First Time Grain Brewing - Common Mistakes
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crafty john
Re: First Time Grain Brewing - Common Mistakes
Make sure you put your hop filter in.
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guypettigrew
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Re: First Time Grain Brewing - Common Mistakes
Stir the mash to avoid any lumps of dough. Sliding the stirring spoon sideways rather than round and round works well. You'll need to squash any dough lumps against the side of the mash tun to break them up.
Don't worry if the run off from the mash tun looks cloudy.
Keep a close watch on the boiler as it comes up to the boil. It's likely to boil over, which you can sort by stirring as it nears the boil point, blowing on the wort, or spraying water on it. If you cook, it's the same as when you make gravy from giblets. There's a point where the liquid forms a semi solid crust and rushes up the side of the saucepan.
After you've boiled the wort leave it to settle for at least 30 minutes before running it out of the boiler.
All the very best with the brew. Once you've tasted an all grain brew there's no turning back!
Hope this helps.
Guy
Don't worry if the run off from the mash tun looks cloudy.
Keep a close watch on the boiler as it comes up to the boil. It's likely to boil over, which you can sort by stirring as it nears the boil point, blowing on the wort, or spraying water on it. If you cook, it's the same as when you make gravy from giblets. There's a point where the liquid forms a semi solid crust and rushes up the side of the saucepan.
After you've boiled the wort leave it to settle for at least 30 minutes before running it out of the boiler.
All the very best with the brew. Once you've tasted an all grain brew there's no turning back!
Hope this helps.
Guy
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Beer O'Clock
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Re: First Time Grain Brewing - Common Mistakes
Make sure your taps are closed.
I buy from The Malt Miller
There's Howard Hughes in blue suede shoes, smiling at the majorettes smoking Winston cigarettes. .
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Dennis King
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Re: First Time Grain Brewing - Common Mistakes
+1Beer O'Clock wrote:Make sure your taps are closed.
It might sound wrong but I suggest you stay sober, then enjoy a pint when job done.
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scuppeteer
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Re: First Time Grain Brewing - Common Mistakes
+1Beer O'Clock wrote:Make sure your taps are closed.
Make sure they are closed again, and then right before you put any liquid in and then check again!
Oh and cover all bare skin when taking the lid off the copper when it's boiling.
Dave Berry
Can't be arsed to keep changing this bit, so, drinking some beer and wanting to brew many more!
Sir, you are drunk! Yes madam, and you are ugly, but in the morning I shall be sober! - WSC
Can't be arsed to keep changing this bit, so, drinking some beer and wanting to brew many more!
Sir, you are drunk! Yes madam, and you are ugly, but in the morning I shall be sober! - WSC
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guypettigrew
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Re: First Time Grain Brewing - Common Mistakes
A bit extreme. Are you sure?Dennis King wrote: It might sound wrong but I suggest you stay sober, then enjoy a pint when job done.
Guy
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orlando
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Re: First Time Grain Brewing - Common Mistakes
You can't be too clean/sanitary.
I am "The Little Red Brooster"
Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,
Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer
Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,
Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer
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Twistedfinger
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Re: First Time Grain Brewing - Common Mistakes
1, Make a check list with approximate times of tasks, especially at the boil phase. Its easy to forget to add hops at the right time add your irish moss/whirlfloc, take gravity samples and put your chiller coil in at +15 etc.
2, Make up 4 litres of no rinse sanitiser in your fermenter and keep all your bits and pieces in it that will be used post boil so that they are ready for when you need them.
2, Make up 4 litres of no rinse sanitiser in your fermenter and keep all your bits and pieces in it that will be used post boil so that they are ready for when you need them.
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gnutz2
Re: First Time Grain Brewing - Common Mistakes
Good advice, allthough another good way of quickly sterilising equipment is keeping a non rinse solution in a spray bottle "squirt and go".Twistedfinger wrote: Make up 4 litres of no rinse sanitiser in your fermenter and keep all your bits and pieces in it that will be used post boil so that they are ready for when you need them.
Can be applied to many things in life
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fego
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Re: First Time Grain Brewing - Common Mistakes
Take your time.
Don't be fooled into rushing anything. You might think that everything has to be done exactly to the second or exactly to the degree, but it doesn't. Good is good enough. Experience will bring timings and measurements together and the odd extra half hour mash or run off won't ruin anything; you'll still make wonderful beer.
Oh.... and make sure you don't forget the grain filter or hop filter..... and remember to check the taps are closed!!!!
Don't be fooled into rushing anything. You might think that everything has to be done exactly to the second or exactly to the degree, but it doesn't. Good is good enough. Experience will bring timings and measurements together and the odd extra half hour mash or run off won't ruin anything; you'll still make wonderful beer.
Oh.... and make sure you don't forget the grain filter or hop filter..... and remember to check the taps are closed!!!!
Tea is for mugs...
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Rick_UK
Re: First Time Grain Brewing - Common Mistakes
Don't take a hydrometer reading until the wort has cooled.
Remember the temp inside the FV will be a few degrees above ambient once fermentation is established.
Rick
Remember the temp inside the FV will be a few degrees above ambient once fermentation is established.
Rick
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boingy
Re: First Time Grain Brewing - Common Mistakes
1. Focus on getting the mash temperature right. Don't be too quick to adjust it with hot/cold water. Give it a good stir and a good few minutes between adjustments.
2. Sanitise everything post boil.
3. Don't pitch the yeast until the wort is cool enough.
Pretty much everything else in the process can be messed up and you'll still make beer!
Other stuff you will not be prepared for:
1. The length of time from end of mash to start of boil
2. How many hoses/jugs/spoons/implements you will get through
3. How much cleaning there is to do at the end!
2. Sanitise everything post boil.
3. Don't pitch the yeast until the wort is cool enough.
Pretty much everything else in the process can be messed up and you'll still make beer!
Other stuff you will not be prepared for:
1. The length of time from end of mash to start of boil
2. How many hoses/jugs/spoons/implements you will get through
3. How much cleaning there is to do at the end!
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Manx Guy
Re: First Time Grain Brewing - Common Mistakes
Dffinately!Dennis King wrote:+1Beer O'Clock wrote:Make sure your taps are closed.
It might sound wrong but I suggest you stay sober, then enjoy a pint when job done.
+1
Allow another 2 hours on top of the time you think it will take!
Good luck & happy brewing!
Guy
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musojohn
Re: First Time Grain Brewing - Common Mistakes
+1crafty john wrote:Make sure you put your hop filter in.
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musojohn
Re: First Time Grain Brewing - Common Mistakes
on that note, depending on your kit, make sure you know the temp of liquid you are adding to the MT. ie a thermometer in the top of a HLT does not necessarily read the same as the liquer temp coming out. Make sure you know exactly the temp of liquer coming out of the HLT for the mash and sparge.boingy wrote:1. Focus on getting the mash temperature right. Don't be too quick to adjust it with hot/cold water. Give it a good stir and a good few minutes between adjustments.