Have a go at simple AG

[clibit]

ive done2 now and i think im over boiling. ido nt have alot of beer left after the 1 hour boil.how much beer do you guys have in your dj?
is it an idea to only boil for half an hour? so i have more beer :)

You just need to use more sparge water for rinsing the grains. However much you have been short, add to the next brew at the sparge stage. Then you'll start the boil with more wort, and end up with more in the demijohn.

 

[yeastinfection]

You just need to use more sparge water for rinsing the grains. However much you have been short, add to the next brew at the sparge stage. Then you'll start the boil with more wort, and end up with more in the demijohn.

thanks clibit,
i wasnt sure if it would screw up the recipe, maybe im thinking to hard.

 

[clibit]

No, you're right to question. You could top that demijohn up a bit, or add some at bottling time. that looks like about 3.5 litres? Maybe 4? Add half a litre perhaps.

 

[yeastinfection]

No, you're right to question. You could top that demijohn up a bit, or add some at bottling time. that looks like about 3.5 litres? Maybe 4? Add half a litre perhaps.

So next brew .do a 4 ltr and 4 ltr ? Am I loosing more at boil than you do?

 

[clibit]

Yes, but 3 litres and 5 litres may be better. More sparging will be more effective than more mash water, I think. Evaporation varies from heat source to heat source and pan to pan. The idea is to do one brew, and then adjust.

 

[Mattshed]

Thanks Clibit for the recipe. I was a bit lost when it came to my first AG until I found it! All went well until I went to transfer it to my barrel today and got a reading of just over 1020 after 8 days in a heated water bath at 22c (initial reading was 1050). Having read previous posts here it would seem I have my first stuck fermentation! Shall I leave it longer:drink::drink: or will it be OK in my (ex speckled hen) mini keg?

 

[clibit]

I'd leave it longer than 8 days. Let it go to 14 days. Can you release pressure from the keg?

 

[bquiggerz]

I wish you could buy small quantities of hops! Would make this cheaper for your first try, I really want to try it but have no idea if I'm going to do it simply because of hops haha. I know to many of you that will sound silly but there you have it.

 

[Mattshed]

I'd leave it longer than 8 days. Let it go to 14 days. Can you release pressure from the keg?

I'll leave the next one longer! Yes barrel has a pressure release on top.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I wish you could buy small quantities of hops! Would make this cheaper for your first try, I really want to try it but have no idea if I'm going to do it simply because of hops haha. I know to many of you that will sound silly but there you have it.

I don't know what you class as small quantities but this thread may be of use - http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=50941

 

[clibit]

I wish you could buy small quantities of hops! Would make this cheaper for your first try, I really want to try it but have no idea if I'm going to do it simply because of hops haha.

Just buy a packet of hops! :wink:

I managed to get a packet of 2013 Chinook pellets in a LHBS recently for £3.49. They had others at similar prices. Or you can get hops for £2.25 from the Worcesterhop shop, plus about £3 postage. Buy a few packets, you can get up to 7 for that postage rate. And if you don't get into AG, you can use them in kit brews and extract brews, they keep in the freezer and won't go to waste.

 

[GHW]

I wish you could buy small quantities of hops! Would make this cheaper for your first try, I really want to try it but have no idea if I'm going to do it simply because of hops haha. I know to many of you that will sound silly but there you have it.

Then get a recipe pack, usually they add the exact amount of hops needed, though some just give you a 100g pack of whatever you need. Brew uk Extract packs just give you what you need, though I haven't bought an AG one so not sure about those. You'll pay a little more than buying the individual ingredients though so maybe not the solution!

I plan on emailing someone like brew uk who do the recipe packs with a list of hops I want, but only in 50g packs. Figuring that if I ask for 7 or 8 types and they want the biz they'll pack them specially. Though maybe not.

As Clibit says, just get stuck in, one pack of English hops will cost you £3-4. You don't have to go for expensive American ones or whatever to start getting into it.

 

[Badseed1974]

http://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.uk...packed-alpha-acid-93-2013-harvest-p-2346.html


Do it!

 

[bquiggerz]

What's the shipping on the home brew company like?

 

[clibit]

My orders have all arrived two days after the order was placed.

 

[bquiggerz]

I meant cost wise haha

 

[Covrich]

My AG 1 gallon batch had a similar reduction.. I topped up with another litre of water

Next time I will sparge with an additional liter or so..

I found mashing in a big pot (the same one which I may fill for 3KG grain) much harder to maintain the temp with a smaller mash in and the reductions for boiling were much greater in fact and this should have been logical I should have either used a smaller burner on my pot, as It was when I noticed this I actually switched the burner down.

I think it is a bit trial and error.

 

[Padawanrob]

Advice for a newbie please regarding this recipe next steps, my brew seems to have finished fermenting as in the airlock activity is very slow to non, I know that I now need to do a measure with the hydrometer but my Q is what do I do then, I have read that I could now syphon into another FV for a week, is this best practice and does it have to be somewhere warm or cooler, do I have to put the airlock on or cover the hole, and after a week do I prime with sugar (amount unknown) before bottling.

sorry for being like a say a complete newbie

Thanks

 

[clibit]

Don't be sorry. Just take a hydrometer reading and tell us what it is.

 

[Padawanrob]

Clibit, sorry didn't see reply until now, I measured at 1.008 and the OG was 1.062 but I added an extra ltr of water to change OG to nearer 1.040 and I got 1.037, I have syphoned into another FV with an airlock as I wasn't sure, is this ok and do I now leave for a couple of weeks, the brew looked a nice colour and it smelt of ale but its taste was ok if a little different, Im not sure what its supposed to taste like after 7 days.

Thanks again for any advice, much appreciated.