Homebrew

[Cultured_Bogan]

Best pale ale to kick off with for an amateur? The Coopers kit?

Also, any good websites specifically for beginners for tips and traps for young players?

I've been wanting to do this for a couple of years now, just been putting it off while we made more important decisions. I've always appreciated craft brewing and understand it's not something to can just dive into, would rather start small and work my way up. Get the basics right first.

It's been many years since I brewed from extract. I remember that ESB kits we're pretty good and easy to use. They're a little bit more expensive than others but I recall that there was nothing else to buy. Some kits require additional malt and hops but I think that everything comes in the ESB wort.

There are plenty of brewer's websites and forums. I like Brewers Friend, although most of what is on there relates to all grain brewing or brew in a bag (BIAG) brewing.

I had a quick look at the Brewer's Friend site and it does have a beginners section that spells out some of the equipment you might need.

Yeah wicked, thanks for the pointers. Would like to learn to crawl before I walk! Try and go too hard at the beginning without the experience and it'll go pear shaped real quick and kill any enthusiasm I may have for it.

 

[cochise]

Best pale ale to kick off with for an amateur? The Coopers kit?

Also, any good websites specifically for beginners for tips and traps for young players?

I've been wanting to do this for a couple of years now, just been putting it off while we made more important decisions. I've always appreciated craft brewing and understand it's not something to can just dive into, would rather start small and work my way up. Get the basics right first.

It's been many years since I brewed from extract. I remember that ESB kits we're pretty good and easy to use. They're a little bit more expensive than others but I recall that there was nothing else to buy. Some kits require additional malt and hops but I think that everything comes in the ESB wort.

There are plenty of brewer's websites and forums. I like Brewers Friend, although most of what is on there relates to all grain brewing or brew in a bag (BIAG) brewing.

I had a quick look at the Brewer's Friend site and it does have a beginners section that spells out some of the equipment you might need.

Yeah wicked, thanks for the pointers. Would like to learn to crawl before I walk! Try and go too hard at the beginning without the experience and it'll go pear shaped real quick and kill any enthusiasm I may have for it.

Mate, I'd just hit a Coopers extract to start with, nice and simple.
https://www.diybeer.com/au/recipe/coopers-pale-ale.html

 

[Bones]

I've been brewing all grain brews for about 2 years now but, until recently I've had my grain supplier mill the grain bill using an industrial size grain mill.

About a month ago I bought a Malt Muncher 2 roller grain mill and I set the mill at the recommended gap of around .375mm. My first brew with it was a bit ordinary (a Kolsch). A completely stuck sparge that I spent ages excavating in with a long handled stirrer. The resulting wort was a bit like a porridge and no matter what I did I couldn't get the brew to clear.

My second effort I moved the gap to .45mm (approx) to brew an Asahi Black clone. Better. I didn't have to dig around in the mash but the sparge process still took about an hour with 16 litres of sparge water. The black looks and smells good though.

Tomorrow I'm brewing a pilsner and I thought I might push the gap out to .5mm.

Do any of you have experience using one of these grain mills? Am I on the right track here or should I be pushing the gap out much wider.

The equipment supplier hasn't been very forthcoming with advice.

Set your mill using a credit card, make sure to check both sides, don’t trust the marking on the side they’re normally way off.

Also 100g of rice hulls will make every brew day better. You’ll never get a stuck mash or sparge again.

You can also try conditioning the grain. It helps hold the husks together and get less powder which will also help.

 

[tigger]

I've been brewing all grain brews for about 2 years now but, until recently I've had my grain supplier mill the grain bill using an industrial size grain mill.

About a month ago I bought a Malt Muncher 2 roller grain mill and I set the mill at the recommended gap of around .375mm. My first brew with it was a bit ordinary (a Kolsch). A completely stuck sparge that I spent ages excavating in with a long handled stirrer. The resulting wort was a bit like a porridge and no matter what I did I couldn't get the brew to clear.

My second effort I moved the gap to .45mm (approx) to brew an Asahi Black clone. Better. I didn't have to dig around in the mash but the sparge process still took about an hour with 16 litres of sparge water. The black looks and smells good though.

Tomorrow I'm brewing a pilsner and I thought I might push the gap out to .5mm.

Do any of you have experience using one of these grain mills? Am I on the right track here or should I be pushing the gap out much wider.

The equipment supplier hasn't been very forthcoming with advice.

Set your mill using a credit card, make sure to check both sides, don’t trust the marking on the side they’re normally way off.

Also 100g of rice hulls will make every brew day better. You’ll never get a stuck mash or sparge again.

You can also try conditioning the grain. It helps hold the husks together and get less powder which will also help.

Thanks Bones.

The change I made to the setting did improve the sparge, but I'll check it against the credit card width, as you suggest.

What do you mean by conditioning the grain? I haven't heard of this.

