cool, be sure to post pics of the end product 
How to brew your own beer - The All Grain method
- Thread starter PaulStat
- Start date
Man of Honour
Really wish I'd brought my equipment with me when I moved house. I don't really have the time to do lots of home brewing though, so it ended up being sacrificed :/
Associate
any ideas on your first beer Ahleckz? whats it going to be? u dont have the recipe for the 5am saint do you? ive never tasted it but heard its great. was in Glasgow a few weeks ago and had dinner at mother india in the west end. we were going to head down to the brewdog pub but had to head to the city centre. miss the ould town lol.
Probably going to make a Leffe blonde style beer I think. Nothing too hoppy or anything like that (primarily to keep costs down more than anything, hops aren't cheap and don't want to brew an expensive beer first time round in case I mess anything up). Though that being said, my brewing partner (we started our home brew adventure together and plan to continue doing so - always handy to have a second pair of hands. And I like to think of him as my apprentice!) wants to do something strong and hoppy but I'll win that argument.
I'm afraid I never pinched any of the recipes, thinking back I should have copied a few of them down. I was only there for a few months, so I doubt I'd be able to recall the hop schedule let alone the full recipe even if someone prompted me. It wasn't a good job.
I've never actually been to a Brewdog pub, but I have drank plenty of their stuff straight out of the FVs which I suppose is better!
I'm afraid I never pinched any of the recipes, thinking back I should have copied a few of them down. I was only there for a few months, so I doubt I'd be able to recall the hop schedule let alone the full recipe even if someone prompted me. It wasn't a good job.
I've never actually been to a Brewdog pub, but I have drank plenty of their stuff straight out of the FVs which I suppose is better!
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Associate
im not really a fan of their beers but id heard the 5am saint is good. i wouldnt mind trying a belgian too at some point. make sure you calibrate your setup for losses etc. im sure youve already done this. took me a fair while to understand why i was only bottling 19 litres instead of 23 lol. theres a few belgian blondes on jims. enjoy mate!
The trouble with Brewdog is that their quality control is somewhat lacking and each batch can (and does) taste quite different to another. Whilst some say that is part of the charm of craft breweries, I don't want to spend £1.60 on a small bottle of beer which I think I like to find out it tastes horrible.
Trashy Blonde is my favourite.
Yea, I'll take notes of all of that. My pal wanted to start a brew next week because he has lots of time off work but I don't think that'll be possible. Hopefully have one ready for drinking for Christmas though!
Trashy Blonde is my favourite.
Yea, I'll take notes of all of that. My pal wanted to start a brew next week because he has lots of time off work but I don't think that'll be possible. Hopefully have one ready for drinking for Christmas though!
Two brews in one day yesterday, I now have ~80 pints bubbling away in my lounge
Associate
I would really love to learn this, a bloke I worked with was part of a brewers club and one of them started his own brewery in Basingstoke.
Just looks like great fun and simple after you have done it a couple of times.
Like in the original post is the best place to get the heaters car boot sale?
Just looks like great fun and simple after you have done it a couple of times.
Like in the original post is the best place to get the heaters car boot sale?
Yup that's where they usually turn up
Still haven't started on my brew yet, still on the hunt for an immersion chiller. Money has been a little tight, and I've been super busy but hopefully get my brew on around the beginning of the month.
I was considering doing my dissertation (I study law) on home made alcohol and the law. However, changed tact for something slightly easier to research.
I was considering doing my dissertation (I study law) on home made alcohol and the law. However, changed tact for something slightly easier to research.
I'm still on the lookout myself if anyone spots a cheapie somewhere. Got my halls set up nicely, so I've got bills included and a bit of space. 
Looking to get one before Christmas, and brew a **** load as we're going to have a massive get together and what better way than more beer than people can drink? ^^
Looking to get one before Christmas, and brew a **** load as we're going to have a massive get together and what better way than more beer than people can drink? ^^
Associate
- Joined
- 30 Dec 2003
- Posts
- 2,254
Not that I have any personal experience but reading around the subject it would appear an immersion chiller is not required, though it does speed the process up. You can either wait (say, overnight) before adding the yeast or even put the FV in a bath of cold water. Maybe you could give the brew a go sooner rather than later?
Associate
You could build your own. Guide here.
http://www.beoir.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=99&Itemid=45
These guys are pretty cheap for copper etc
http://www.gasproducts.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_10mm_x_10_Metres_Copper_Tube.html
http://www.beoir.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=99&Itemid=45
These guys are pretty cheap for copper etc
http://www.gasproducts.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_10mm_x_10_Metres_Copper_Tube.html
Associate
You can either wait (say, overnight) before adding the yeast or even put the FV in a bath of cold water. Maybe you could give the brew a go sooner rather than later?
That's what I do, if your leaving it overnight you can stick a bung and air lock on it and pitch the yeast in the morning.
