Homebrew Beer Howto

boopolo

Will leave it in the second bucket for a week or so at a slightly cooler temperature .........

Bill-e

Is a month in the primary bucket a bad thing?
I've been very lazy....

oblivious

Bill-e wrote: »

Is a month in the primary bucket a bad thing?
I've been very lazy....

Three week is as long as i prefer but a month should be ok and I would bottle/ keg or transfer if you can

boopolo

Mine has stopped now.

I put an airlock on secondary because it was still active at the time of racking.

When I gave my abv of 8.1% in last post it was from one of the online calculators. They all seem to vary in results.

So I did it manually using fudge factors.

OG 1.068
FG 1.0075

= 60.5 points

This falls between 57.2 and 67.9 on the fudge factor scale, so the multiple is 0.132


60.5 x 0.132 = 7.986 (just 8%)

Will bottle in a few days, and then the big wait.
Most people state this should be bottles for minimum of 8 weeks before drinking.

---

Bill-E, your swing tops await... What are you brewing?

guildofevil

Bill-e, a month in primary is fine. I have done that quite a few times with no adverse affects.

thelepo

Is there any recipe for beer that can be made with absolutely free ingredients that can be found naturally around us? You can make elderflower, dandelion and gorse wine. Are there similar equivalent processes for beer?

Cheers

oblivious

thelepo wrote: »

Is there any recipe for beer that can be made with absolutely free ingredients that can be found naturally around us? You can make elderflower, dandelion and gorse wine. Are there similar equivalent processes for beer?

Cheers

We beer is usually defined as a produce of cereal fermentation, but cereals have to be cultivated and are not hedgerow like dandelion and gorse

you could do something like the classic nettle beer, ginger beer or a stronger version of the classic dandelion and burdock

Here are some examples

Nettle beer

http://welcometovoluntarysimplicity.wordpress.com/2009/04/27/drinking-the-hedgerow-nettle-beer/

http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/brewing/fetch-recipe.php?rid=dandelion-beer

BaZmO*

Hi,

I reckon I'm gonna give Homebrewing a crack in next few weeks and I've been reading up on it on here and on Irish Craft Brewer.

Having read through a few tutorials I reckon I'm going to start with Extract Brewing and eventually move onto All Grain.

I have a couple of questions though if anybody can help.

1. What's the deal with the Boiler? Do I need to make one myself with a Fermentation Bucket?

2. Do I need to have a Wort Chiller? I come from a plumbing background so making one wouldn't be that difficult, but if I didn't have to use one it'd save a lot of work for a noob starting out.

3. Is the hydrometer a necessity?

That's all I can think of for the moment.

Cheers.

Wallacebiy

BaZmO* wrote: »

Hi,

I reckon I'm gonna give Homebrewing a crack in next few weeks and I've been reading up on it on here and on Irish Craft Brewer.

Having read through a few tutorials I reckon I'm going to start with Extract Brewing and eventually move onto All Grain.

I have a couple of questions though if anybody can help.

1. What's the deal with the Boiler? Do I need to make one myself with a Fermentation Bucket?

2. Do I need to have a Wort Chiller? I come from a plumbing background so making one wouldn't be that difficult, but if I didn't have to use one it'd save a lot of work for a noob starting out.

3. Is the hydrometer a necessity?

That's all I can think of for the moment.

Cheers.

Number 1 , You'll need some way to boil a lot of liquid , depending on the recipe amount , but realistically more than most household stockpots will take . Cheapest is a bucket boiler , but you could buy a large burco style catering boiler , or build from a keg or large stainless steel pot . You can boil then with gas or electricity , but you have to be able to boil.

Number 2 Chiller - Well worth it , shortens the time you spend arsing about no end . If you are a plumber you shouldn't even think twice about it just build one . 10 m of 10mm copper pipe build it into a coil ( roll it around a bucket or a bit of large pipe ) clip hose onto it then and bobs your uncle.

3. Hydrometer . First thing you should buy . brewing without it is like walking around in the dark without a flashlight . they are cheap ( bout a tenner or so , shop around ) but you really will need to be able to measure OG and FG ( before and after fermentation specific gravity ) to work out your alcohol content ,


Happy Brewing !! ( and the Irish Craft brewer site is quite good with lots of useful info alright !! )

BaZmO*

Wallacebiy wrote: »

Number 1 , You'll need some way to boil a lot of liquid , depending on the recipe amount , but realistically more than most household stockpots will take . Cheapest is a bucket boiler , but you could buy a large burco style catering boiler , or build from a keg or large stainless steel pot . You can boil then with gas or electricity , but you have to be able to boil.

So essentially I could just make one out of a fermentation bucket and an element then?

Or by the sounds of it a large pot on the gas would be fine. Although getting the liquid out it would be more difficult than just having a tap in a plastic bucket.

