All Grain Brewing Secrets

[flything]

Make sure all the taps on mash tuns, boilers and fermenters are closed BEFORE you add liquid to them.

Careful sanitisation, don't rush this.

Keep temperatures as stable as possible, not sure it makes much difference if its 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 or 22 deg, but my beer has tasted better since I've found a place where the temp is stable at 18 deg (sharing a cupboard under the stairs that has a stone floor with a fridge)

Cover your plastic fermenters with a bin bag to keep light out

[Scooby]

I think if I was contemplating my first mash and I read all that lot I'd run a mile

My advice would be forget about the chemistry and isomerising and just do a brew

[prodigal2]

I think if I was contemplating my first mash and I read all that lot I'd run a mile

My advice would be forget about the chemistry and isomerising and just do a brew

It is so easy to get caught up in the chemistry stuff. You don't need to understand much to make great beer, time patience and good base technique. But that is the great thing with this hobby, you can take this to what ever lengths in your understanding of the chemistry, and the type of equipment you use, and yet from what ever stance you take you can make comparable beers.

At then end of the day its about the fun you get from making and consuming you beers that counts above all else

[mysterio]

I agree. Don't get hung up on the chemistry, but if you do have a simple understanding of it, you'll be in a better decision to tweak your brews. However, I'd be surprised if you weren't even a little curious as to whats going on in the process.

[prodigal2]

I agree. Don't get hung up on the chemistry, but if you do have a simple understanding of it, you'll be in a better decision to tweak your brews. However, I'd be surprised if you weren't even a little curious as to whats going on in the process.

Very true Mysterio

[Scooby]

I agree. Don't get hung up on the chemistry, but if you do have a simple understanding of it, you'll be in a better decision to tweak your brews. However, I'd be surprised if you weren't even a little curious as to whats going on in the process.

Yes, but I was putting myself in the position of softlad, and thinking back to
my first mash and how daunting it would have been having read this thread
instead of using the book that de-mystified grain brewing for me, DL's BBLTYB,

I'm just happy knowing what's happening in simple terms, (that about my level )
like, hot water extracts malty sugars from the grist, hotter=sweeter beer, cooler=drier
longer boil=bitter, shorter =aroma and flavour. (that's right isn't it ) that's all
I need and want to know, others have much more enquiring minds.

FWIW the greatest improvement to my beer was when I took the FV out of the airing
cupboard way back when that was the recommend place. And changing to a proper
yeast instead of a packet marked 'Brewers Yeast', that was all you could get from the chemist
then

[mysterio]

Again, I agree. I think we sometimes like to pretend this is some esoteric hobby, but really we're just mixing grain with hot water, straining it then boiling it - it''s the yeast that make the beer. Keeping the yeast happy is most of the battle.

I didn't mention water treatment in my post, I personally don't think it's necessary beyond treating for chlorine/chloramines with a campden tablet. Some of my best beers have been made paying no attention to water composition/ph.

[drsmurto]

I tend to be relatively vocal with my opinion of people playing around with water chemistry.

I dont and yet i have a PhD in chemistry.

Far too often peoples additions are simply robbing peter to pay paul. Campden tablets are the classic example.

Best thing to do is start reading John Palmers How to Brew.

I am going to get into water adjustments but i thought i would spend time getting used to my system, understanding what each malt/hop imparts on my beer, different mash temps/regimes, fermentation temps, various yeasts etc

Once i have mastered all of those i will start water adjustment. And not a minute sooner.

I do, however, recommend you get an analysis of your brewing water and then brew styles that use the type of water you have.

I use my town water, untreated, for my english ales etc and my rainwater, untreated, for czech and german pilsners.

Lecture over - best bit of advice i have ever had related to brewing is use the KISS principle.

[Aleman]

Best thing to do is start reading John Palmers How to Brew.

BOLLOCKS!! The best thing to do is to read The technique sections on this site, and ask some questions on the forum . . . . and try and visit another brewer and help with a brew.

I am going to get into water adjustments but i thought i would spend time getting used to my system, understanding what each malt/hop imparts on my beer, different mash temps/regimes, fermentation temps, various yeasts etc

Once i have mastered all of those i will start water adjustment. And not a minute sooner.

And that is the right way to do it. Master the Critical and important aspects of brewing first then consider tweaking the minor ones. I do often wonder if a lot of brewing books would be 'better' if the water chapters were left out

best bit of advice i have ever had related to brewing is use the KISS principle.

Absolutely. I might be able to Talk the Talk, (my mind works that way . . . and I am interested in the really esoteric aspects to brewing chemistry), but that doesn't mean that I Walk the Walk on a brewday . . . As Damfoose will be able to say

[Gurgeh]

I thought of another one: Ignore the instructions on those thermostatic mash tuns - get your strike water the right temp, chuck the grist and a crushed half-campden tablet in, stir, check temp is 66-68C put the lid on, put a quilt on it and leave for an hour.

Jeez, did I fret when starting out, trying to control the temp with that bloody thermostat!

[softlad]

Well I started to read the suggested link and sort of understand some of whats written. I'll pass this onto SWMBO as this is more her bag, being a chemist and microbiologist - she may even take an interest in brewing.

I'll have the final part of my kit built this weekend (twin IC) and then I'll be test driving it one day next week.

Having read a load on this site and watched the process on youtube (some better than others) AG brewing no longer fills me with fear.

I'll not be trying anything clever, just following the recipe and making sure everything is prepared and equipment sterilised.

What could go wrong ?

[delboy]

I tend to be relatively vocal with my opinion of people playing around with water chemistry.

I dont and yet i have a PhD in chemistry.

Far too often peoples additions are simply robbing peter to pay paul. Campden tablets are the classic example.

Whats the classic example with campden tablets?

[delboy]

I don't think anyone has mentioned this yet.

Make yourself a little check list, of water treatment, hop strainer fitted, hop additions and irish moss/protofloc etc and tick them off as you go along. Nothing worse than putting your beer into the fermenter and realising you failed to treat the water for chlorine or you forgot to add finings.

[Parva]

Well I started to read the suggested link and sort of understand some of whats written. I'll pass this onto SWMBO as this is more her bag, being a chemist and microbiologist - she may even take an interest in brewing.

I'll have the final part of my kit built this weekend (twin IC) and then I'll be test driving it one day next week.

Having read a load on this site and watched the process on youtube (some better than others) AG brewing no longer fills me with fear.

I'll not be trying anything clever, just following the recipe and making sure everything is prepared and equipment sterilised.

What could go wrong ?

Remember that you only need to sanitise anything that comes into contact with the wort post-boil. In my case this means the FV and paddle. Even the IC gets chucked into the boil 15 minutes before the end to kill any nasties there.

[softlad]

Thanks - I'd read about this beforehand but living with a clean freak who worked in labs cultivating the nasties that lurk in our water supplies, a bit of her obsessivness has rubbed off on me.

For the first brew I'll be sanitising everything, just to make sure that I'll not be serving ropey beer (or is that ropier beer). For the extra half an hour or so it'll be worth it for the peace of mind.