Hi How refreshing to find a UK site dealing with Beer production.
I have been trolling the internet to find help and designs on modifying my own Spray malt setup.
Most US sites contain set ups that are typically way over the top.
Never the less some useful ideas.
I have been brewing for a few years and had an abstenance for about 18 months when my source of gas expired and I was not willing to pay carriage costs. (Too lazy to bottle)
Now Sainsburys are distributing the Soda siphon cylinders so I can get my brew pig in action again.
I have a brew that was stored in the shed for that period of time (18 months)and wondered if it will be alright for the final fermentation. It smells ok and tastes ok so it is now in the Pig.
I would like to progress tp AG production.
I have 2 S Steel boilers 2.5 KW and numerous plastic storage and fermentation buckets,
Any help and sugestions on design / method, recipes etc. would be most appreciated from you experienced AG Brewers.
My Brewing Bible has been the The CAMERA Guide to Home brewing by Grahame wheeler
So come on guys fire it at me
New to this site
Mashing / sparging
I follow the process from instructions but a little confused over the quantities of liquer involved.
I use the same white plastic bins (approx 40 pint)as illustrated which collect the mashing run off liquer.
Then the sparging process starts
How much water is used and how can you tell when the correct PH is reached .
E.G. What happens if the bucket is full and the PH is correct at the time. Is the rest of the liquer wasted or is it collected so another fermentation can take place increasing the quantity.
Can some guidance on this point be offered
I use the same white plastic bins (approx 40 pint)as illustrated which collect the mashing run off liquer.
Then the sparging process starts
How much water is used and how can you tell when the correct PH is reached .
E.G. What happens if the bucket is full and the PH is correct at the time. Is the rest of the liquer wasted or is it collected so another fermentation can take place increasing the quantity.
Can some guidance on this point be offered
-
Frothy
wilkommen Belto
I had some really good experience extract brewing with loose hops, best thing to do on the quest to AG is to get steeping a bit of crystal malt to add to your brews. The crystal malt really adds some fresh grainy flavours as well as some residual sweetness where the extract brews can often be quite dry.
i.e. for a 5gal brew you could steep ~ 250g of crushed crystal malt in a muslin hop bag. Use 2L of water @ ~ 72-74oc (the same as if you were sparging) and leave it to steep for ~ 1hr before straining off the juice into your boiler. Some people say just boil it in the boiler but the husk contains bitter tannins which are undesirable & become extracted at higher temperatures.
Bear in mind that with the system of using malt extract you can do partial boils & so with just a 25L boiler you could dilute it down in the fermentors and be producing i.e. 50-100L brews. If in doubt check out some or R.Palmers recipes (How to Brew)
Frothy
I had some really good experience extract brewing with loose hops, best thing to do on the quest to AG is to get steeping a bit of crystal malt to add to your brews. The crystal malt really adds some fresh grainy flavours as well as some residual sweetness where the extract brews can often be quite dry.
i.e. for a 5gal brew you could steep ~ 250g of crushed crystal malt in a muslin hop bag. Use 2L of water @ ~ 72-74oc (the same as if you were sparging) and leave it to steep for ~ 1hr before straining off the juice into your boiler. Some people say just boil it in the boiler but the husk contains bitter tannins which are undesirable & become extracted at higher temperatures.
Bear in mind that with the system of using malt extract you can do partial boils & so with just a 25L boiler you could dilute it down in the fermentors and be producing i.e. 50-100L brews. If in doubt check out some or R.Palmers recipes (How to Brew)
Frothy
More questions on mashing
Another question about water quantity.
If brewing a recipe that called for 3.5 kg of Pale Malt mashing liquer would be 3.5 X 2.5 lts = 8.75 ltrs.
after the mash and running off the liquer there would be some loss but even if there was no loss would topping up with water to 23L reduce the alcohol content.
In determining the alcohol content of a brew, the the original gravity should be taken, but if the water is hot that will give an incorrect reading and therefore not a true alcohol content.
Can these be explained so my inexperienced brain absorb these details.
Don't worry these questions will eventually diminsh with time and experience
If brewing a recipe that called for 3.5 kg of Pale Malt mashing liquer would be 3.5 X 2.5 lts = 8.75 ltrs.
after the mash and running off the liquer there would be some loss but even if there was no loss would topping up with water to 23L reduce the alcohol content.
In determining the alcohol content of a brew, the the original gravity should be taken, but if the water is hot that will give an incorrect reading and therefore not a true alcohol content.
Can these be explained so my inexperienced brain absorb these details.
Don't worry these questions will eventually diminsh with time and experience
Back later
I off to sit down and watch the Arsenal and have a bottle of commercially produced beer. Spitfire
Can't wait to get going againon the real stuff
Problem is I've got a really thirsty son -in -law and he becoming more friendly when I talk about my brewing.
Oh and while were on the subject whats so good about the yeast from botttled conditioned beer( If There is any produced now)is it superior to dried yeast
Will be back later
I know I have missed the KO but this is more interesting
Can't wait to get going againon the real stuff
Problem is I've got a really thirsty son -in -law and he becoming more friendly when I talk about my brewing.
Oh and while were on the subject whats so good about the yeast from botttled conditioned beer( If There is any produced now)is it superior to dried yeast
Will be back later
I know I have missed the KO but this is more interesting
-
prolix
-
SteveD