New brew 1st time on grains & hop

2fast · Post by **2fast** » Sunday Nov 04, 2007 5:59 am

HI guys

I havent made a brew for about 8 years,I used to brew best bang for buck beers.

Now I have got the homebrew bug again and want to start brewing with own hops, and do some grain steeping.

This web site is great!
I have spent so much time reading late at night, my wife thinks I'm having an online affair!

Anyway heres what I'm planning on do this weekend.

3kg blackrock amber extract ,HB shop only had 1 can light so got amber instead
20g green bullet hops pellets boil for 45min
20g NZ hallertau hop pellets at flame out for 5 min
200g light lager grain steeped in hot water for 20min?? (is this long enough)

made with saflager S- 23

Does this sound OK?

Any tips would be great.

Keep up the good work guys and happy brewing

Kevnlis · Post by **Kevnlis** » Sunday Nov 04, 2007 8:05 am

Why do people keep trying to steep "lager" grain?

I suggest you try something like carapils instead.

Also with the S-23 can you hold the wort below 10C? That yeast will not give you the result you want at anything much higher than that.

http://www.fermentis.com/FO/EN/pdf/SaflagerS-23.pdf

For this brew I would suggest US-56.

http://www.fermentis.com/FO/EN/pdf/SafaleUS05.pdf

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Sunday Nov 04, 2007 8:42 am

Right on Kev. That grain isn't really for steeping- it won't do much for the beer. I'd suggest a dark crystal though.

And as Kev said, I'd only use the 23 if you can keep the temp down. Consider re-using the yeast out of a coopers pale ale bottle. That'd make a nice amber ale.

One last thing, I'd go for a full 60min boil with the green bullet, add 10g of haller at 15min, and the last 10g directly to the fermenter- or to 2ndary if you do that step.

2fast · Post by **2fast** » Sunday Nov 04, 2007 8:45 am

Thanks for the reply.

So you can't steep light lager grain??
Did I waste my cash.

My home brew shop only had that yeast,I'm from NZ and the brew shops are crap compared to you guys.

I might try one online.
http://www.greatexpectations.co.nz/afaw ... -home.html

I can only brew in the garage in gets to 10 at night and about 20 in the day.

Cheers

2fast · Post by **2fast** » Sunday Nov 04, 2007 8:50 am

So when I buy steeping grain I need to get a malt grain,not a whole grain?

Is this right

Kevnlis · Post by **Kevnlis** » Sunday Nov 04, 2007 8:57 am

If you wrap your fermentor in a couple wet towels that should help keep the temp down. I have fermented S-23 at those sorts of temps and had decent results with a Bock, but have not tried with a beer this light.

You did not necessarily waste your cash, you will just need to (crack the grain if it hasn't been done) "mash" the grain in order to get much of anything from it.

Stteping grains are darker and are roasted longer and at higher temps to break down the prtiens within the grain. This way all you have to do is soak them in water to extract the goodness.

If you are sticking with the lager yeast I would go with Chris and get a nice Dark Crystal (200g) and maybe a bit (50g or so) of Carafa as well.

If you boil the Green Bullet hops for the full 60 min in the broth from the steeped grain and about 2L of water you will get a better extraction and be happier with the result. Also if you do like he said and split the hops into a 15minute flavour addition and then dry hop the rest trowrds the end of fermentation you will have a nice hoppy brew!

Kevnlis · Post by **Kevnlis** » Sunday Nov 04, 2007 8:59 am

2fast wrote:So when I buy steeping grain I need to get a malt grain,not a whole grain?

Is this right

No you need to get a steeping grain, not a mashing grain...

If I get some time I will make a list of grains which can be steeped and what to use them for, etc. Unless someone knows of one which already exists?

Kevnlis · Post by **Kevnlis** » Sunday Nov 04, 2007 9:02 am

From that link you sent:

http://www.greatexpectations.co.nz/afa. ... 0726&ID=28

The only 2 that can not be steeped are the Pale malt and Lager malt. They are base malts and much be mashed.

