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Author Topic: Buy a full grain kit, or try to create a recipe for the first full grain batch?  (Read 2674 times)

Offline ynotbrusum

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Another suggestion (unsolicited, I know), is to brew one style of beer over and over again, to get your system and processes "dialed-in".  It's not mandatory by any means, but it does give you a goal, which is repeatability.  If that is a goal you wish to seek.

In the end, you will make beer - the guys here simply want you to make good beer, because it will turn you into another AHA Forum junky!  And that is a good thing according to us.
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"

Offline morticaixavier

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Another suggestion (unsolicited, I know), is to brew one style of beer over and over again, to get your system and processes "dialed-in".  It's not mandatory by any means, but it does give you a goal, which is repeatability.  If that is a goal you wish to seek.

In the end, you will make beer - the guys here simply want you to make good beer, because it will turn you into another AHA Forum junky!  And that is a good thing according to us.

First taste is free  ;)
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline dixonmike20

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You've got a lot of good advice so far. When I made the switch, I started by finding and following other people's recipes. I didn't try anything terribly fancy at first. Just some brown ales, wheat beers, etc. Now I mostly create my own based on research for a particular style. I will say my first AG batch (a clone of a S Eng Brown) was one of my best to date and scored a 42 at the Blue Bonnett Brewoff.

If there's a homebrew club near you, they will have some tried and true recipes and experience with them....a great resource.

Offline 69franx

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My first all grain batch was made from the same recipe as my favorite extract batch. I bought it all at the same LHBS and asked them for help in subbing out the LME for appropriate amount of 2 Row. It worked out excellently, and I would suggest doing something like this. It will help you be able to compare it to something to help trouble shoot the batch if it needs it. Good luck and remember to have fun with it.
Frank L.
Fermenting: Nothing (ugh!)
Conditioning: Nothing (UGH!)
In keg: Nothing (Double UGH!)
In the works:  House IPA, Dark Mild, Ballantine Ale clone(still trying to work this one into the schedule)

Offline santoch

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I agree with 69Franx-

Take one of your favorite extract recipes that you could normally brew in your sleep.  A pale ale or brown ale is a good choice.  You want something on the simpler side.
 
Sub out the extracts and replace them with base malts.  We can help you with that here.
Brew it once, carefully measuring volumes, times, gravities, etc.  Keep good notes.  You'll need them later.
Taste the result.  Compare the gravity, etc, with what you are used to getting from your extract batch.

Tweak the recipe (we'll help if you ask with good notes) so that it comes closer to what you are used to, and repeat the process.
This will let you dial in your system with something that is familiar to you, and you can do a side by side
with your extract batches (assuming you have some left) so you can see your progress.

A good starting point is to use 75% as your efficiency.  You may hit higher or lower.  The actual number doesn't matter too much as long as you get good tasting beer as the end product.   What you are shooting for is the ability to ACCURATELY PREDICT your efficiency so that subsequent batches are not a crapshoot.
That is actually the most important thing to master when making the jump, IMHO.   You can always make up for efficiency numbers later, but accurately hitting the numbers you put into the software is what will allow you to fine tune later.

Expect the first couple attempts to not match your extract versions.
if they do, that's awesome and rare.  If not, don't be surprised.  The majority take a step back for a bit while
they dial in and get the hang of AG.  Just keep good notes and ask questions.  The beers will improve as you gain practice.

HTH-
Looking for a club near my new house
BJCP GM3/Mead Judge