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Author Topic: First All Grain Batch  (Read 4825 times)

Offline bendbrew

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First All Grain Batch
« on: May 09, 2010, 08:59:43 pm »
Okay, so I have all of my equipment ready.  I will be doing my first all grain batch this weekend.  I am trying to decide what to brew.  I love English Pale Ales but would like to make them a bit stronger (6-7%).  I want to have a great hop aroma, finish (i.e. floral).  I am thinking Maris Otter, Crystal, Roasted (?) and someone suggested Flaked maize.  For hops, Fuggle and Golding:

Assuming (first time and batch sparging) a 70% efficiency:

13 gallon initial boil
90 min boil

11 finish volume

25lb Maris Otter
2lb Crystal 40
.125 oz Roasted Barley
4.lb Flaked Maize
2 oz Goldings (60 mins)
2 0z Fuggle (15 mins)

Wyeast---?

I would appreciate all responses as I am completely unsure what the heck I am doing.

Equipment:

converted 15 gallon keg as brewpot
blichmann burner
secondary burner 65
10 gallon igloo cooler with false bottom
70 qt coleman extreme with coper manifold





Offline tygo

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Re: First All Grain Batch
« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2010, 05:10:32 am »
That's pretty low on the hopping rates for beefed up ESB.  Assuming those are 4.5% AA hops something like 5 oz of bittering and 3 oz of flavor would get you more in the ballpark at around 42 IBUs.  If it were me though I'd bump that up even higher to say, 6 oz bittering and 4 oz flavor.

Also, I'd swap the Fuggles and EKG and use the Fuggles for bittering.

 
Clint
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Offline bendbrew

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Re: First All Grain Batch
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2010, 07:35:58 am »
Thank you for that advice.  I will definitely boost the hops.

Offline dak0415

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Re: First All Grain Batch
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2010, 07:43:22 am »
I would leave out the flaked maize.  Without it you still have a 6% beer.  If you want to add more alcohol, add some brown sugar, that will also give it more character and keep it more "English".  If you want it darker, use 1oz of a chocolate malt.  That will make it browner, roasted barley will make it redder, but 1/8oz won't really do anything.  Do you have a higher AA% hop available (Northdown, Northern Brewer, Target, Challenger) for bittering (90 min)? Although I got some 2009 EKG that is 7%.  I would also flip the fuggle and EKG.  Use the EKG for aroma.

Yeast :
Wyeast 1968
White labs WLP002
White Labs WLP005 (my house yeast) but use a big stater (3L for each carboy, decant and pitch slurry). Ferment at 68-70 for more fruitiness.
Dave Koenig
Anything worth doing - is worth overdoing!

Offline bendbrew

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Re: First All Grain Batch
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2010, 07:57:01 am »
So how much brown sugar should I use?  The basis of the recipe came from a buddy so I am not sure what the purpose or effect of adding the flaked maize. 

For hops, I can buy additional but I also have Amarillo, Magnum and Cascade. 

In regards to the 3L for each 5 gallons, I have one stir plate and a 2L flask.  I guess I could do a starter and buy additional packs....

Again, thanks all.

Offline dak0415

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Re: First All Grain Batch
« Reply #5 on: May 10, 2010, 08:34:26 am »
Without any adjuncts you have 11 gals. of 6% beer
Each lb of flaked maize adds .25%
Each lb of sugar (brown or otherwise) adds .5%
For ESB I would use light brown sugar.
For Brown Ale - dark brown.

If you are going with 7%, you probably need about 50-55 IBU to cover the alcohol warmth!

What kind of stir plate do you have?  Will it turn your stirbar in a 1 gallon jug or growler?
Dave Koenig
Anything worth doing - is worth overdoing!

Offline tygo

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Re: First All Grain Batch
« Reply #6 on: May 10, 2010, 08:35:43 am »

For hops, I can buy additional but I also have Amarillo, Magnum and Cascade. 


I haven't used it but Magnum is supposedly a pretty clean bittering hop.  You could probably use that for bittering and the EKG for flavor/aroma.
Clint
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Offline bendbrew

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Re: First All Grain Batch
« Reply #7 on: May 10, 2010, 08:42:18 am »
My stir plate provides only a dimple in a 2000 ml Erlenmeyer Flask.  I am not confident that it could spin in a gallon jug.

Offline bluesman

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Re: First All Grain Batch
« Reply #8 on: May 10, 2010, 08:43:44 am »
My stir plate provides only a dimple in a 2000 ml Erlenmeyer Flask.  I am not confident that it could spin in a gallon jug.

If worst comes to worst you could use intermittent shaking which will be just fine.
Ron Price

Offline bendbrew

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Re: First All Grain Batch
« Reply #9 on: May 10, 2010, 08:45:42 am »
Should I then do a starter in the 2000 ml Erlenmeyer Flask on a stir plate and another in a jug?  Should I place an airlock on the starter in the jug?

Offline richardt

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Re: First All Grain Batch
« Reply #10 on: May 10, 2010, 08:46:38 am »
I agree with Tygo and I have used Magnum as a bittering hop with great success in Saisons, Stouts, and Pale Ales.  
Magnum is a high AA (13%, I think) yet clean bittering hop.

Offline tygo

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Re: First All Grain Batch
« Reply #11 on: May 10, 2010, 08:49:57 am »
Should I then do a starter in the 2000 ml Erlenmeyer Flask on a stir plate and another in a jug?  Should I place an airlock on the starter in the jug?

I'd do two starters in two gallon milk jugs.  Split the yeast between the two and and use intermittent shaking.  Don't put an airlock on since you want O2 to be able to get to the wort.  Just loosely cover the jugs with sanitized foil.
Clint
Wort Hogs

Offline bluesman

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Re: First All Grain Batch
« Reply #12 on: May 10, 2010, 08:54:49 am »
Should I then do a starter in the 2000 ml Erlenmeyer Flask on a stir plate and another in a jug?  Should I place an airlock on the starter in the jug?

I'd do two starters in two gallon milk jugs.  Split the yeast between the two and and use intermittent shaking.  Don't put an airlock on since you want O2 to be able to get to the wort.  Just loosely cover the jugs with sanitized foil.

+1

You'll need 6 Liters if you stir and 9 Liters if you shake. Two gallons will pretty much do it if you shake.
Ron Price

Offline bendbrew

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Re: First All Grain Batch
« Reply #13 on: May 10, 2010, 08:57:47 am »
Okay-in each gallon jug; how many mls should I add and should I keep the starter wort at about 1.040?  How many days prior to a Saturday brew session should I start them?

Finally, in regards to the Magnum hops (I just purchased them from hops direct), how many ounces should I add to my recipe above?

Offline dak0415

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Re: First All Grain Batch
« Reply #14 on: May 10, 2010, 09:00:45 am »
What is the AA% of your Magnum, EKG and Fuggle?
Dave Koenig
Anything worth doing - is worth overdoing!