New to Whole Grain.

[Neil1454]

Hi,

I'm Extremely new to this.
I have the "Home Brew Beer" book by Greg Hughes. Never having done anything out of it. But read allot of the intro etc.
Just wondered if someone would clarify my understandings please...

1: I'm looking for an easy first beer mash to do from the book. Easier the better. Any suggestions?
2: Mash is where I get the desired litres of water to temp and then I add the grains and maintain the temp i.e 65c for the desired time. Usually 1hr. Sparge with water at 74-77c. Enough to take to the required boil liquid requirements.
3: For the boil I ramp up the temp to like 100 degrees and the top up liquid will have come from the sparge to what is stated for the boil e.g 27 litres and boil for stated time e.g 1 hr and 15 mins.
4: 27 litres will reduce to the 23 litres that is indicated to make.

Then I cool as quick as poss and then move to FV, add yeast at stated temp and ferment out?

Thanks

 

[Clint]

Basically yes. Though the finer points need ironing out to get it just right. A "dry run" setting up and getting to know your gear and seeing if where you intend to brew etc will work is a good idea. Next you need to work out,this can happen by trial and error over a few brews, what your system losses through boil off and kettle loss and grain absorption will be as this affects your volumes. Is your cleaning and sanitation up to scratch? You need to work out your water temp to achieve your mash temp...adding 65 degree won't work as the grain will drop the temp. You need "sufficient" time to complete your brew...no good having to just nip out...then add couple of hours!!
As for recipes..the single hop pales are a great starting point!
Enjoy!

 

[RichardM]

For your first beer you could try one of the single hop recipes. I have done a few of them. All are good

 

[Dutto]

Ditto @RichardM above.

There are many millions of variables to AG brewing. To mention a few, method, type and wright of malt, hops and yeasts, variations to the water pH, variations to mash temperatures and times, variations to boil times etc etc etc. The variations are literally limitless.

In view of this I recommend that you keep to one malt (Maris Otter is a good base malt) and yeast (I recommend a bottom fermenting dried yeast such as Gervin 12) for your first our brews and only vary the hops for variety, weight and timing.

From these simple ingredients it is still possible to make varieties of Bitters and Pale Ales and by the end of these brews you should have a good handle on what each hop does with regards to bitterness, taste and aroma.

Welcome to the madhouse!

 

[keat64]

You'll no doubt make a goof of it the first time, I bet we all did.

I made a right cock up with my first mash, the temperature was far too low by the time i'd stirred it all. I ended up adding a few kettles of boiling water, which sent it up too high, resulting in me having to add cold to bring it back down again.
The mash was like a yoyo.
I used far too much water in the mash than the recommended quantity.

Guess what though, the end result turned out just fine.
It knocked the socks off any kit beers I'd brewed in about 40 years.

One little tip with the mash, add your grains around 72 degrees, by the time you've stirred it and broken the flour bombs, it will have dropped to about 66.
Try to keep it warm, wrap it in a duvet with a pillow on the lid, up against a radiator. The temperature won't half drop over an hour.

 

[Dutto]

God is very forgiving to new brewers!

Then you get complacent and WHAM!

Brilliant pastime though!