Hey all, beginner here trying to step up my game by learning from all the experience on here. I’ve made a few beer kits with friends that were drinkable, but nothing special. My wife saw how much fun I was having, so she was sweet enough to get me an electric brewing machine. So I’ll be researching on here to start all grain brewing. Excited to be here and get started. Thanks in advance for any help from you all.
And Here We Go
- Thread starter Sundaz
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It's a fun hobby for sure. Just keep the first few simple and keep your expectations in check. It will be beer, even when it it doesn't turn out perfect at first. 
Get the book from J Palmers, "how to brew". Great read and can help get you started.
If course any questions can be directed here too. Lots of smart people in here.
Get the book from J Palmers, "how to brew". Great read and can help get you started.
If course any questions can be directed here too. Lots of smart people in here.
Yeah thanks, my expectations are pretty low to start. First I need to learn how to use my brewer, and then learn how to make an all grain beer, and then put them together to make a decent beer. So anything can go wrong.It's a fun hobby for sure. Just keep the first few simple and keep your expectations in check. It will be beer, even when it it doesn't turn out perfect at first.
Get the book from J Palmers, "how to brew". Great read and can help get you started.
If course any questions can be directed here too. Lots of smart people in here.
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You're ahead of the game when you recognize "drinkable" and aspire to better that. At first, pay attention to getting your system dialed in (volumes, efficiency, fermentation process, etc) by repeating simple, proven recipes, making small incremental changes as you progress. That also allows you to recognize the contribution of different types of malt when you use them and start honing your palate for hop flavors. Too many beginners are eager to make crazy beers and end up going backwards or sideways.
When you have the basics figured out, start working with water chemistry and getting a little more adventurous with various styles.
Good luck!!
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And it will, lol. My first few beers weren't great. But you learn what you did wrong and get better
Thanks, just reading your post lets me know that I have a long way to go. I think it should be mostly fun.You're ahead of the game when you recognize "drinkable" and aspire to better that. At first, pay attention to getting your system dialed in (volumes, efficiency, fermentation process, etc) by repeating simple, proven recipes, making small incremental changes as you progress. That also allows you to recognize the contribution of different types of malt when you use them and start honing your palate for hop flavors. Too many beginners are eager to make crazy beers and end up going backwards or sideways.
When you have the basics figured out, start working with water chemistry and getting a little more adventurous with various styles.
Good luck!!
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Lots of good experience on here, so ask away.
If you have a resource local to you with some more experience, particularly all grain, you could see if you could cajole them to help you out planning and executing a full brew day. Hands on is a great teacher.
If not, youtube videos can help, just be mindful they do a lot of edits and it looks a lot shorter of a brew day than it actually is.
If you have a resource local to you with some more experience, particularly all grain, you could see if you could cajole them to help you out planning and executing a full brew day. Hands on is a great teacher.
If not, youtube videos can help, just be mindful they do a lot of edits and it looks a lot shorter of a brew day than it actually is.
Thanks, I have a couple of buddies who’ll help me through it. None of us are too experienced. It’ll be fun learning and hanging out while we brew.
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I had friends over when I brewed once early on in my brewing career. Will never do that again. Even after 8 years I need to focus on what I am doing, getting distracted is something I try hard to avoid. To each his own though, you do you man
Welcome
lol, I can see how that can get distracting. They mostly want to check out the system and see if it’s worth it. Another variable in my first all grain.
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And the rabbit hole begins LOL.
With all grain, start either simple or forgiving. Pale Ales are simple. Brown Ales are forgiving.
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Welcome and I hope to get off to a roaring start. I do have some advice to avoid the pitfalls of beginning.
1. Use dry yeast. The complications of liquid yeast can be a little daunting at first, so dry yeast can simplify brewing. Even the most experienced brewers like the simplicity of dry yeast. Just toss it in and go. Good yeasts to start out with are US05 (Chico strain), 34/70 lager yeast (works great at 64-68F) and S04. S04 is really good, but you have to watch out for pukers. S04 likes to ferment hard and come out the top of the fermenter. Kveik yeast is also a good option. Other brewers here all have their favorite. Just find one you like and go nuts with it. Learning a single yeast is important to understanding how to get the most out of it.
2. Try to ferment at lower temps, always better than going high. Lower 60's can work for most yeast. Kveik is a different beast all together.
3. If you don't understand water yet or don't want to go down that hole (not worrying about water when first beginning is really good advice) use RO or distilled water at first. Water can have a huge impact on beer if it's way off.
4. Tell people like me to "Shut up and let me brew my beer!".
Good Luck!
1. Use dry yeast. The complications of liquid yeast can be a little daunting at first, so dry yeast can simplify brewing. Even the most experienced brewers like the simplicity of dry yeast. Just toss it in and go. Good yeasts to start out with are US05 (Chico strain), 34/70 lager yeast (works great at 64-68F) and S04. S04 is really good, but you have to watch out for pukers. S04 likes to ferment hard and come out the top of the fermenter. Kveik yeast is also a good option. Other brewers here all have their favorite. Just find one you like and go nuts with it. Learning a single yeast is important to understanding how to get the most out of it.
2. Try to ferment at lower temps, always better than going high. Lower 60's can work for most yeast. Kveik is a different beast all together.
3. If you don't understand water yet or don't want to go down that hole (not worrying about water when first beginning is really good advice) use RO or distilled water at first. Water can have a huge impact on beer if it's way off.
4. Tell people like me to "Shut up and let me brew my beer!".
Good Luck!
Thanks, I really appreciate all the advice I’m getting. This is why I logged in here. I’ll be starting simple like most have suggested.
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