Soldato
After being cast out of the kit thread I'm told i should be posting in here 
I is all grain - although BIAB!
BIAB is slightly different to traditional AG brewing with regards to not needing as much kit.
All I've bought different is an 2nd hand tea urn.
After a little modification (changing a spade connector underneath to bypass the thermostat) it boils constantly.
All the mashing and boiling takes place in here. Basicly you heat the water to mashing temp (66c + 3 for temp drop from grain), add your grain in a bag (auction site net curtain) insulate and wait 90 mins.
boiler lined with net curtain and covered in silver bubble wrap (others use a flece jumber or sleeping bag.)
At 90 mins gather the bag and lift out. Drop this into a large bowl as you going to wash the grain and use that water to top up the boiler. Add 2 odd litres of off boil water and soak
Grain
Start the boiler and heat to boiling.
add the 1st hops
At this point i hit a snag. The boiler boils to fast!
I had to take the buble wrap off so it lost heat through the sides.
Nice rolling boil.
Back to the grain bag. Lift it out the soak water and squeeze. Add this water to the urn.
2 more litres off boil water into the grain. ready for the next topup. Repeat as needed.
keep boiling and topping up. This is boiling off any unwanted flavours from the brew.
I was aiming for 25 litres of liquid at the end so need 27 odd because i don't want the junk from the bottom.
Fresh out the urn during brewing - lots of floating junk.
Add any other hops at the times specified. Hops boiled long times add bitterness, shorter boils aroma and flavour.
At the end of the boiling remove the hop bags, put the lid on and wait till steam is pouring out the sides and turn the boiler off.
I'm doing a no cool brew. I'm leaving it over night to cool on its own so i need the inside sterile. The lid now gets shrink wrapped on and is lef till the morning.
14 hours later i'm at 34c.
Drawing a little liquid off from the tap shows i'm at 1049 on the hydrometer. Near enough 5%! A little strong for a black sheep bitter clone (3.8)
I is all grain - although BIAB!
BIAB is slightly different to traditional AG brewing with regards to not needing as much kit.
All I've bought different is an 2nd hand tea urn.
After a little modification (changing a spade connector underneath to bypass the thermostat) it boils constantly.
All the mashing and boiling takes place in here. Basicly you heat the water to mashing temp (66c + 3 for temp drop from grain), add your grain in a bag (auction site net curtain) insulate and wait 90 mins.
boiler lined with net curtain and covered in silver bubble wrap (others use a flece jumber or sleeping bag.)
At 90 mins gather the bag and lift out. Drop this into a large bowl as you going to wash the grain and use that water to top up the boiler. Add 2 odd litres of off boil water and soak
Grain
Start the boiler and heat to boiling.
add the 1st hops
At this point i hit a snag. The boiler boils to fast!
I had to take the buble wrap off so it lost heat through the sides.
Nice rolling boil.
Back to the grain bag. Lift it out the soak water and squeeze. Add this water to the urn.
2 more litres off boil water into the grain. ready for the next topup. Repeat as needed.
keep boiling and topping up. This is boiling off any unwanted flavours from the brew.
I was aiming for 25 litres of liquid at the end so need 27 odd because i don't want the junk from the bottom.
Fresh out the urn during brewing - lots of floating junk.
Add any other hops at the times specified. Hops boiled long times add bitterness, shorter boils aroma and flavour.
At the end of the boiling remove the hop bags, put the lid on and wait till steam is pouring out the sides and turn the boiler off.
I'm doing a no cool brew. I'm leaving it over night to cool on its own so i need the inside sterile. The lid now gets shrink wrapped on and is lef till the morning.
14 hours later i'm at 34c.
Drawing a little liquid off from the tap shows i'm at 1049 on the hydrometer. Near enough 5%! A little strong for a black sheep bitter clone (3.8)
Soldato
Adding some aire for the yeast.
Doh!
Darn't take any more out though. Must be over 8 litres of crud in there!
Final temperature was 35c so the yeast is in.
Doh!
Darn't take any more out though. Must be over 8 litres of crud in there!
Final temperature was 35c so the yeast is in.
Nice to see a different method. I shall be bottling mine tomorrow night
Associate
Nice one. What size is your boiler mate. Love that you can see the wort from the outside. Like a sight glass without the hassle. Theres some calculators for adding back water after to reach your abv but i cant remember if they suggest pre or post fermentation. Itll be a great pint!
Associate
Just spent the afternoon brewing an Oktoberfest. Recipe from Brewing Classic Styles. Using two sachets of saflager 37/40 for the ferment at 10 degrees. Should be a 10 day ferment with a diacetyl rest once its down to 1020. A month of lagering in the brewing fridge. Then bottled. Going to brew a pils using the slurry from it. Hopefully it starts getting colder for some ghetto lagering in my entry lol. Ill post some pics if i can figure out how to lol.