New member and First Extract Brew Day Report

[homebrewdave]

Hey folks, well yesterday was fun as I did my very first extract brew which I am going to refer to as EB01. I'd bought a cheap 15ltr stainless steel stock pot from the bay-of-e about a month ago along with a couple of EB kits from BrewUK. Id also bought the new book Home Brew Beer by Greg Hughes (Mr BrewUK) and what a cracking read it is giving me loads of confidence prior to yesterday. Listed below is the contents of the kit:

Badger Golden Glory

Target OG: 1.048
Estimated ABV: 4.6%
Volume: 20ltrs
165g Crushed Crystal Malt
2x1kg Light Malt Extract
1x500g Light Malt Extract
67g Fuggles Hops
33g Challenger Hops
15g Dried Elderflowers
1xmuslin bag
Yeast: Fermentis S04

As you will see from the pics below I started just after 12 and think I completed around 2.30 after cleaning up the kitchen. Ok, so here goes with a few pics as we all like images with a brewday report:

Time to unpack the ingredients but unfortunately I was missing the muslin bag which comes with the kit
[img]http://imageshack.us/a/img6/8461/ui8x.jpg[/img]

I cleaned and sanitised the new s/s pot just in case and filled it with 6ltrs of water comprising 4 hot from the kettle and 2 from the cold tap
http://imageshack.us/a/img440/4645/1uvz.jpg

Put the 165g Crushed Crystal Malt Grains into my polybag that I use for hop teas which worked a treat. This is just after placing in the hot water
http://imageshack.us/a/img802/3506/7vsw.jpg

Steeped grains after 30 mins
http://imageshack.us/a/img96/286/fovq.jpg

Brought the infusion to a boil and then added the first 1kg of DME which had been premixed with cold water, back to the boil and the start of the 60mins boil
http://imageshack.us/a/img855/2416/2vdz.jpg

First of the hop addition of 67g of Fuggles
http://imageshack.us/a/img594/3594/nylr.jpg

Second hop addition of 19g of Challenger and 15g of Elderflowers (smelt amazing). Third hop addition of 14g of Challenger and what I think was the hot-break
http://imageshack.us/a/img35/78/k5l3.JPG

I'm afraid that's it for the pics as I was too busy cooling the wort and transferring it to the FV. I didn't go by the instructions to the letter at this point as they say to add the remaining 1.5kg of DME to the hot wort prior to cooling. I decided I wanted to do the mixing of the 1.5kg of DME in the FV which worked well albeit with the usual clumping issues which eventually got mixed in. I think there were positives and negatives to this. I thought that if I added it all to the hot wort it would have become a thicker consistency, not mix well (clumping) with all the hops and cause issues when straining the wort into the FV as I wanted maximum wort extraction without leaving too much behind in the leftover hops.

After mixing the DME in the FV I syphoned the cooled wort into the FV. My syphon tube got blocked due to the hops but after persevering and the use of a sanitised colander and sieve it was all transfered to the FV with minimal hop particle transfer. I then aerated the wort, took an OG reading which was 1048 (spot on), checked the temperature which was 21 and added the yeast mixing well and giving another aerating to the wort for extra measure. I fitted the lid, set the heater to 19 and moved it under the stairs.

In summary, I'm so glad I've gone to extract brewing as its that much more involving and I love the steeping of the grains. Equipment wise I'm happy with what I have but I do need to get a balloon whisk which will help no end. Well, that's about it from me. If you have any comments (good or bad) or tips they will be greatly received.

[homebrewdave]

Hmmm, can't get the pics to work, only as a link. Anyone know what I'm doing wrong?

[homebrewdave]

Maybe I should have posted this in the Brewdays section!?! Mods feel free to move this

[jimp2003]

Hey folks, well yesterday was fun as I did my very first extract brew which I am going to refer to as EB01. I'd bought a cheap 15ltr stainless steel stock pot from the bay-of-e about a month ago along with a couple of EB kits from BrewUK. Id also bought the new book Home Brew Beer by Greg Hughes (Mr BrewUK) and what a cracking read it is giving me loads of confidence prior to yesterday. Listed below is the contents of the kit:

Badger Golden Glory

Target OG: 1.048
Estimated ABV: 4.6%
Volume: 20ltrs
165g Crushed Crystal Malt
2x1kg Light Malt Extract
1x500g Light Malt Extract
67g Fuggles Hops
33g Challenger Hops
15g Dried Elderflowers
1xmuslin bag
Yeast: Fermentis S04

As you will see from the pics below I started just after 12 and think I completed around 2.30 after cleaning up the kitchen. Ok, so here goes with a few pics as we all like images with a brewday report:

Time to unpack the ingredients but unfortunately I was missing the muslin bag which comes with the kit


I cleaned and sanitised the new s/s pot just in case and filled it with 6ltrs of water comprising 4 hot from the kettle and 2 from the cold tap


Put the 165g Crushed Crystal Malt Grains into my polybag that I use for hop teas which worked a treat. This is just after placing in the hot water


Steeped grains after 30 mins


Brought the infusion to a boil and then added the first 1kg of DME which had been premixed with cold water, back to the boil and the start of the 60mins boil


First of the hop addition of 67g of Fuggles


Second hop addition of 19g of Challenger and 15g of Elderflowers (smelt amazing). Third hop addition of 14g of Challenger and what I think was the hot-break


I'm afraid that's it for the pics as I was too busy cooling the wort and transferring it to the FV. I didn't go by the instructions to the letter at this point as they say to add the remaining 1.5kg of DME to the hot wort prior to cooling. I decided I wanted to do the mixing of the 1.5kg of DME in the FV which worked well albeit with the usual clumping issues which eventually got mixed in. I think there were positives and negatives to this. I thought that if I added it all to the hot wort it would have become a thicker consistency, not mix well (clumping) with all the hops and cause issues when straining the wort into the FV as I wanted maximum wort extraction without leaving too much behind in the leftover hops.

After mixing the DME in the FV I syphoned the cooled wort into the FV. My syphon tube got blocked due to the hops but after persevering and the use of a sanitised colander and sieve it was all transfered to the FV with minimal hop particle transfer. I then aerated the wort, took an OG reading which was 1048 (spot on), checked the temperature which was 21 and added the yeast mixing well and giving another aerating to the wort for extra measure. I fitted the lid, set the heater to 19 and moved it under the stairs.

In summary, I'm so glad I've gone to extract brewing as its that much more involving and I love the steeping of the grains. Equipment wise I'm happy with what I have but I do need to get a balloon whisk which will help no end. Well, that's about it from me. If you have any comments (good or bad) or tips they will be greatly received.

Just showing the pics...

You can't post pics until you have posted 10 times I think. Also when you do post them use the Img button.

[barry44]

Sound lovely mate. You will need to respond with tasting notes.

[orlando]

I like seeing the different approaches to brewing, as it shows there are quite a few and often relatively simple steps with little kit needed to end up with a decent brew .

[jimp2003]

I will be really interested to hear if the elderflower comes through in the finished beer as it is something I have thought about using but have never taken the plunge.

Cheers!

Jim

[homebrewdave]

Jim, I'll let you know as soon as I've had a taste when it's conditioned which will be earliest end of January 2014.

[homebrewdave]

Sound lovely mate. You will need to respond with tasting notes.

Will do barry44

[homebrewdave]

Just need to.....

[homebrewdave]

up my post count re the pics

[homebrewdave]

Hmm pics still not working!?!

[orlando]

Hmm pics still not working!?!

Try it in a new post.