Wallacebiy wrote: »

Number 2 Chiller - Well worth it , shortens the time you spend arsing about no end . If you are a plumber you shouldn't even think twice about it just build one . 10 m of 10mm copper pipe build it into a coil ( roll it around a bucket or a bit of large pipe ) clip hose onto it then and bobs your uncle.

I'm not a plumber but putting one together seems like a piece of p.

Wallacebiy wrote: »

but you really will need to be able to measure OG and FG ( before and after fermentation specific gravity ) to work out your alcohol content

Ah so that's what it's for? Didn't know that.

Wallacebiy wrote: »

Happy Brewing !!

Thanks!

Wallacebiy

BaZmO* wrote: »

So essentially I could just make one out of a fermentation bucket and an element then?

Or by the sounds of it a large pot on the gas would be fine. Although getting the liquid out it would be more difficult than just having a tap in a plastic bucket.



I'm not a plumber but putting one together seems like a piece of p.



Ah so that's what it's for? Didn't know that.



Thanks!

Yep

Yep

And you're very welcome ,

boopolo

I would recomend you do a kit for your first one or two. Have bottled my second one yesterday.

I found doing the second one simpler because I learned from my first one. As the second half of extract brewing is the same as kit brewing; when you do move up your experience of kits will make the extract brewing much simpler.

BaZmO*

boopolo wrote: »

I would recomend you do a kit for your first one or two. Have bottled my second one yesterday.

I found doing the second one simpler because I learned from my first one. As the second half of extract brewing is the same as kit brewing; when you do move up your experience of kits will make the extract brewing much simpler.

I've actually decided that I'm gonna try and do it as per these instructions.
The instructions seem pretty handy and I'm gonna order all the items needed from The Homebrew Company. Total cost is only €65

I think I'll prefer doing it that way as I don't have to make as much each time and it leaves it open to trying different mixes from all the ingredients. The ingredients that I'll be getting allow for around 6 separate batches.

Thanks for the suggestions though. I'm sure I'll be back though!

boopolo

I read that before and found it very interesting ......

The DME works out cheaper in 3kg bags

At a gallon a batch, I would want about 3 batches going at a time. I think its about 8 or 9 euro for a demijohn I got one for cider experiments ......

BaZmO*

boopolo wrote: »

I read that before and found it very interesting ......

The DME works out cheaper in 3kg bags

Yeah that's the size of the bag that I'll be getting.

A couple more questions if anyone can help.

1. What type of Sugar should I use to prime the liquid(wort?) before bottling?

2. And if I do use the method above should I use a simple syphon to get the liquid into the bottles or do I need to put the liquid into the into another bucket beforehand?

3. Does anybody have any recipes for Weissbeers and are they easy to homebrew? It's a beer that I love and and like to try it.

I want to order everything together so I can cut down on delivery charges.

This is what I'm going to order to get started...

Spray-Dried Malt Extract Light 3kg 23.99
Hallertauer Hersbrucker - 100g vacuum packed Alpha Acid 3.0% 5.00
Danstar Windsor Beer Yeast 1.79

1 Gallon Demi-John 8.99
Rubber Bungs Bored 0.49
Bubbler, Plastic with Red Cap 1.00
Plastic Funnel 7inch - with fine mesh strainer 2.99
Beer Paddle Plastic 16"(Y) 1.20
Hydrometer 2.99
Thermometer 12" (Spirit) 3.40
Simple Syphon 2.49
Bottle Filling Stick Plastic 5.99
Total 60.32


Obviously I'll need to order some more Yeast. Reckon I might go for Danstar Munich Wheat Beer Yeast @ 1.99 each.

Is this excessive? Or is there anything I've missed?


Thanks

Saruman

1. What type of Sugar should I use to prime the liquid(wort?) before bottling?
I use glucose but normal sugar will do fine.

2. And if I do use the method above should I use a simple syphon to get the liquid into the bottles or do I need to put the liquid into the into another bucket beforehand?
Best practice is to syphon to a bucket with the priming solution (sugar boiled in water) already in. This mixes it up without adding too much oxygen. For bottling, a bottling attachment is handy for your siphon. Follow this guide.

3. Does anybody have any recipes for Weissbeers and are they easy to homebrew? It's a beer that I love and and like to try it.
plenty of recipes out there but I have always made my own recipe. Try www.beertools.com and look at the recipes there for ideas. I use the software to formulate my recipes.

I did a few extract brews and then switched to all grain. Its more time consuming but the beer can be controlled better and its also much cheaper per brew as a 3kg sack of DME is expensive.

oblivious

BaZmO* wrote: »

3. Does anybody have any recipes for Weissbeers and are they easy to homebrew? It's a beer that I love and and like to try it.

Just get your self some wheat DME and the Danstar Munich Wheat Beer Yeast will get you in the ball park

Here is some wheat DME

http://thehomebrewcompany.ie/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_36&products_id=255

BaZmO*

Thanks for the help lads, it's much appreciated.
Ordered all my stuff so should be brewing by next week.

boopolo

First and foremost you will needs wheat spraymalt
I see they do not have it in 3kg bags atm.