 

[Bones]

I've been brewing all grain brews for about 2 years now but, until recently I've had my grain supplier mill the grain bill using an industrial size grain mill.

About a month ago I bought a Malt Muncher 2 roller grain mill and I set the mill at the recommended gap of around .375mm. My first brew with it was a bit ordinary (a Kolsch). A completely stuck sparge that I spent ages excavating in with a long handled stirrer. The resulting wort was a bit like a porridge and no matter what I did I couldn't get the brew to clear.

My second effort I moved the gap to .45mm (approx) to brew an Asahi Black clone. Better. I didn't have to dig around in the mash but the sparge process still took about an hour with 16 litres of sparge water. The black looks and smells good though.

Tomorrow I'm brewing a pilsner and I thought I might push the gap out to .5mm.

Do any of you have experience using one of these grain mills? Am I on the right track here or should I be pushing the gap out much wider.

The equipment supplier hasn't been very forthcoming with advice.

Set your mill using a credit card, make sure to check both sides, don’t trust the marking on the side they’re normally way off.

Also 100g of rice hulls will make every brew day better. You’ll never get a stuck mash or sparge again.

You can also try conditioning the grain. It helps hold the husks together and get less powder which will also help.

Thanks Bones.

The change I made to the setting did improve the sparge, but I'll check it against the credit card width, as you suggest.

What do you mean by conditioning the grain? I haven't heard of this.

Basically you spray the grain with a bit of water before you mill it. The idea is the moisture helps the husks hold together and crack open without crushing.

Usually you use 2% of grain weight in a spray bottle and mix it in and let it sit for 15 minutes.

https://youtu.be/4hkLgS2tGP4

 

[tigger]

I've been brewing all grain brews for about 2 years now but, until recently I've had my grain supplier mill the grain bill using an industrial size grain mill.

About a month ago I bought a Malt Muncher 2 roller grain mill and I set the mill at the recommended gap of around .375mm. My first brew with it was a bit ordinary (a Kolsch). A completely stuck sparge that I spent ages excavating in with a long handled stirrer. The resulting wort was a bit like a porridge and no matter what I did I couldn't get the brew to clear.

My second effort I moved the gap to .45mm (approx) to brew an Asahi Black clone. Better. I didn't have to dig around in the mash but the sparge process still took about an hour with 16 litres of sparge water. The black looks and smells good though.

Tomorrow I'm brewing a pilsner and I thought I might push the gap out to .5mm.

Do any of you have experience using one of these grain mills? Am I on the right track here or should I be pushing the gap out much wider.

The equipment supplier hasn't been very forthcoming with advice.

Set your mill using a credit card, make sure to check both sides, don’t trust the marking on the side they’re normally way off.

Also 100g of rice hulls will make every brew day better. You’ll never get a stuck mash or sparge again.

You can also try conditioning the grain. It helps hold the husks together and get less powder which will also help.

Thanks Bones.

The change I made to the setting did improve the sparge, but I'll check it against the credit card width, as you suggest.

What do you mean by conditioning the grain? I haven't heard of this.

Basically you spray the grain with a bit of water before you mill it. The idea is the moisture helps the husks hold together and crack open without crushing.

Usually you use 2% of grain weight in a spray bottle and mix it in and let it sit for 15 minutes.

https://youtu.be/4hkLgS2tGP4

Thanks again.

I'll give that a go next time.

 

[gallagher]

Hey guys,
Been looking at the fermentasaurus. It doesn't seem too much more expensive than the coopers start up kit. I'm thinking of going straight into buying that as a start up. Would i be running before i could walk? Would still start of with the store bought recipe.

 

[cochise]

Hey guys,
Been looking at the fermentasaurus. It doesn't seem too much more expensive than the coopers start up kit. I'm thinking of going straight into buying that as a start up. Would i be running before i could walk? Would still start of with the store bought recipe.

No problem using the fermentasaurus with simple extract recipes

 

[gallagher]

Hey guys,
Been looking at the fermentasaurus. It doesn't seem too much more expensive than the coopers start up kit. I'm thinking of going straight into buying that as a start up. Would i be running before i could walk? Would still start of with the store bought recipe.

No problem using the fermentasaurus with simple extract recipes

Cheers, the contents would mix ok with the water in it?

 

[rex2ce]

The fermentasaurus has many advantages over conventional fermenters, but is a lot more difficult to clean due to the small opening under the lid

 

[tigger]

The fermentasaurus has many advantages over conventional fermenters, but is a lot more difficult to clean due to the small opening under the lid

I've never had a problem with cleaning mine. I just dissolve 3 scoops of Stellar Clean PBW in it, fill it to the absolute brim with cold water, let it soak overnight and then the next day it just rinses out clean.

But you can't get your hand in there to scrub it out. That's for sure.

