My first attempt at all-grain homebrewing

[DerbyGull]

So i did my first ever homebrew a couple of weeks ago now. Did it the 'proper' way (all-grain) as opposed to extract brewing (no offence but chucking a load of instant beer powder into hot water isn't really brewing).

It's 2 weeks old today and i (i know i shouldn't have) had a pint of it last night.

It's very tasty indeed (although it needs two more weeks to mature), it's a pale ale and taste very similar to exmoor hound dog, abv currently stands at 3.6%. Used 7 pound of pale malt, 1/4 pound crystal malt, styrian gold hops, cascade hops and dry yeast.

4.5 gallons

Did a second brew last week end, altering/improving things slightly but using same ingredients.


Has anybody here attempted brewing?

Had any success/disasters?

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I was thinking about setting up a brewing kit for my old man. Is it expensive to do?

 

[Poyetry In Motion]

I confess to cheating at wine fermenting. I used one of the Youngs kits. Made myself a nice 32 bottles of fruity Merlot in just 9 days. When I feel confident enough, i'll have a crack at it the proper way, but until then i'll stick with the 'just add water' method!

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Years ago ... when real ale was almost unobtainable in pubs ... I took to brewing my own.

A very satisfying pastime. I always used a 4.5 gallon polypin to store the finished product in. It lasted for a remarkably long time and was much easier than bottles.

All-grain brewing feels like a great triumph when you've done it - but it's a helluva palaver, compared with extracts. Home-brewed "real" lager is the ultimate challenge.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I confess to cheating at wine fermenting. I used one of the Youngs kits. Made myself a nice 32 bottles of fruity Merlot in just 9 days. When I feel confident enough, i'll have a crack at it the proper way, but until then i'll stick with the 'just add water' method!

Despite having a very prolific grapevine trailing around the back of the house (from next door's garden!), I've never tried "real" wine making ... crush the grapes, leave the juice to fester, bottle. No added water, no added sugar, no added yeast.

 

[DerbyGull]

It can be as expensive or inexpensive as you make it. For example a 30 quart stainless steel/aluminium boiling may set you back £50, mash tun £70, fermenter £12, wort chiller £60, ingredients (25 kg pale malt etc) and all the little things like hydrometer and thermometer etc etc, prob combine cost of £100.

If you DIY alot of the tools, you'll save a packet, there are alot of american diy clips on you tube on how to, if you can be assed to.

 

[DerbyGull]

Years ago ... when real ale was almost unobtainable in pubs ... I took to brewing my own.

A very satisfying pastime. I always used a 4.5 gallon polypin to store the finished product in. It lasted for a remarkably long time and was much easier than bottles.

All-grain brewing feels like a great triumph when you've done it - but it's a helluva palaver, compared with extracts. Home-brewed "real" lager is the ultimate challenge.

Alot of work, but FUN, takes on average 5/6 hours (especially on an electric stove )

I won't attempt Lager until i've mastered the pale ale. From what i here it's the hardest to replicate.

 

[DerbyGull]

Gonna 'cask condition' too, otherwise it's not really considered 'Real ale'.

 

[ali jenkins]

One of my ex's dads used to brew Ale and it tasted really good, just as good as any Ive had in a pub.

He used to do a batch (about 100 bottles) every 6 months and it lasted really well.

Infact, its about the only thing I miss about that relationship!

 

[Norman Potting]

Years ago ... when real ale was almost unobtainable in pubs ... I took to brewing my own.

A very satisfying pastime. I always used a 4.5 gallon polypin to store the finished product in. It lasted for a remarkably long time and was much easier than bottles.

All-grain brewing feels like a great triumph when you've done it - but it's a helluva palaver, compared with extracts. Home-brewed "real" lager is the ultimate challenge.

I would echo that, doing home brewing properly (full mash is the term) is a palaver but the results are worthwhile. Have only managed it once or twice, no brewing at all since kids, neary 8 years!

