My first all grain brew day

[Rodcx500z]

Crowcrow mine was the same I now have a good inch of trub after 5 days and the ale is clear, I shouldn't worry to much so much I bought a swing top jug in Tesco to have ago at harvesting

 

[crowcrow]

Crowcrow mine was the same I now have a good inch of trub after 5 days and the ale is clear, I shouldn't worry to much so much I bought a swing top jug in Tesco to have ago at harvesting

Harvesting what? I hear there are hops near me in the hedgerows and Adamns have hops fields and they spill out...

 

[Rodcx500z]

Yeast from the trub

 

[crowcrow]

Ah ha, let me know how it goes. I'm in between building various bits and pieces right now, but once my shed is set up, I'm hoping to do similar - got a bunch of chemistry lab jars etc I've been itching to play with - but currently dotted around various garages and sheds while trying to finish my own!

 

[Rodcx500z]

Will do

 

[foxbat]

In the fv last night, but was still 30c this am. Cooled to 23c by lunch so just added the yeast. Looking a bit murky and gunky - so a little fearful something is in there that shouldn't be, but ah well, will see soon how it turns out. Gone a much darker colour.

It's fine. All those adjectives could well describe every wort I produce. Bad stuff is white, floats on top and looks like it should be in a petri dish!

 

[Dutto]

Don't worry!!! God is good to Brewers - right up until you get cocky!!

By now it should have started fermenting so just leave it alone for a couple of weeks and let the yeast do its stuff!

 

[crowcrow]

Cheers - the top of the fv is domed and the room smells nice. I'll move to a 2nd fv at some point soon and add the dry hops, sneaking an in progress sip from a sterile spoon

 

[foxbat]

I'll move to a 2nd fv at some point soon

That is an unnecessary risk. I'd leave it where it is.

 

[Rodcx500z]

Crow crow I bottled mine last night that gervin yeast is a beast, only managed 24 bottles but I did feck up, had a peek this morning they have started to firm up and there is a bit of sediment at the bottom, I used 1 sugar cube per bottle hopefully in about 4 weeks I will have my first available drinkable ag ale, I have 3 empty fv's so I think a trip to hbs today is in order

 

[Justin Dean]

It will be fine, leave it to ferment mate. yeast has do its murky work

 

[crowcrow]

I did end up moving it to a 2nd fermentation bucket as there as an amount of hops still floating. Took a sip then and tasted great though rather bitter. I then added the dry hops as the recipe that I posted (the increased numbers) and had hoped to be kegging it today, but don't have the gas lines yet.

I took another sip today (day 4 of dry hopping) and tasted damn amazing. Easily the best beer I've made yet (only done kits before). Looking a great colour too.

Cannot wait to get this in the keg and drink - should he able to keg and start carbonation on Tuesday. Itching to also brew something new too!

Am down to just 15 litres now with the various moves, so assuming will keg even less. Looks like I'll need to brew more next time!

 

[Rodcx500z]

Hi crowcrow I brewed 3 times since weds, 15 lt of dark mild, then a lager wheat type brew to use all my left over grain 15lts, and today 21lts of bitter, my first brew the pale ale is really good I know its still young but its lovley can,t see it lasting longer than next weekend worst of all I can't brew it again being a feck up, I will have to learn to wait hapy brewing

 

[crowcrow]

Sounds excellent! Been off this week but been busy with the kids and hitting the beach, so not been able to fit a brew in, looking at the weekends ahead, not sure when! Luckily I can only afford the set up for one keg right now, so the 2nd keg will be sitting empty until next pay day.

 

[Rodcx500z]

I have no kegs yet, just bottles and pb's, I don't know how far I want to take this hobby it can get pretty expensive, having space is one of the biggest killers, my next job is clearing the shed of rubbish that never gets used I prob will get a couple of cornys down the line, I blame young's American amber ale starter kit for all this and the pics of lovley home brew that's on here

 

[crowcrow]

In my shed thread, posted how I've kegged and carbed this now. To be honest I think I left it too long with dry hopping - as the amazing aroma that it had after 4 days, has gone.

It still tastes great fresh from the keg and feel it will improve with age. Very happy with my introduction to all grain, looking forward to many more brews, def the level up from kits.

 

[crowcrow]

Brew day 2

Making an approximation of a lager or something like a steam beer - aiming for 20litres at approx 4%

4kg Maris Otter
25g tettnanger at 10mins
1 tablet whirlfloc at 50mins
25g northern brewer at 60mins

Cool for 15 mins before removing the hops.

No chill - so will be pitching a California Lager yeast tomorrow night once down to house temp. Hoping to brew at 18c for 2 ish weeks and then keg.

 

[foxbat]

What's the AA rating on those hops? A bit concerned that 25g northern brewer might be too much for a Vienna lager.

Also I suspect a typo on your Whirlfloc addition time. It ought to be 5 not 50 minutes.

 

[crowcrow]

What's the AA rating on those hops? A bit concerned that 25g northern brewer might be too much for a Vienna lager.

Also I suspect a typo on your Whirlfloc addition time. It ought to be 5 not 50 minutes.

Yes - I might not have the convention right there - I meant add it after 50 mins, therefore just in the water for 10 mins.

Looking at my hops it is Northdown! At 9.5% AA - so the plan has changed a little - and looking at my recipe books going for more of a Anchor Brewing Steam beer...

So
10g Tettnang and 5g Northdown at the start
5g Tettnang with 20mins remaining
1 Whirlfloc with 10mins remaing
10g Tettnang and 5g Northdown with 0 mins remaining of boil

No dry hops.

Sounds OK? Steam brew recipe calls for Northern Brewer at 9.6% so hoping the hops mix I suggest will work?

 

[foxbat]

Yeah that sounds OK. I've used both those hops before and I think they'll work well together.