I have seen a bucket blaster for sale that will push a high pressure water jet into them but, after soaking, I've never had a problem cleaning it out with the hose.

 

[tigger]

The other thing about the fermentasaurus is that it gives you the option of the fermenting under pressure (for minimal further outlay) if at some stage in the future you choose to go down that track.

 

[gallagher]

So I'm about to have a crack. I bought a Mangrove Jack's kit, Mexican cerveza. I've got a heat belt and fridge set up, was told to ferment at 15 Deg.
After initial fermentation, I'm going to put it in a keg. Do i refrigerate the keg and how long till it's ready to consume

 

[rex2ce]

After 8 days in fermenter, I keg mine, then aerate for 3 days at 25 lb pressure, chill , drink. If you are really thirsty and have two kegs, put the remaining 4 ltrs in second keg, hook up to gas, lay keg on ground roll back and forth counting to 100, chill, drink, tastes fine

 

[gallagher]

After 8 days in fermenter, I keg mine, then aerate for 3 days at 25 lb pressure, chill , drink. If you are really thirsty and have two kegs, put the remaining 4 ltrs in second keg, hook up to gas, lay keg on ground roll back and forth counting to 100, chill, drink, tastes fine

What's the process in aerating? I like the idea of an 11 day turnaround.

 

[cochise]

After 8 days in fermenter, I keg mine, then aerate for 3 days at 25 lb pressure, chill , drink. If you are really thirsty and have two kegs, put the remaining 4 ltrs in second keg, hook up to gas, lay keg on ground roll back and forth counting to 100, chill, drink, tastes fine

For your 1st brew using a keg I would just carbonate for 3 days and not rush it. Also remember the longer you leave it the better it will taste.

 

[gallagher]

After 8 days in fermenter, I keg mine, then aerate for 3 days at 25 lb pressure, chill , drink. If you are really thirsty and have two kegs, put the remaining 4 ltrs in second keg, hook up to gas, lay keg on ground roll back and forth counting to 100, chill, drink, tastes fine

For your 1st brew using a keg I would just carbonate for 3 days and not rush it. Also remember the longer you leave it the better it will taste.

So carbonate at 25 pressure for three days at what temp ?

 

[cochise]

After 8 days in fermenter, I keg mine, then aerate for 3 days at 25 lb pressure, chill , drink. If you are really thirsty and have two kegs, put the remaining 4 ltrs in second keg, hook up to gas, lay keg on ground roll back and forth counting to 100, chill, drink, tastes fine

For your 1st brew using a keg I would just carbonate for 3 days and not rush it. Also remember the longer you leave it the better it will taste.

So carbonate at 25 pressure for three days at what temp ?

Usually at the temp you are going to drink it, as @reX2ce you can agitate the beer by rocking it back and forth and this increases the amount of beer in contact with the CO2 and speeds up carbonation. It is a simple process to speed it up and I am usually too desperate to have a drink to wait lol

 

[JB]

After 8 days in fermenter, I keg mine, then aerate for 3 days at 25 lb pressure, chill , drink. If you are really thirsty and have two kegs, put the remaining 4 ltrs in second keg, hook up to gas, lay keg on ground roll back and forth counting to 100, chill, drink, tastes fine

For your 1st brew using a keg I would just carbonate for 3 days and not rush it. Also remember the longer you leave it the better it will taste.

So carbonate at 25 pressure for three days at what temp ?

I use 12psi for 5 days at 2 degrees. There are a few different methods you can use. See this website: https://www.ikegger.com/blogs/ikeggerworld/how-to-keg-beer-part-4-cold-crashing-and-force-carbonating
Also read this section on how to fill your keg, especially the bit under the "Seal and Pressure" heading; you don't want to lose all your gas! https://www.ikegger.com/blogs/ikeggerworld/how-to-keg-beer-part-3-the-essential-guide-to-filling-a-keg

 

[cochise]

After 8 days in fermenter, I keg mine, then aerate for 3 days at 25 lb pressure, chill , drink. If you are really thirsty and have two kegs, put the remaining 4 ltrs in second keg, hook up to gas, lay keg on ground roll back and forth counting to 100, chill, drink, tastes fine

For your 1st brew using a keg I would just carbonate for 3 days and not rush it. Also remember the longer you leave it the better it will taste.

So carbonate at 25 pressure for three days at what temp ?

I use 12psi for 5 days at 2 degrees. There are a few different methods you can use. See this website: https://www.ikegger.com/blogs/ikeggerworld/how-to-keg-beer-part-4-cold-crashing-and-force-carbonating
Also read this section on how to fill your keg, especially the bit under the "Seal and Pressure" heading; you don't want to lose all your gas! https://www.ikegger.com/blogs/ikeggerworld/how-to-keg-beer-part-3-the-essential-guide-to-filling-a-keg

Do you use ikegger gear mate?