2fast · Post by **2fast** » Sunday Nov 04, 2007 9:07 am

Cool thanks, these are what I can get in New Zealand,are any of these steeping grains?

I'm a bit confused.

Brown Malt Grain 1kg (9421004731072)
$6.90

Chocolate Malt Grain 1kg (9421004731089)
$7.70

Crystal Malt Grain, Whole, 1kg (40527)
$7.30

English Pale Ale Malt Grain 1kg (9421004731065)
$6.30

Light / Lager Grain, Whole, 1kg (40529)
$7.00

Malt Grain Black Patent / Porter 1kg (9421004731058)
$7.70

Roasted Barley Malt Grain 1kg

2fast · Post by **2fast** » Sunday Nov 04, 2007 9:20 am

Cheers mate will go back to brew shop on monday and swap for a crystal malt if they have any.

I can't wait to get started

Will clean all my gear today ready for monday brewing.

mmmmmmm brewing

Kevnlis · Post by **Kevnlis** » Sunday Nov 04, 2007 9:20 am

Go for 200g Crystal Malt Grain and 50g Chocolate Malt Grain. If you have to buy a whole kilo then bugger the Chocolate Malt Grain just go the Crystal Malt Grain.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Sunday Nov 04, 2007 11:14 am

The black patent, choc, crystal and roast barley are the only steeping grains on that list.

I'd either go 200-250g crystal, or 200g crystal and 100g choc

Kevnlis · Post by **Kevnlis** » Sunday Nov 04, 2007 11:49 am

Are you sure you have to mash Roasted Barley?

I am not entirely sure it is necessary to mash Brown Malt either, though it would certainly help!

Kevnlis · Post by **Kevnlis** » Sunday Nov 04, 2007 11:56 am

http://www.howtobrew.com/section2/chapter13-2.html

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Sunday Nov 04, 2007 12:58 pm

Ah. Missed roast barley down the bottom there.

earle · Post by **earle** » Monday Nov 05, 2007 8:26 am

Hey 2fast

When Ross gets his site up again check it out.

craftbrewer.com.au

You may not be able to order from him but it he lists next to each malt whether it needs to be mashed or steeped. Good hop info also.

Earle

Ross · Post by **Ross** » Wednesday Nov 07, 2007 9:32 pm

earle wrote:Hey 2fast

When Ross gets his site up again check it out.

craftbrewer.com.au

You may not be able to order from him but it he lists next to each malt whether it needs to be mashed or steeped. Good hop info also.

Earle

New site up & running & we regularly mail to NZ.

http://www.craftbrewer.com.au

cheers

Ross

Kevnlis · Post by **Kevnlis** » Wednesday Nov 07, 2007 9:36 pm

Ross wrote:& we regularly mail to NZ.

Even if it does cost a fortune!

Ross · Post by **Ross** » Wednesday Nov 07, 2007 9:47 pm

Kevnlis wrote:
Ross wrote:& we regularly mail to NZ.
Even if it does cost a fortune!

Well it must be worthwhile, as we have several regular happy customers there

cheers Ross

2fast · Post by **2fast** » Thursday Nov 08, 2007 4:50 pm

That store is great! I can't belive all the different ,hops, yeast,malt.... The beer styles you can make are endless.

I"m moving to OZ

Made up my brew:

Steeped 200g Crystal grain for 20min strained, then boiled 20g green bullet for 1 hr ,40 mins in I put in 10g hallertau then 10g flame out for 5 min.
3kg amber Ex
Topped up to 20L

I brought a hydrometer but tested the brew 30 mins after I pitched the yeast

ripped house apart to find somthing to use as a test jar but could not find anything so tested it straight in the brew it read 1044
The brew crafts Brewer's Calculator says it should be about 1052

How accurate is the Brewer's Calculator?

Made brew on monday and today thursday airlock bubbling every 20 sec.

Need to buy a test jar what do you guys use,home made or from HBS?