Finally ready to do some all grain beer brewing

[Tron]

Just took delivery of my Speidel Braumeister today direct from Germany. (They know a thing or two about brewing beer there). Thinking I'll go with a Belgian Tripel Ale for my first brew.

 

Here is a short video of this bad boy in action:

 

 

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin

[ChknFngr]

wow, nice

this seems to be really well made.

so u buy all the ingredients in the US ?

[Tron]

I have a local home brew store that I buy my grain, yeast and hops from. Some of the grain and hops used for various recipes are imported....mostly specialty malted grains. 90% of the hops are grown here though.

[Tron]

Here is the grain bill for the first brew I plan to do...going to keep it relatively simple and go for a Belgian Dubbel. Should be able to have this one in the keg and ready to drink by Thanksgiving.

 

Ingredients for 6 U.S. Gallons (23 L)

10.6 lbs (4.81 kg) | Belgian Pilsner malt

1.0 lbs (0.45 kg) | Light Munich malt

0.5 lbs (227 g) | Aromatic malt

0.5 lbs (227 g) | CaraMunich malt

0.5 lbs (227 g) | Special "B" malt

1.5 oz (43 g) | Tettnang hops, 4% AA (60 min)

0.5 lbs (227 g) | Cane Sugar

0.75 lbs (340 g) | Dark Belgian Candi Syrup (60°L)

Yeast | WLP530 Abbey Ale or WY 3787 Trappist High Gravity, 2.5 packages (or appropriate starter).

*The recipe is intended to yield 6 gallons at the end of the boil.

 

Specifications

Original Gravity: 1.064

Specific Gravity: 1.012

IBU: 23

Color: 15 SRM

ABV: 6.9%

Boil Time: 90 mins

[comfort]

nice man send me a bottle when your done would like to taste it ill pay for shipping  if its done or a trade ill send you some belgium and dutch beer lol

[eidolonFIRE]

Nice! 

 

I've done a bit of all grain brewing. It's a lot of fun! Takes all day to do a batch and clean up though.

 

Seems like a triple might be a bit more difficult for the first run, but that's just me I guess.

[ChknFngr]

i want  that same system, and as i have lots of real trappist around me, maybe i could get the ingredients directly from them, mmm have to try this

[ChknFngr]

ok been 1 year now, how did it goes Tron ?

im gona order my first kit this week, really basic noob kit with liquid mix already made but yea got to start somewhere

wemm gona take a few days/weeks before ordering to be sure i make the right choice, so if u got any advices, they would be welcome

[eidolonFIRE]

ok been 1 year now, how did it goes Tron ?

im gona order my first kit this week, really basic noob kit with liquid mix already made but yea got to start somewhere

wemm gona take a few days/weeks before ordering to be sure i make the right choice, so if u got any advices, they would be welcome

 

It's not hard to do grain brewing for the first time. I recommend it. The biggest difficulty factor is which beer you decide to brew. Anything heavy or higher alc% will be trickier and have a higher risk of messing it up. 

Otherwise, it's just a matter of doing your research and following instructions to a 'T'.

 

It's a lot easier to have an extra set of hands though when doing all the changes and stirring etc.

[ChknFngr]

my goal is to make like a 6% belgian blonde beer abbaye style,

i mean i have some beer in mind that i love and that i think might be better with some differences.

but that  just a goal, not even sure to get anywhere near this.

 

but i dont know what material to buy really for a real noob.

 

i see those starter kits like this one:

 

 

or something that looks cleaner:

 

but i guess that wont be enough ? unlike the starter kit

 

like i said im a noob at this, but i decide to try, not even sure of how to do it yet

[ChknFngr]

nvm im gona get that first noob kit and start from there. then upgrade

[eidolonFIRE]

a cheap way to do the boiling that I've done is a propane burner and a large stainless steel pot.  Probably easier to clean too.

[ChknFngr]

yea for the boiling i was thinking about the one i posted (2nd pic)

its made of inox but its electric, but yea less anoying than boiling and controling the temp all the time i guess.

 

they have a starter kit with this one too, so i guess its all i need to start

and ofc hops, malt and all the rest

 

gona wait a bit and inform myself a bit better tho before buying it but it seems to me like the best kit to start, without investing thousands ..

the kit is sold for like 360

 

[eidolonFIRE]

yea for the boiling i was thinking about the one i posted (2nd pic)

its made of inox but its electric, but yea less anoying than boiling and controling the temp all the time i guess.

 

they have a starter kit with this one too, so i guess its all i need to start

and ofc hops, malt and all the rest

 

gona wait a bit and inform myself a bit better tho before buying it but it seems to me like the best kit to start, without investing thousands ..

the kit is sold for like 360

 

 

not a bad looking bit....  I'm still a bit doubtful on the electric pot...   A propane burner is going to heat your shit WAY faster.

 

also, a simple cooling radiator can be made with copper tubing from lowes and a few hose clamps...  Save a few bucks!

[ChknFngr]

well they have gaz burners too but the kit is a bit out of my budget for now.

they also have the one @@Tron have but thats way over my budget. i wont spend thousands for this, at least not right now.

 

i will try to find reviews on this electric pot

[eidolonFIRE]

well they have gaz burners too but the kit is a bit out of my budget for now.

they also have the one @@Tron have but thats way over my budget. i wont spend thousands for this, at least not right now.

 

i will try to find reviews on this electric pot

 

You could always DIY it  

 

Find an old gas grill and take the propane rail out of the bottom.  If you have a welder or a drill+nuts/bolts,  put together a simple frame and BINGO!

[ChknFngr]

thats a good idea

guess i need to do more research, i dont get why these packs come with 2 big pots while others come with 3

3 pots is they way to go if u do full grain brew ?

or its like 2 different fermentation pots

 

i also plan to grow my own hops, i have a place with all the room needed for that, just have to find the right hops species

Edited October 1, 2014 by ChknFngr

[eidolonFIRE]

thats a good idea

guess i need to do more research, i dont get why these packs come with 2 big pots while others come with 3

3 pots is they way to go if u do full grain brew ?

or its like 2 different fermentation pots

 

i also plan to grow my own hops, i have a place with all the room needed for that, just have to find the right hops species

 

I always did it with one 10 gallon steel pot (with lid and hose tap)

 

You'll also need a plastic bucket and a big glass carboy.

[little_old_man]

I used to make my own home-brew but mine never had a head on it and had a little more than 6% by volume.  

 

[eidolonFIRE]

I used to make my own home-brew but mine never had a head on it and had a little more than 6% by volume.  

 

 

hehehee    the goodstuff ey?

[little_old_man]

hehehee    the goodstuff ey?

 

When I was a kid an old timer that lived up the road from me ran his riding mower on home-made hooch.

 

Moonshine is one of those all-purpose products. You can drink it, drive it, put it on cuts, and if you're out of starter fluid for the BBQ it's handy as well.

[moonpie]

I always did it with one 10 gallon steel pot (with lid and hose tap)

 

You'll also need a plastic bucket and a big glass carboy.

 

This, although I'm quickly having issues with only using a 10 gallon pot...   It is really limiting my volume (read: alc%).  I also agree that I probably wouldn't go electric - it is probably cheaper to buy a large volume pot (10-15 gallons with multi-ply bottom) and drop it on a turkey fryer stand....that is what I use.

[eidolonFIRE]

Here's another good tip if you're just getting started...

 

SANITIZE SANITIZE SANITIZE!    Buy a quart of iodine.

 

Also, never use your mouth to begin a siphon (no matter how tempting it is). Mouth bacteria will really spoil a batch.