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Ok, I forgot my list for the Wassa's Porter.
But I was at the shop and with some help from the shop man I have got my ingredients for the next brew that'll be going down tonight. I love love going to the shop, it's such fun!

Here's what I got;
Wals Old Ale 1.7L
Dark liquid Malt 1.5kg (heaps of running goodness)
Chocolate Grain (yep, I bought some grain hoo-wee)
Some Golding Hops
all for $34.90. That's more than I'm used to at BigW, but I'm going up a notch tonight.

Oh and I've been advised against using the garden hose to fill the fermenter. Really!

So what is the consensus on this? (the recipe, not the hose)

It is more a list of ingredients than a recipe but it all looks like it can make good beer to me.

You got the process for the grain and hops down pat?

Sonny wrote:So what is the consensus on this? (the recipe, not the hose)

Never used Wals Old Ale, but the other ingredients match what I use with a Coopers Dark Ale that turns out pretty good.
Need info on grain and hop amounts to comment further.


Edit: Bum types faster than me.

Obviously go to the Country Brewer in Thornleigh? My LHBS is the one in Richmond.

Haven't tried the Old Ale kit but my first two brews ever were Wal's Pale Ale kits with some steeped Crystal and some aroma hops. Don't be afraid if you open the kit and there's some big green lumpy bits. Fairly sure that TCB dry hop their kits and the pellets tend to swell up a bit.

I'd not use a massive amount of the choc grain the first time around, as it can be pretty astringent in large doses. Did you just get their little 150g baggie or one of the larger ones? If you got a larger one then around 200-250g would go nicely, I think.

The Goldings (I hate that they don't specify what type of Goldings they sell, but I have it on good authority that they're East Kent) that you bought, did you just get the little 12g tea-bag, or did you get a 60g pellet bag?

Bum wrote:It is more a list of ingredients than a recipe.........

You got the process for the grain and hops down pat?

Dunno, did what he said and steeped 'em. Then put it on top of the malt and the kit.

bullfrog wrote:Did you just get their little 150g baggie or one of the larger ones?
did you just get the little 12g tea-bag, or did you get a 60g pellet bag?

Yes and the 12g.

Ok, did I make it all too simple?
Did I need more ingredients, or amounts?

Still, t'is gunna be better than the before beers and I'm enjoying them.
The Coopers Dark has matured well at 3 weeks, and the neighbour is stealing the 2wk old Real ale.

Relax, Have Another Home brew (RHAHB) It will turn out fine and you will larn heaps from it. Not quick enough but you will learn.
Cheers

I hope beyond all hope that 'he' told you to add only the liquid from the grain steeping, not the whole lot. I know from first-hand experience that TCB has some very poor advice on all of their packaging, whether it be grain, hops or kits. I have just finished a brew (well, finished it about four hours ago) and even the base malt that I used had awful advice. Told me that I should steep 4kg of Marris Otter and 1kg of Munich for 20 minutes...

bullfrog wrote:I hope beyond all hope that 'he' told you to add only the liquid from the grain steeping, not the whole lot.

Yep, all's well. James gave me good instructions, but I do ask lots of questions.

It was quite messy doing as per 2L hot water and mixing it all in the fermenter. Also I found there was a lot more chance of cross contamination by my stirring hand in the fermenter and when pouring the ingredients.

Really I don't see what's wrong with all in the big saucepan on the stove heat, adding it all and stirring prior to adding the well mixed wort to the fermenter, and then splashing it all about as you fill to the mark with the garden hose.
Sit atop the bench and sprinkle on the yeast.

Yes, I do need comments here. I thought I had a well set up process, but apparently not going by the looks I got in the shop.

