How does a new member get started?

13 posts / 0 new
Last post
lpohner
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 6 months ago
How does a new member get started?

Hello, I'm a new member to the club.  I took the "Intro to All Grain Brewing" class this past Saturday and had a great time.  It's very rare that a club like this meets expectations but this was even better than I could have hoped for.

I would like to work with existing members to set up the first of the three mandatory brewing rounds.  I'm not sure of the best way to go about scheduling those so could someone post here?  I would also like to get recipe for an all grain APA session beer that's not too aggressive on the hops (I know, this is lame but I want to start simple).  

My background:  Been extract brewing 5-6 batches per year for the past decade.  I'm a bit sloppy with my recordkeeping, have all my own equipment, eager to learn.  --Larry

ConradFuhrman
ConradFuhrman's picture
Offline
Last seen: 1 year 9 months ago
Brewer (Intro), member since
Hey there! Welcome :) If you

Hey there! Welcome :) If you signed up as a brewer level member and are going through the trial, schedule a brew time under "My account"  > "Add New" > "Brew Reservation". When you make the reservation let us know you need a Brewer level member to let you in to the club and 95% of the time, some will be able to help you.

Glad to hear you had a great experience and I'm sure we'll see you at the Brew house soon!

Conrad

lpohner
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 6 months ago
Thank you sir, appreciate the

Thank you sir, appreciate the quick response.  I will figure out a time and post soon.

JamesLewis
JamesLewis's picture
Offline
Last seen: 1 year 10 months ago
Hi Larry, is there a

Hi Larry, is there a commercial pale ale you paticularly like?

lpohner
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 6 months ago
I do like Goose Islands Green

I do like Goose Islands Green Line a lot, not sure if that's a Pale or a Pilsner.  I also like Sierra's offering but that's really hoppy.  I just checked Sam Adams Boston Ale and that's considered an English Pale Ale, but something along those lines?  Would it be possible to go after something like that? 

JamesLewis
JamesLewis's picture
Offline
Last seen: 1 year 10 months ago
Take a look at this one:

Take a look at this one:

http://wiki.homebrewersassociation.org/OpeningDayPaleAle

You could back off the 30min additions to .75 to scale back the bitterness without loosing much flavor. 

The burton salts he mentions would be 4grams gypsum, 2grams calcium chloride, 2grams epsome slats in the mash and the same addition in the boil. There are some salts in the 4th drawer in the office in the brew house

adman
adman's picture
Offline
Last seen: 1 year 8 months ago
Brewer (Intro), member since
Hi Larry!

Hi Larry!

I'm currently drinking a keg of this APA and I think it's fantastic.  My only complaint is that I'd like a bit more hop flavor and aroma.  So it might be perfect for you (you could even get rid of the dry hop if you wanted):

Edit: I just realized that that's a 10 gallon recipe.  Cut everything in half for 5 gallons.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 12.68 gal
Post Boil Volume: 11.18 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 10.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 10.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.051 SG
Estimated Color: 6.8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 38.4 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 78.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 79.9 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
10.00 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins Water Agent 1 -
9.00 g Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 2 -
14 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 73.4 %
2 lbs Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 4 10.5 %
2 lbs Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 5 10.5 %
12.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 6 3.9 %
5.0 oz Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) Grain 7 1.6 %
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 8 10.3 IBUs
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 9 18.7 IBUs
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 10 3.1 IBUs
0.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 11 5.7 IBUs
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 1.0 min Hop 12 0.2 IBUs
0.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 1.0 min Hop 13 0.4 IBUs
2.0 pkg American Ale II (Wyeast Labs #1272) [124 Yeast 14 -
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 15 0.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Dry Hop 0.0 Days Hop 16 0.0 IBUs

mikesummer78
Offline
Last seen: 7 years 12 months ago
Do you guys always add salts

Do you guys always add salts when brewing at chaos?  do you add them for ph purposes or flavor purposes or both?

adman
adman's picture
Offline
Last seen: 1 year 8 months ago
Brewer (Intro), member since
James gave a mini-class last

James gave a mini-class last summer on water modification, and I have been attempting water modification for my last several batches in an attempt to keep mash pH in the appropriate range.  My understanding is that this improves starch conversion, yeast health, and can also help your beers clear better.  It's relatively easy to do, and I like to think it improves the end product, but I haven't done any sort of rigorous testing to find out.  It certainly hasn't hurt anything thus far.

-Adam

mikesummer78
Offline
Last seen: 7 years 12 months ago
cool, thanks!  got any good

cool, thanks!  got any good resources to read up on the subject?

JamesLewis
JamesLewis's picture
Offline
Last seen: 1 year 10 months ago
Adam has it. It improves

Adam has it. It improves mashing by getting the PH correct. Better effecnicy as well as better flavor by reducing the extraction of unwanted mash compounts (tannis ect). It changes the flavor of the water, like salt and lemon juice in food. And it provide the concentrations of minerals in the wort needed for proper fermentation. Chicago has good water but it is a bit lacking in calcium.

The half hour overview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJj__jEkFUE

The 4 hour extravangaza with fart jokes:

http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/497

http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/500

http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/508

http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/513

And finally, just buy "how to brew" and read it!

mikesummer78
Offline
Last seen: 7 years 12 months ago
thanks!  

thanks!

 

lpohner
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 6 months ago
Just want to say a quick

Just want to say a quick thanks to Adam and James for posting recipes.  I took elements from both and made my own.....we'll see how it turns out.