First All-Grain Brew Success!

[Askari Joe]

Hi,

I just want to post about my first AG I did yesterday. I've been gathering my kit and working out my method for what seems like ages and yesterday I finally put it all in to practice.

Apart from a very slight boil over (a rite of passage I've read) it all went swimmingly. Not a hitch nor an unforseen problem at all. I did get quite a bit of condensation on the kitchen ceiling before I opened the back door though. Nevertheless it was all very relaxed and enjoyable. The mash was done overnight so wasn't waiting around for that and the wort cooler I made chilled my wort in 25 mins, so it was all a very smooth process.

Anyway, this is not to brag about my abilities this is just to encourage all the folks out there toying with going all-grain. Do it. Yeah, you need a bit more kit and yeah it's marginally more work than extract brewing, but it's such a joy and if I can do it without it turning in to a horror story so can you! Just get your kit sorted and test it, do a dry run, so you know how it'll all work mechanically and read up about it all in advance so you've got both hands free on the day. Go for it.

I just hope after all this chatter it ferments out ok and tastes as good as the AG aficionados promise!

Cheers all.

P.s. I even got cleared up before my wife came home! Nice.

[Lime Corridor]

Askari Joe, massive congratulations. It is a real buzz isn’t it. Now, wait until it has completely fermented out and you draw off that first proper pint, and the taste! Your heart will sing. Keep at it, I hope you have completely smashed it first go.

LC

[Askari Joe]

Ha ha. Cheers Lime Corridor. I like the 'heart singing' bit. Brewing really does give you a buzz. The weird thing is I started brewing with only the end product in mind, the beer. Now I'm loving the process and creating the recipes. I've already got the next one lined up. Should be in two weeks if I can convince my wife she has to go out on that particular day. I'm doing a very pale ale to try and convince my cousin that ale isn't all like Old Peculiar. He's a lager drinker so this should enlighten him all being well.

Gary's Fake Lager...

3kg Lager Malt
1.5kg Pale Malt (Maris Otter)
500g Maize, Flaked

60 mins 10g Chinook 13.3AA
60 mins 5g Citra 13.8AA
30 mins 10g Chinook 13.3AA
15 mins 10g Citra 13.8AA
(39.1 IBU)

OG @ 1.051
FG @ 1.014
Colour - 8° EBC / 4° SRM (Yellow)
4.9% ABV

It's a bit hoppy for a lager fan, but I'll be drinking most of it no doubt.

What are you on with at the moment?

[Spikesdad]

Another one on the slippery slope Welcome to the dark side.

[filet o fish]

well said joe.

[barney]

I hope your wallet knows what your letting it in for.

Congratulations on your success, the real joy will come with those first few pints.

[Askari Joe]

NOOOOooooo! It's half the price of my extract brewing! (That's how I justified it to the lovely SWMBO)

Do you mean I'll be doing it more and more and upgrading my kit to increase capacity? I guess you're right about my wallet then. I'm already thinking of getting draught flow stuff and brewing double quantities. Dark side indeed.

[Lime Corridor]

I'm already thinking of getting draught flow stuff and brewing double quantities.

Oh, you are done for! There is no escape now. The recipes will keep you awake at night.

Good Luck

LC

[micromaniac]

NOOOOooooo! It's half the price of my extract brewing! (That's how I justified it to the lovely SWMBO)

Do you mean I'll be doing it more and more and upgrading my kit to increase capacity? I guess you're right about my wallet then. I'm already thinking of getting draught flow stuff and brewing double quantities. Dark side indeed.

well done that man doubles brews is the way forward i do this all the time now i only have to brew every two months but like you say the planing of the brew is good to

[jimp2003]

Well done Joe!

I know exactly what you mean about the process giving you a buzz. I really love the build up to a brew. Creating a recipe, changing your mind half a dozen times and then brewing it is great fun. The end product is enjoyable too of course.

Here's to the first of many successful brews!

Jim

[Dennis King]

Cherry popped.

[DeadFall]

NOOOOooooo! It's half the price of my extract brewing! (That's how I justified it to the lovely SWMBO)

Do you mean I'll be doing it more and more and upgrading my kit to increase capacity? I guess you're right about my wallet then. I'm already thinking of getting draught flow stuff and brewing double quantities. Dark side indeed.

well done that man doubles brews is the way forward i do this all the time now i only have to brew every two months but like you say the planing of the brew is good to

Yep, I'm going to jump in with the equipment to do 40L batches... when the list-of-things-to-do-first that SWMBO set me is empty. I swear things keep getting added on to it.

[simco999]

Well done - that's it you're hooked - you may do the odd kit but now
your ours - welcome to the dark side.

[far9410]

It will keep you awake at night as the list of recipes to do line up and you realise you ain't got enough time to do em all!

[Beer O'Clock]

P.s. I even got cleared up before my wife came home! Nice.

Well done. It feels good don't it ?

BTW I always try to get cleaned up before SWMBO gets in, anything to keep things sweet