I could be reading this wrong (and I apologise if I am) but it looks to me like you may have made two errors. The first is that it appears you might have added the grain directly to the fermenter after steeping (I see no mention of you removing it from the steeping liquid). The grain really doesn't need to go in at all - just the liquid. The second problem is that it doesn't look like you boiled the grain liquid before adding it - this is an important step. These grains can very easily harbour germs that could infect your brew. Not saying it will be infected but this is a simple step to follow to greatly reduce the chances.

As for your proposed method - there's nothing wrong with it really except for the garden hose. A normal garden hose will leech plasticisers into your water which you don't really need in your beer. Have you ever noticed how water from the hose always tastes a bit funny?

Bum wrote: it appears you might have added the grain directly to the fermenter after steeping

it doesn't look like you boiled the grain liquid before adding it - this is an important step.

Have you ever noticed how water from the hose always tastes a bit funny?

Thanks Bum,
No only the liquid went in, but as instructed the 150g of gain was soaked in boiled water for 10mins, then I strained the remainder with more boiling water so as to get the last of it. No grain is in the fermenter.

Makes sense, will boil grain next time.
The hose, arggh, this makes sense too. It is faster and I understand that prior to adding yeast I need to aerate the mix.

Sonny wrote:

Bum wrote:
No grain is in the fermenter.
Makes sense, will boil grain next time.
The hose, arggh, this makes sense too. It is faster and I understand that prior to adding yeast I need to aerate the mix.

Please don't boil the grain itself, just boil the initial drained liquid and the drained sparged/rinsed liquid, for about 10 to 15 minutes to kill off nasties.

Hope you end up with a great brew.

Thanks to Bullfrog and his lovely wife for showing me over the runnings of their Hawkesbury micro-brewery.
The man isn't obsessed with brewing, he has just simply created himself a lifestyle.

I was very impressed with how easily it can be done from scratch, yet the intricate workings of this AG brewing are obviously a lifetime of dedication and learnings. I may go this way eventually, it's definitely on my mind after having a couple of Bullfrogs beers.
I could have easily become a permanent house guest.

Thanks again Mr and Mrs Bulldog, I very much appreciated your time and brews.
- - - - -

Warra48, point taken. Have discussed this with Bullfrog today as well.
I've come up now with my own way again, taking in the worries pointed out to me and other peoples techniques along with my own experiences. I'm only going to go through constant changing and adjustment, but that seems like it's the game of brewing.

Happy to have you around, Sonny. Welcome any time.

In regards to the boiling of the grain wort, I would have thought that having the steeping water temperature over that which would constitute pasteurisation temps then a boil would be unnecessary. Normal mash temps don't reach that level so we need to boil, but if somebody is steeping at 75 degrees, surely they don't need to boil, right?

Fella's, what's goin' on?

The Wal's mix has stopped fermenting in within like 24hrs, maybe even 30'ish.
It was pumping along nicely too after it was put in Friday night, bubbling beautifully and quickly by Saturday.
But today, Sunday. Nuffin'.

Idea's?

Today I got some bottles from a mate, cleaned 'em and started bottling my English bitter from the racked drum. Smelt ok too it did, yum. I'm really digging this brewing thing.

G'day Sonny.
Start with the basics coz thats as far as i can take you. What is the current SG? What temp did you ferment at, where is temp now??
Cheers

what is the name of the brewery bullfrog

Haha, he meant my house, Speedie. I think I've got a few more bits of equipment than Sonny does (for now at least, anyways) and he was a little bit taken aback by it all. We'll have him kegging in no time though, I'm sure of it

speedie wrote:what is the name of the brewery bullfrog

would it be 'BullFrog"'

rotten wrote:G'day Sonny.
Start with the basics coz thats as far as i can take you. What is the current SG? What temp did you ferment at, where is temp now??
Cheers

Pitch 26Deg, at OG 1050.
a day or so fermenting quickly......
Now 22Deg, and SG 1024.

Hay bullfrog I don’t know how old you are
So please do an internet search for a group named “canned heat “
And find a song called “bullfrog blues”
It may tickle your fancy
The emigma