You could use Wheat LME

Hallertauer pellet hops

German Wheat Yeast

For priming use Glucose. Remember, glucose is brewing sugar is corn sugar

The above is loosely based on this recipe. For a demi-john, use one fifth of its proportions.

oblivious

boopolo wrote: »

For priming use Glucose. Remember, glucose is brewing sugar is corn sugar.

Sugar is sugar to the yeast, just use table sugar and save you money

boopolo

oblivious wrote: »

Sugar is sugar to the yeast

Maybe.

But the recipe asked for corn sugar (glucose); so I put it in. At €0.22 for priming 10 to 20 litres, will hardly break the bank:)

guildofevil

oblivious wrote: »

Sugar is sugar to the yeast, just use table sugar and save you money

+1

boopolo

I sent another order into thehomebrewcompany the other day. There was lots of small items + a couple of kits. I just checked my order online and I left out one small item.

It was yeast nutrient I left out even though I was sure I added it.

Where can I get this without completing another order (postage costs etc). I there a bricks & mortar shop in Dublin area.

BaZmO*

boopolo wrote: »

I sent another order into thehomebrewcompany the other day. There was lots of small items + a couple of kits. I just checked my order online and I left out one small item.

It was yeast nutrient I left out even though I was sure I added it.

Where can I get this without completing another order (postage costs etc). I there a bricks & mortar shop in Dublin area.

If the item hasn't been shipped just email them and they'll add it to yur original order. I had to do that earlier for the Glucose.

boopolo

So are you both saying that different forms of sugar do not affect the taste of the finished product in any way?

Are you saying this applies for priming only or including fermentor sugar?

I used 50% Golden syrup (a sugar) in fermentor and glucose for priming with last batch of Grand Cru on the recommendation from another forum.

boopolo

Yeah I did email Baz,
But I put the order in Tuesday night.:mad:

Oh in case you are wondering; the nutrient is for a cider trial. Don't like cider too much, but making some for a friend.

boopolo

Great.

Shane had my box packed for delivery in the morning and popped in the yeast nutrient.:D

guildofevil

boopolo wrote: »

So are you both saying that different forms of sugar do not affect the taste of the finished product in any way?

Are you saying this applies for priming only or including fermentor sugar?

I used 50% Golden syrup (a sugar) in fermentor and glucose for priming with last batch of Grand Cru on the recommendation from another forum.

I'm not saying that all kinds of sugar are ther same, it's just that the is no difference between the results you will get from corn, beat, or cane sugar. Invert sugars, molasses, date sugar, etc. have flavours to impart, but refined sugar is sweet, but otherwise flavourless, so it doesn't matter where it originated.

boopolo

guildofevil wrote: »

I'm not saying that all kinds of sugar are ther same, it's just that the is no difference between the results you will get from corn, beat, or cane sugar. Invert sugars, molasses, date sugar, etc. have flavours to impart, but refined sugar is sweet, but otherwise flavourless, so it doesn't matter where it originated.

I don't know enough about it myself as I am only a begginer at this brewing. I also do not wish this thread to become an arguement over Sucrose vs. Glucose.

But a lot of experienced brewers state there is a difference to the end result. Many home brewers swear that it gives a cleaner, fuller flavour than sucrose. I am not agreeing or disagreeing with either your opinion or theirs.

But just to avoid confusion for those starting into home brewing.

Sucrose = Table Sugar

Glucose = Brewing Sugar = Corn Sugar = Dextrose

Lactose = is a sugar that not fermentable (will not be not converted to alcohol by the yeast). It can be used to create sweetness in beers, stouts or ciders.

Spray dried malt extract (DME) has sugars but it is only about 75% fermentable and will add to the flavour of the finished beer.

Inverted sugars or part inverted sugars include: Belguim Candi sugar, Golden Syrup and turbinado.

guildofevil

I am an experienced brewer as is oblivious.

Glucose = 100% fermentable ie no flavours left behind.
Sucrose = 100% fermentable ie no flavours left behind.

100% fermentable means that all of the sugar is converted to co2, alcohol and energy for the yeast cells. There is not, nor can there be any difference in flavour or carbonation.

The term Brewing sugar is a marketing ploy to add value to something you could buy cheaper from your supermarket. Compare the price of a bag of glucose in Tesco to what a bag of "Brewing Sugar" costs. Then compare it to a bag of table sugar. Same affect, different prices.

I have heard a lot of bull talked about sugar from "experienced brewers", but in most cases, if you actually ask them "have you used both types of sugar to prime beer and can you say that you personally noticed a difference?" the answer is no. They asked this very same question at a homebrew shop, or of an "experienced brewer" when they were starting out and have been following that advice and parroting it ever since. This is one of the many myths you will hear in homebrewing circles and have no doubt, it is a myth.

I have tried both types of sugar and I can tell you, from personal experience that it doesn't make any difference.