I used to kit brew and got good results - one simple tip is to reduce the amount of water used (1pt per gallon) as it gives a better result. Since Boots stopped selling home brew stuff I think Wilkinsons is the only chain store selling it. I bought a Norfolk Wherry Bitter kit from them a couple of years back in the vain hope that I would resurrect my home brewing - dream on! Would recommend that particular kit, used to use it a lot when Boots often had it on offer.

 

[jcdenton08]

Perhaps slightly off-topic but it's time for the first JULMUST of the year. I, for one, think it is the Christmas drink of all Christmas drinks.

 

[burrish-gull]

I cheat a bit, but Ive got my own Fuggles Hop bine in my garden, I bought a full kit to brew bitter then use the dry hopping technique to add extra hoppy flavour. The results were superb last year, hoping for the same in a couple of weeks

Couple of tips sterilise everything fully, get a decent brewers malt and yeast, I use this guy on Ebay, he has it all!

Home Brew items - Get great deals on Beer Making Kit, Bottles items on eBay.co.uk Shops!

 

[beorhthelm]

im looking forward to getting brewing when i have the space (not really practical in a 1 bed flat).

is larger really much harder, or is it just hard to get one similar to a known brand? are wheat beers and Stout easy enough? i intend to a do a kit brew to warm up then get on the grains, got to be more fun and experimental.

 

[Grendel]

I was thinking about setting up a brewing kit for my old man. Is it expensive to do?

Best thing to do, if neither of you have never brewed before, is go for a kit. You won't get the same results as grain or even extract but you'll get an idea of the basic principles of brewing. Most places online will do a starter set-up that gives you everything you need to get going, once you've got that you can either buy more kits or move onto extract/grain as and when you wish. There's a good shop in Worthing that I get my gear from - Home Brewing Mail Order

 

[PHCgull]

a lot easier than full grain brewing but ive got 50litres of cider from apple juice from the garden about to go to bed for the winter... secondary fermentation in may will make it delicious. gonna stop it this weekend to keep it at 4.5% - 5%... long time to fruition but ive still got last years' to keep me company

 

[Derbyshire Seagull]

I cheat a bit, but Ive got my own Fuggles Hop bine in my garden, I bought a full kit to brew bitter then use the dry hopping technique to add extra hoppy flavour. The results were superb last year, hoping for the same in a couple of weeks

Couple of tips sterilise everything fully, get a decent brewers malt and yeast, I use this guy on Ebay, he has it all!

Home Brew items - Get great deals on Beer Making Kit, Bottles items on eBay.co.uk Shops!

I've used this store a few times as its close to me, but they do free delivery anywhere in UK for orders over £45

Creative Winemaking Spondon Derby Beer Kits Wine Kits - (Powered by CubeCart)

I'm only as far as the basic kits - but you can adapt them for a bit of variety.

 

[tedebear]

We here in Zefarelly mansions are nearly there with our first batch of home made wine...

 

[DerbyGull]

im looking forward to getting brewing when i have the space (not really practical in a 1 bed flat).

is larger really much harder, or is it just hard to get one similar to a known brand? are wheat beers and Stout easy enough? i intend to a do a kit brew to warm up then get on the grains, got to be more fun and experimental.

I'm currently brewing from my 1 bed flat, can be done.

Pilsners (or Lagers as they're commonly known) are made slighty differently and to be honest i'm not too knowledgeable on them so i won't comment further, they do need alot cooler temperatures than ales whilst fermenting i believe, but don't quote me.

All grain is easy and so much fun, i seriously reccommend you skip extract and dive straight in with all grain, that's what i did.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMHLqnWCNjE&fmt=18

 

[DerbyGull]

[yt]JMHLqnWCNjE?fs=1&hl=en_GB[/yt]

 

[British Bulldog]

We here in Zefarelly mansions are nearly there with our first batch of home made wine...

Are you brewing from fresh ingredients or from a kit?