What next for my second brew?

[Notlaw]

First brew was maris otter and goldings with Gervin ale yeast. What should I try next to vary that? Should I try mixing malts, different hops or try the same recipe with a different yeast?

 

[MyQul]

With AG your beer world is your oyster (stout) what do you like drinking in the pub? Try something in that style?

 

[Herb]

I've been looking through the GH book.

Think I fancy doing either an IPA or Yorkshire Bitter next.

 

[darkbright]

I've got the Black IPA on the go from the Hughes book and it smells amazing. Can't wait to taste it.

Could try a clone kit from malt miller, they have loads. I might try an old peculiar clone next or a witbier. Just for somethings bit different to have in the bottle store.

 

[Slid]

First brew was maris otter and goldings with Gervin ale yeast. What should I try next to vary that? Should I try mixing malts, different hops or try the same recipe with a different yeast?

This is the ancient and wondrous English beer. If you want to add one thing, I would suggest adding a small amount of Crystal malt to the next one - maybe 5 - 10% of the grain?

 

[MyQul]

Deffo what slid says. EKG is lush in a nice English bitter

 

[Hoppyland]

First brew was maris otter and goldings with Gervin ale yeast. What should I try next to vary that? Should I try mixing malts, different hops or try the same recipe with a different yeast?

Sounds to me like a question to which the answer is "42". Which I guess is another way of saying ask 10 people & expect 10 different answers! Anyway, here's mine:
Don't change the yeast.
If the yeast works for you - I mean that it produces nice-tasting beer for your palate - stick with it for the present. Your first beer is very simple - just pale ale malt (delicate flavour) plus a classic English hop. This means that the yeast will have a big part to play in the character of the final beer, so - if you want to change things - stick with the same yeast & you'll have a yardstick for flavour.

I would definitely change the hops. Even if you like your present beer, save a few bob by not using Goldings as a bittering hop. If you want a really English character, use Challenger or similar as full boil, then Goldings for late/dry.
But, do you like the more recent American IPAs? Even if you think they're a bit too extreme in bitterness/hoppiness, why not try a hybrid. Perhaps a mix of an American hop (Amarillo, Cascade) with Goldings added dry might be worth a try.
The malt. Certainly experiment here. But what sort of beer do you like? If you like what you've already made - so you're a "light " beer enthusiast then try it again but add a small amount of a crystal malt - personally I like Caragold here, together with a small amount of a darker crystal
My suggestion is to play around what you know - don't vary it too much. But then, when you've got confidence, try something off the wall - maybe a really dark ale, but lots of hops!
You'll know when you're ready to try it! :)

 

[Notlaw]

Reading GH book and I wouldn't mind trying that Belgian pale or maybe the honey porter for our lass. I want to try a witbier, but reckon I should try something not that complicated before doing that.

 

[mereside]

Go for it, I did a wheat for my second AG with stepped mash, just have everything set out in advance, you won't regret it, Atb Wayne
Ps a friend from work did his first simple AG on Friday he is now hooked I lent him some pots and gave some grain and yeast to try

 

[Covrich]

You literally have so many options now, you can make anything you want,

Don't be afraid of a witbier, if you want to try it.. try it.. I want to try one, not done it yet though.. The only thing I would say is and I may be wrong with witbier but those styles you may want to consider a liquid yeast

 

[Notlaw]

Planning a few things now. Just got off the phone to my old man, he's got mates and contacts that can get all sorts. He's just got me 4 Grolsch crates filled with empty flip top bottles and a 30 litre aluminium pot with a tap already on it.

 

[dad_of_jon]

I've done a few fruity wheat beers but with extract. With the sugars in the fruit syrup I ended up with 7-8% brews so I think i'll do a plain wheat beer next time. I've used MJ's wheat beer dried yeast and that turned out lush. I've not tried the fermentis wheat beer yeast though.

 

[Notlaw]

I've done a few fruity wheat beers but with extract. With the sugars in the fruit syrup I ended up with 7-8% brews so I think i'll do a plain wheat beer next time. I've used MJ's wheat beer dried yeast and that turned out lush. I've not tried the fermentis wheat beer yeast though.

Is it like the cherry and blackberry ones that Ive tried? I know that the recipes say to add the fruit to the FV. Do you need to do anything to the fruit first to make it a bit more sterile?

 

[cheapbrew]

Planning a few things now. Just got off the phone to my old man, he's got mates and contacts that can get all sorts. He's just got me 4 Grolsch crates filled with empty flip top bottles and a 30 litre aluminium pot with a tap already on it.

ooooh I'm so jealous! I put wanted ads on about five local frecycle/reuse groups hassled round pubs n clubs etc and skip dived recycling bins everywhere I see them, asked EVERYONE I know(some say I've already asked them!) and not a single swing top have I to my collection.

Yours sincerely
Mr Green of Herts!