Help WIth Second Time Brewer

Brewing processes and methods. How to brew using extract, partial or all-grain. Tips and tricks.

Moderator: slothrob

Post Reply
Wolfsburg
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2003 7:27 pm

Help WIth Second Time Brewer

Post by Wolfsburg »

It has been years since I have brewed beer. And I have only done it once so bear with me as I do not really know technical terms and such. Please help me with my "simpleton" questions.

I have a kit that has the what I assume is the fermenting/mixing tub and the secondary tub (for bottling?). I have the siphoning gear, air lock thingie, and the specific gravity meter. lost my instructions so I am at a loss. Here is what my basic question:

Can a batch be brewed from malt syrup and yeast alone? It seems upon doing my research to refresh my memory i notices some kits with with malt syrup included grains. Are grains required or are they recipe options? My first time I merely boiled the malt syrup with water, added yeast, and fermented over a few weeks.

Oh yeah, it seems some of the malt syrup includes directions - would they be specific enough brew utilizing my current kit?

Are there any other *specific* resources that can help me?

Thanks in advance for any help.
Azorean Brewer
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
Posts: 326
Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2001 1:31 pm
Location: Greenville SC
Contact:

Recommended Reading

Post by Azorean Brewer »

Hi, to truly understand the brewing process I highly recommend spending $15 for Charlie Papazian's "New joy of home brewing" it will answer all of your questions and then some.

To answer your question is simple terms, Yes you can only use canned malt extract, water, yeast, but I would recommend hops if the cans are unhopped.

A quick simple non-grain 5-gallon (2 cases 12 oz. bottles) recipe would include (remeber that this is the most BASIC you would want to go)

2 - 3.3 Lb. cans Malt Extract Unhopped
1 & 1/2 gallons water
1/2 - 1 oz. pellet hops for bittering, (try 1/2 Target, or N. Brewer, or 1 oz Cascades, Willamette, E. Kent Goldings)
1 oz. Flavor (pellet) hops (Hallertaur or Saaz)
1 package of ale yeast

If the cans are Hopped (called Kits), omit the additional hops and only boil for maximum of 5 minutes or you will change the complexity of the kit.

Start by putting 1 & 1/2 gallons of water into a large stainless steel pot (12 quarts or bigger)and start the heat, open and add the cans of Liquid Malt Extract (a.k.a. LME) to the water, Bring to slow rolling boil (be careful of boil overs, if this happens your wife will be furious, what a mess :-). Once rolling boil starts set the oven timer for 60 min. At 60 min. add bittering hops. At 15 min. left on timer add flavor hops. When timer hits zero, shut off heat and pour 3 gallons of very cold water into your fermenter. Stir and dump entire contents of boiled wort (unfermented beer) including the hops that you have added into the 3 gallons of cold water. Fill to 5 gallons with additional cold water (if necessary), check temp, when below 80F sprinkle the yeast on top of wort, stir vigorously, lock the top, add air lock and add some water to air lock, Allow it to ferment for 5-7 days. Siphon to bottling bucket, add 3/4 cup of corn sugar that has been boiled in two cups water and allowed to cool to bottling bucket, stir and fill your clean bottles. Cap them and let them rest for 3 weeks.


This is as BASIC as it gets. And this is only intended to help you in the very short term, like if you wanted to brew this weekend and can't get any reading material. However I STRONGLY recommend to make some truly great beer from LME READ, READ, READ everything you can before you brew, the dividends will pay off big time.

Hope this helps,

Paul.
BillyBock
Imperial Stout
Imperial Stout
Posts: 561
Joined: Sun Dec 31, 2000 11:37 am
Location: Ohio

Welcome Back!

Post by BillyBock »

Welcome back to brewing, Wolfsburg.

www.howtobrew.com was indispensable resource for me before I bought any books. You should be able to find the answers you're looking for in there.

A batch can be brewed with malt extract alone. There are four methods: extract, extract with steeping grains, partial mash, and all-grain mash. It sounds like you used a pre-hopped extract kit before. Also realize that there are un-hopped malt extracts also. So if you purchase one of these be sure to get extra hops, otherwise you won't have any bitterness to your beer.

The instructions included on cans of malt extract normally have you add an equal part of table sugar. The sugar will have the effect of thinning out the beer while raising the alcohol content. If this is what you're after then follow the instructions, otherwise if you want an all-malt beer, then replace the sugar addition with another can of malt extract. I personally prefer all-malt brews.

Let us know how you're "first" brewing session goes. Don't forget to check out the link.

v/r
Bill
Azorean Brewer
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
Posts: 326
Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2001 1:31 pm
Location: Greenville SC
Contact:

Duh ... I should have thought of that LOL ...

Post by Azorean Brewer »

Hey Billy, How's it going. Good advice I could have saved a lot of typing, but then again everything you read helps right? I have taken a little break from posting but not brewing. I am crunching in classes after work 2 semesters to go after this one for my B.A. and I am ready for it to end. I have been brewing though, can't stop that. On tap right now is a Keg of Oktoberfest, a Great Pilsner, and a Steam beer.

Well good catching up ... gotta get ready for work ... see ya

Paul.
BillyBock
Imperial Stout
Imperial Stout
Posts: 561
Joined: Sun Dec 31, 2000 11:37 am
Location: Ohio

Wassssssuuuuuuup?

Post by BillyBock »

Hey, long time no speak. Good luck on the classes. When I got my Masters I kept brewing also--some habits just die hard I guess :-)

Let's see, what's on tap? Oh yea...2 kegs of Foreign Extra Stout, 1 Keg of lawnmower beer (leftovers), and 2 kegs (aging) of Helles Bock. In the next week or two, I'll be making my "world-renowned" Pale Ale. Well, at least in my world anyway :-) Don't know what to make after that...maybe a Wee Heavy?

Gotta run to work too, see ya soon.

v/r
Bill
Wolfsburg
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2003 7:27 pm

Thanks

Post by Wolfsburg »

Azorean Brewer and BillyBock -

Thanks for the information and tips. Your replies have jarred my memory
somewhat. I am hoping to begin a batch next week,. I will post again just
to narrate peoblems, reflections, and results -others may find it
beneficial and entertaining.

What is funny as my wife has me on a "beer budget." Now I am buying much
more diapers and formula than beer. She does not seem to mind me
homebrewing. It is cheaper and much more rewarding. So what better time to
start again!

Thanks again. Will be back in a few weeks .
Post Reply