Have a go at simple AG

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Don't forget to double the hops!

I'm not sure the trub is the main reason for cloudiness. Maybe. But it should settle out. Remember to use Irish moss or protofloc or whirfloc, that will help clear the beer.

Yes, I forgot to double in my post. I've all the ingredients needed (I was gonna substitute whirfloc tablets but he was OOS).

I've Pacific Jade hops from my last brew, should I try some in a small pot with some Sparge water?

I'll be a lot more careful when I do this next brew although I'm sure I'll still make some mistakes.
 
You mean make a weak beer with some extra spargings?

Yes, was thinking of a Sparge after the mash and then Sparge. Soaking/ mashing at 70-65 degrees for an hour and then boiling the wort with the Pacific Jade? Maybe add a little extra sugar? Any thoughts?

To Budgie: Recipe origianlly came from Clibit and passed to me via Stevej so that's where the credit is due. This is all new to me :)
 
It's worth a go. You can always add some DME once you've taken a hydrometer reading around 20C. If the gravity is too low.
 
I have now brewed my 5th small batch AG, this is a batch I'm hoping to take to Dorset with me in August

Batch 7L

Grains

Maris Otter 1.250kg
Wheat Malt 200g
Crystal 120 40g
Black Malt 10g

Hops

Summit 6g @ 60min
Citra 4g @ 30min
Cascade 4g @ 15min
Citra 4g @ 5 min
Cascade 4g @ Flame Out

Yeast

US-05 5g

Water -
Mash 4.5ltr
Sparge 5Ltr
Gypsum 1gm
Magnesium Sulphate .5g
Caragheen Tab 1/4 @ 15min boil

I created through Brewmate, Im looking for a hoppy but refreshing beer so hope this works out.

I also after reading River Cottage book designed a 5Ltr mash/sparge system with 2 x 5ltr tubs, I got an OG of 1.052 and what seems to be a very clear wort after the boil? is this right to look so clear at this stage as I have never had wort looking this clear, I hope I didnt do something wrong, I used a colander with muslin to put my wort from mash and sparge into my pan.

any thoughts on the brew and the clarirty, will the beer be ok? @clibit

Wort in Hydrometer.jpg
 
It seems to me that you did something right! I guess you had a really good boil going, how long for? 60 mins?
 
It seems to me that you did something right! I guess you had a really good boil going, how long for? 60 mins?

yes 60 mins, put pot in bath of cold water and got to 25c in 30mins but I have never had it this clear with the other 4 brews and its the first time I had a good OG, maybe the mash/sparge system worked well for me.
 
yes 60 mins, put pot in bath of cold water and got to 25c in 30mins but I have never had it this clear with the other 4 brews and its the first time I had a good OG, maybe the mash/sparge system worked well for me.

Sounds like it did. Learning by doing and trying things. :thumb:
 
I'd a good chat with my mate who I haven't seen in ages but who has brewed the all grain method and he gave a great little tip: After your sparge water, taste a little of the remaining grains and if they taste sweet then there is still sugar in them and you can sparge again ;)

I didn't put my brew on - I was out yesterday on a bus run, lost my keys which probably explains how my head feels but I did bottle my first all grain. It's still hazy and a bit bland (wish I'd have dry hopped it) but I'll quaff it down in 4 weeks time when we have a party. FG was 1.010 giving me a brew of just under 4%.
 
I`ve read conflicting reports on whether to squeeze the bag or not.
I`m using a large bag and 23 litre grain kits and have been sparging with good results but I`m tempted to give it a good squeeze on the next batch.
 
Personally I think the people who say don't squeeze are just worriers. I think tannins are released by too much heat, not by squeezing.
 
Few pics my 1st AG - MO and EKG and my 3rd AG - MO, Black, Crystal, Wheat, EkG and Cascade whic I really like, pleased with the clarity of my 1st AG and love the body and taste of the dark ale.

That dark ale looks particularly good! Has other ale carbed up fully? Taste ok?
 
I`ve read conflicting reports on whether to squeeze the bag or not.
I`m using a large bag and 23 litre grain kits and have been sparging with good results but I`m tempted to give it a good squeeze on the next batch.

