How to brew your own beer - The All Grain method

Etheco · 16 Mar 2015 at 22:11

What sort of cost does it take to get into all grain brewing? I don't have the option todo it in doors in small batches as we have a induction hob so finding pans is a pain in the rear.

So i will be planning on doing it out doors which sounds nicer anyway

but just wondering what sort of cost will i be looking at to get going.

And does anyone have a sort of shopping list guide that they might have ?

Cheers all

john_s · 17 Mar 2015 at 08:35

I made most of my all grain kit:

Mash tun from a cheap Asda coolbox.
25l and 60l fermenting buckets with 1 and 2 Tesco value kettle elements for the HLT and boiler.
A few bits and pieces from the plumbing shop to make filters, with tank connectors and valves to fit.
Copper pipe cooling coil (wound it round a fire extinguisher to make the coil).

I can't remember exactly what it cost, but it wasn't expensive. The most expensive part was probably the pipe to make the cooling coil.

seabiscuit · 17 Mar 2015 at 08:55

It's even cheaper/less space and equipment if you brew In A Bag (BIAB). You mash in a bag in your pot and then just lift the grain bag out and boil what's remaining.
You thinking of heating using gas or electric?

Etheco · 17 Mar 2015 at 11:50

I like the idea if BIAB, i think i will go gas so i can do it outside as not sure some people will like the fact i am stinking the house out anyway.

And plus i can imagine it being awesome in the sun doing it.

So i take it i need a 5gallon kettle, and a gas boiling ring, and some way of chilling that right down after. I have 1 fermentation bucket already but maybe i need a secondary.

My birthday is next month so i am thinking of just taking the money from that to invest into the all grain method

seabiscuit · 17 Mar 2015 at 12:22

You'll want a pot larger than 5 gallons, as that's how much you want to end up with. Our electric boiler is 40 litres which means we shouldn't have any issues with it boiling over.

mohawk · 19 Mar 2015 at 15:13

anyone else here just a 1 gallon brewer like myself? or doesnt anyone have some nice recipes i can convert to 1 gal. stuck on my next project!

f00b4r · 20 Mar 2015 at 08:32

mohawk said:
anyone else here just a 1 gallon brewer like myself? or doesnt anyone have some nice recipes i can convert to 1 gal. stuck on my next project!

I have moved to AG BIAB but considering trying 1 gallon sous vide beer making for testing hops and recipes as it looks to be incredibly useful in terms of learning about flavors whilst being something that can be done with minimal hands on time.

http://blog.sousvidesupreme.com/2014/07/beer-making-sous-vide-style/

Looks like I need to reach out directly to the brewer though about what he does for all grain though.

Squid · 20 Mar 2015 at 20:23

mohawk said:
anyone else here just a 1 gallon brewer like myself? or doesnt anyone have some nice recipes i can convert to 1 gal. stuck on my next project!

Think the Stove Toppers kits from brew uk at £10 are 4 liter.

Squid · 20 Mar 2015 at 20:33

f00b4r said:
I have moved to AG BIAB but considering trying 1 gallon sous vide beer making for testing hops and recipes as it looks to be incredibly useful in terms of learning about flavors whilst being something that can be done with minimal hands on time.

http://blog.sousvidesupreme.com/2014/07/beer-making-sous-vide-style/

Looks like I need to reach out directly to the brewer though about what he does for all grain though.

My opinion on that is worts not being boiled ? so the acids in the hops don't convert ... think the guy at brulosophy.com/exbeeriments/ proved that beers Whirlpool at boiling were judged to be more hoppy in aroma and bitterness compared to cooled then Whirlpool, before that people thought cooling help preserved some of the more delicate hop aroma.

f00b4r · 20 Mar 2015 at 20:54

Squid said:
My opinion on that is worts not being boiled ? so the acids in the hops don't convert ... think the guy at brulosophy.com/exbeeriments/ proved that beers Whirlpool at boiling were judged to be more hoppy in aroma and bitterness compared to cooled then Whirlpool, before that people thought cooling help preserved some of the more delicate hop aroma.

Yeah there is no boiling so you need to use isomerised hop extract for bitterness, hence why I would only look to use it for small tests batches.
However the recipes posted are for extract and I don't know what he does for all grain versions, hopefully I can get an answer on this direct from him.

Squid · 20 Mar 2015 at 21:21

isomerised hop extract just brings back memory's of oranjeboom !!!

wez130 · 22 Mar 2015 at 09:29

Hi, rather than start a new thread, i'll start here, shame the images are missing from the first pages though

.

