re: Homebrewing Thread: Volume II

Brewing gets real complicated real quick if you let it. My advice is to not let it until you are sure that you like the hobby.

If you have the pot, don't worry about doing anything to off the bat. Go buy a plastic carboy, the airlock, sanitizer (Star-San), and an auto siphon. Either have your local homebrew store build you an extract kit or order one online. Brew the beer on the stove, cool it down, then transfer with the sanitized auto siphon into the carboy, toss the yeast in and call it a day.

If you like the process (maybe not the finished product quite yet), then start upgrading. If you don't like the process regardless of the finished product you are only out like 50 bucks worth of equipment.

You just need a hole for a weldless ball valve (to move the wort from kettle to fermenter) and a hole for a thermometer.

I thought of one other thing: temperature control. Try to find a spot for fermentation where there are not large fluctuations in temp, and if you don't have actual temp control then choose strains of yeast that are less prone to making gross flavors at the temp you're using and/or brew styles of beer that make sense based on where the beer is fermented. After kegging, the biggest improvement to my beers was getting temperature control of my fermenters. Almost all "off" flavors and flaws in my beers went away when I gained control of that.

thanks for the advice. I'll update when we get something going.

That does look nice. I really like Maris Otter, i've used it many times. I haven't used it in a while, however.

I pitched a packet of Gigayeast Brux Blend yesterday when i got home from work. The beer was already churning away, and with this, this beer should finish very low. Hopefully i get some brett character with this. Seeing as i'm kegging, i don't think i have anything to worry about. On a side note, i had really good efficiency for this beer. About 85% mash efficiency, and a Total brewhouse efficiency of 78%. Typically i've been getting around 72% total efficiency. I credit most of that to a good thermometer. My brewmometer is good enough for getting close, but it's typically reads about 3 to 4 degrees cooler than my thermapen (knockoff brand - i have the lavatools brand). Makes your efficiency better when you don't have to add hot or cold water to the mash tun. Simply mashed in. Gave it a few stirs, let it sit, then measured and i was dead on my mash temps. It also probably helps that i took my time to measure the grain temp and mash tun temp before adding the grain and water to the tun.

In 2 weeks i'll be dry hopping with 2.25 oz. Nelson Sauvin.

Any adverse affects to adding French oak to the fermenter right now, as it ferments? Was going to boil the chips for about 10 minutes, then soak in 1 cup of white wine, then dump the whole thing into the fermenter.

That being said, anyone know of a good cheap French wine? I'm not a big wine drinker, but there are some white's that i've had that i've liked. I typically find them to be too sweet. The only french winery i can think of off the top of my head is louis jadot.

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I wouldn't boil them if you're trying to get any oak.
Soak in wine should be enough alcohol and PH issues for anything nasty to worry about.

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You're right. I was going to boil them to remove too many phenols thrown off, but i remembered i have brett now in the batch.

I'll soak for a day or 2, then toss in.

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Any adverse affects to adding French oak to the fermenter right now, as it ferments? Was going to boil the chips for about 10 minutes, then soak in 1 cup of white wine, then dump the whole thing into the fermenter.

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Have you listen to the Shea Comfort Sunday Session? There is more oak info in that episode than is possible to comprehend in one listen through.

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That being said, anyone know of a good cheap French wine? I'm not a big wine drinker, but there are some white's that i've had that i've liked. I typically find them to be too sweet. The only french winery i can think of off the top of my head is louis jadot.

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Go with a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough. Perfect pair for Nelson Sauvin.

Pliny extract kit

Would this be a good kit for a first brew? It has great reviews and I think doing extract for first one makes more sense.

Agreed. Simpler is better. So is darker.

Simpler is cheaper as well. I agree with these guys, your first beer should be about the process, not the beer itself

I'd also see if you can find someone to watch/assist with a brew day.

When I first started brewing, porters and stouts were always the beers that turned out best.