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nac_brew

1 brew
Joined
Oct 3, 2014
Messages
38
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Location
east sussex
After a couple of months of researching and collecting bits I have today made my own basic brew equipment and tomorrow morning will be attempting to brew my first all grain and for that matter any type of brewing.

I have chosen a simple looking honey pale ale.

Was wondering what your first brews were and how did they go?
 
My 1st was 4Kg Maris otter 500g crystal 75g fuggles 60 min 25g fuggles 20 min. Main problem was we were about 4l short as it looked like we didn't need as much water as we did so it can out at 5.5% instead of 4.6% but it tasted great. The biggest issue we had was no wort chiller so it took over 3 hours to cool.
 
A slightly higher % is a bonus. I have myself a home made chiller so hopefully should work.
I live in Hastings so about an hour away I think.
 
First all grain after a 15year rest was a strong dark ale based on a smoked beer recipe but without the smoked malt. Turned out great but the hop strainer did fall off wich made transfering to FV a right pain, especially as I couldn't use my wort chiller. Hop strainer updated and no problems since.
In fact I am just drinking a pint on the second batch I brewed a few weeks ago.
 
Good fortune with the brew..

fwiw my first few ag brews were all over the place, u name it i f*cked it up..

the beer however was VERY forgiving and turned out lush so if u hit a hic-cup, dont fret the beer gods are smiling down on u..
 
I had a couple of mistakes bit all in all I think it went okay.
I put the honey in 10mins early and may of added slightly too much water but apart from that I think it went okay, the test will be in the taste.
 
I had a couple of mistakes bit all in all I think it went okay.
I put the honey in 10mins early and may of added slightly too much water but apart from that I think it went okay, the test will be in the taste.

congrats on first brew

sounds a bit familiar as my first ag brew had a few hiccups as well

i made a similar mistake with volumes of water so final brew is about 3% tastes mighty good though (and ive had a second opinion on it) so now just waiting for it to carb up and condition.

hopefully brew 2 will be on tuesday
 
My first brew was an 8 pint AG amber ale. I made some pretty obvious rookie mistakes (let the mash get too hot, allowed air in to the beer when bottling plus a few others that I can't remember) but it turned out pretty well. Still have two bottles left (only made it about 8 weeks ago) and it's been getting better each time I try it, will be gutted when it all runs out. I've done an 8 pint AG porter as well but it's too much effort for such a small brew IMO so I've switched to kits until I can obtain all the kit i need to make bigger batches.
 
congrats on first brew

sounds a bit familiar as my first ag brew had a few hiccups as well

i made a similar mistake with volumes of water so final brew is about 3% tastes mighty good though (and ive had a second opinion on it) so now just waiting for it to carb up and condition.

hopefully brew 2 will be on tuesday

Nice one, I used to go to the hastings beer festival years ago is it still going?

Yeah it's still going, it's slightly smaller than it was and is all under cover now. We had a few years of trying to make it massive with "big acts" then it was going to stop all together now its more as it should be with local acts and a fair few beers
 
My first brew was an 8 pint AG amber ale. I made some pretty obvious rookie mistakes (let the mash get too hot, allowed air in to the beer when bottling plus a few others that I can't remember) but it turned out pretty well. Still have two bottles left (only made it about 8 weeks ago) and it's been getting better each time I try it, will be gutted when it all runs out. I've done an 8 pint AG porter as well but it's too much effort for such a small brew IMO so I've switched to kits until I can obtain all the kit i need to make bigger batches.

I'm making 5 gallon brews, just using basic equipment converted a 6 gallon tub into a kettle, brought a basic fermenter and made a cooler into a mash tun.

I had some problems with my mash tun losing heat too fast so may have to get a better one or wrap it in insulation
 

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