I work at a hotel / restaurant with our own micro brewery, we brew around 36 different beers / porters / stouts etc, and before i started here, i had never had beer

.

Anyway, now i'm a convert and my favourite beers are Belgian styles and IPA's / EPA's and i've been inspired to start brewing. Naturally, being a chef, i want to go the full hog and go straight in for a full mash brew. I have a fair idea of what i need equipment wise, i've got a 35l water boiler / tea urn in my watch list on ebay, also, a 33l fermenting bin (i'll get 2 of these so i can have 2 brews at a time going). I know i need a hydrometer, airlocks etc. I have access to all the hops / grains, malts and yeasts at work

. I also picked up a pretty good book from Amazon called 'Home brew beer' by Greg Hughes. I do have one question, will a fish tank heater (Brand new of course), be fine to keep a constant 22 degrees? (I understand that yeast reacting will generate heat too). I do have the perfect cool dark place to keep my fermenting vessels.

Apart from that, what would other people recommend equipment wise? I can't wait to start brewing

wez130 · 22 Mar 2015 at 09:39

john_s said:
I made most of my all grain kit:

Mash tun from a cheap Asda coolbox.
25l and 60l fermenting buckets with 1 and 2 Tesco value kettle elements for the HLT and boiler.
A few bits and pieces from the plumbing shop to make filters, with tank connectors and valves to fit.
Copper pipe cooling coil (wound it round a fire extinguisher to make the coil).

I can't remember exactly what it cost, but it wasn't expensive. The most expensive part was probably the pipe to make the cooling coil.

How did you do the copper pipe? What's it connected to? Thx

john_s · 23 Mar 2015 at 08:25

wez130 said:
How did you do the copper pipe? What's it connected to? Thx

I wrapped a roll of 8mm copper pipe round a fire extinguisher to make the coil and used a couple of lengths of 15mm pipe to connect to the top and bottom of the coil and to make "hooks" to hang the coil over the edge of the boiler. I also soldered the coil to the inlet pipe each time it touched to give it some rigidity. I put a washing machine quarter turn valve on each end, which I then screwed some cheap snap hose connectors on to so I could connect the hosepipe to it.

I'll see if I can dig out a photo, which will make it clearer.

wez130 · 23 Mar 2015 at 10:09

I think i saw pics of one on ebay yesterday. I can figure it out, now where's the cheapest place to buy copper pipe lol

jimmy321 · 23 Mar 2015 at 12:33

wez130 said:
my favourite beers are Belgian styles.

Fine to keep a constant 22 degrees?

Apart from that, what would other people recommend equipment wise? I can't wait to start brewing

Brewing Belgian beers can turn what you will learn from a normal brewing book on it's head, yeast selection and temp control important. I would make your IPA's first to get some experience.

For most Belgians you will need temp controlled fermentation with the correct yeast pitch, I'm taking liquid yeast and making a proper sized starter you will get away with dried to begin with.

You will need a fridge with a heater connected to a controller (Google st1000 temperature controller). Most under counter larder fridge (without freezer compartment) will only take a 25L FV but that's plenty for the style.

You would normally start fermentation about 18-20°C then raise it to 25-30°C over a week or so and conditioned cold, hot or both for an extended period before bottling.

I would read 'brew like a monk' after you are experienced and you should also read the 'Yeast' book possible before brew like a monk.

FrenchTart · 23 Mar 2015 at 13:34

As above, I would definitely try making some more forgiving beers before venturing into anything remotely "Belgian".

wez130 · 23 Mar 2015 at 18:53

I intended on simple beers first anyway.

Would this water boiler be ok to use for brewing?

http://www.nisbets.co.uk/Buffalo-Manual-Fill-Water-Boiler-30Ltr/CC192/ProductDetail.raction

jimmy321 · 23 Mar 2015 at 19:56

I don't have any experience with them but I have looked at them when my current boiler needed fixing, I've seen a few threads about them on the home brew forums.

You may need to bypass or replace the thermal cut-off with one with a higher rating or it may cut out before the end of the boil.

30L is the smallest size I would buy if looking again I have 25L which I need to fill withing a few cm's from the top to make a 19/20L brew so 30L would be good for 23L batch 25L absolute tops.

There's a thread about fitting a ball valve and hop stopper without cutting here, it's for a 40L so I don't know if it's the same.

I will be going down the induction route if my current boiler breaks.

FrenchTart · 23 Mar 2015 at 23:24

I'd personally just build your own boiler. Perhaps not acceptable in a commercial setting though.