Thanks.


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