Squeeze that b*astard like it owes you money. Tannin extraction is a chemical process not a physical one. You'll really up your efficiency. Personally I don't like doing it cuz it's so messy and prefer a really long lauter instead
 
Squeeze that b*astard like it owes you money. Tannin extraction is a chemical process not a physical one. You'll really up your efficiency. Personally I don't like doing it cuz it's so messy and prefer a really long lauter instead
:rofl::thumb:
 
The latest Beersmith newsletter hails the return of US home brewers to simple brewing methods:


Simple Beer Brewing

With the emphasis of many intermediate and advanced home brewers on larger and more complex brewing systems, many of us who have brewed for years (over 24 years in my case) have started turning back to smaller, simpler beer brewing. The trend is far from universal, but I've found even friends with brewing systems that cost 10's of thousands of dollars occasionally enjoy making a simple 5 gallon (19 litre) batch of beer using traditional methods and equipment.

Another factor at work here is the realization that pumps, whirlpool chillers, RIMS, and HERMS systems are not necessary to brew great beer. The automation can make some steps easier and more consistent - especially for large batches, but some amazing award winning beers have been made with nothing more than a picnic cooler and large pot.

The other challenge many brewers face is the lack of time. Jobs, kids, longer hours and the diminishing line between work time and play time eat into our brewing time. We are blessed, as beer brewing in itself does not have to take a lot of time - but one is pressured to get the most of the precious hours spent brewing.

There is certainly nothing wrong with taking the entire day to brew 25 gallons of beer on your giant home-built brewhouse, but sometimes it is also fun to go back and brew a simple beer in a small batch. So this week I'll take you back and share some of the lessons learned in an attempt to simplify my all grain beer brewing and get back to basics:

Five Gallons (19 litres) is Great - It is fun to play with 10-20+ gallon brewing systems, but time, space and other considerations make dealing with 5 gallons the easiest (you can still lift the fermenter or pot easily) and fastest. The time spent in setup, brewing and particularly cleanup is all less with a small 5 gallon system. The equipment is light, easy to handle and easy to clean. Also a 5 gallon batch is a great test size to perfect a recipe before moving to a larger brewing system.

Keep the Grain Bill Simple - Many beginners tend to think that adding as many types of grains as possible will somehow enhance the beer. The truth is that many great commercial beers are made with pale malt and perhaps one or two other malts. If you do some research into beer styles, you will find that it is rare that more than 2-3 specialty grains are needed to make even complex beer styles.

A Single Infusion is Good Enough - Yes, I've played with decoction, multi-step infusion, mash-outs and other exotic mash profiles, but for beers that don't have exotic cereals or adjuncts added (which is about 97% of all beers), a single infusion mash is good enough - so keep it simple.

Overlap the Tasks to Save Time - Sometimes I have only the evening to brew beer, and have brewed full all grain batches in as little as three hours. The key is to overlap the tasks as much as possible. For example, I will heat my mash water, and while it is heating I'll crush the grains. Once the infusion mash has been started, I'll measure and lay out all of the equipment and ingredients for the sparge and boil. When the boil is on, I'll be cleaning the chiller and getting my fermenter sanitized. In every step, I try to make sure I'm prepping for the next step or cleaning the equipment I'm finished with so I can save time.

Two Hop Additions Is Enough - For most beer styles, a single bittering hop addition and a single aroma addition is often enough. The fact is that most aromatic hop oils boil off in less than 10 minutes, so if you want to preserve aromatics keep the boil time short for those additions. For example, I will often add a bitterness hop addition at the beginning of the boil and a second addition the last 5 minutes to preserve aroma.

You Don't Need Fancy Equipment - More equipment means more setup time and more cleaning after you are done. For all grain infusion mashing, often a 5 gallon water cooler and large pot is sufficient. Extract beers require even less equipment. If you want to keep it even simpler, consider Brew-In-A-Bag which requires only a single large pot and one large grain bag to brew great all-grain beer. Formulating a good recipe, and following a good process when brewing will affect the quality of your beer more than the latest brewing widget.

Brewing beer on a fancy recirculating mash system is fun, but occasionally its also fun to get back to basics and brew a few gallons the old fashioned way. Even for large systems, simplifying your recipes and processes can save you time and money without sacrificing on quality. So get back to basics!

:thumb:
 
Made my first full all grain today, turned out better than expected and none of the gunk I had in my first experiment. Credit to Clibbit and SteveJ for the recipe but it's this thread that made me do it.

I've posted on my own blog for others to read, even with steps for noobs lol considering I was a noob 4 weeks ago I'm over the moon I done it!

http://belfastbrewdays.blogspot.co.uk/
 
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