Easy Recipes

[frany8472]

Ive now got all my equipment, going shopping later for ingreadents. Just need a nice receipe so i no what to buy. looking for what ever is easy. similar to spitfire or speckled hen. I'm not after a clone. just something in that ball park 5%ish

[boingy]

As Chris says, there are zillions of recipes on this forum ranging from fairly standard beers through to quite esoteric ones. For your first brew you should probably stick to the "standard" end of things.

A great one to start is here:

www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/recipe.htm

and has the added advantage that you can follow the very lovely Jim as he progresses pictorially through the brew.

[Northern Brewer]

Once you have tasted your first AG, you are going to want to drink more of it. On that basis, 5% is a pretty a strong beer, so you may wish to consider going for something a little less alcoholic. On the other side of the coin, you are unlikely to reach 4% with Jim's recipe, which by Jim's own admission isn't particularly hoppy either. Here is my stock bitter recipe, for 'Folding's Guggle', which is simple, well-balanced and should come out a shade over 4%.

Folding's Guggle
4KG Pale malt
300g Crystal Malt (7%)
20 IBUs Fuggles (55g if 4.2%) 90 mins
15 IBUs Goldings (45g if 4.3%) 90 mins
15g Fuggles 15 mins
10g Goldings 15 mins
S04 Yeast
Primary 10-14 days then keg.
Mature for 4 weeks before drinking (or at least try to).

[frany8472]

I like the sound of the last one. im still unsure about water quantitys. how much do i mash with, then how much do i use for sparging. then how much would i boil for a 5 gallon brew (23lt)

[Northern Brewer]

I'd mash the above with 12 litres of 74C water, which should start the mash at 67C. After 90 minutes I stir in a further 8 litres of 80C water then perform the first run off. Once that dries up I turn off the tap and stir in a further 14 litres of 80C water, then perform the second run off. The grain soaks up about 6 litres of water so I ultimately collect 2 x 14 = 28 litres. This steams off to about 21 litres during the boil, which takes place outdoors for me. After the boil is over I top-up with boiling water to make 23 litres.