Hello Beginners!

Nosybear

Nosybear

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Welcome to the forums! I asked that this forum be started just for you to ask your questions and to get simple, clear answers. We will likely be exploring your questions in depth in other threads in the other forums but this one is for you. We have a wide range of skill levels here and we practice a number of different techniques but key is that we can answer your questions clearly and directly. So ask. You will be treated respectfully: No one will make noob jokes if you tell us you've been staring at your first carboy of beer for six hours straight, waiting to see that first bubble in the airlock. We've all done it. There are no stupid questions and one of the great parts of Brewer's Friend is that we will not answer as if they were. No one here has ever told someone to read a book, although we may recommend a few. Finally, in a way I envy you. You've started your journey, everything is new. Beginner mind is a joyous place where all things are possible. Enjoy your time there. We're here to help.
 
Hello this is my first questions :) i have problem with mashing i not understend,
what this boil size how much sparge water, understend batch size is finish volumen but boil size where batch sparge.
 
kamy said:
Hello this is my first questions :) i have problem with mashing i not understend,
what this boil size how much sparge water, understend batch size is finish volumen but boil size where batch sparge.
Click to expand...

When you boil the wort, there is evaporation. Normally, you can plan on about 3-4L per hour or in that area. Also, there is some shrinkage when the wort cools (about 4%) and you can lose some wort to trub (sediment). So if you want to end up with, say, 23L in the fermenter, you may need to start with 30L for the boil.

So if your mash results in 14 liters, you may need to sparge with 16 liters. You will have to experiment with your equipment to see what you actually boil off and lose to your equipment as everyone has differing amounts due to climate, the strength of the burner for the boil, the actual system, etc.
 
for example 2 kg to 10 l water (which ratio is 3: 1 or 5: 1?) as much as I put water to sparge, sparge.
 
kamy said:
for example 2 kg to 10 l water (which ratio is 3: 1 or 5: 1?) as much as I put water to sparge, sparge.
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You have to figure out what volume of beer you want to make first then adjust the rest to suit. Usually keep the number the same so you can dial in your losses.

After mashing you sparge to rinse sugars off the grain and reach your preboil volume.
 
Best way I can explain is to start with the amount of wort you want in the fermentor. Then you have to know where in your process you are losing liquid. To the amount of wort you want, you'll need to add the amount of water that evaporates during the boil, the amount that is absorbed by the hops and the amount, if any, left in your kettle. This will give you the boil volume, the amount of wort you need in your kettle to get to your desired final volume. To the boil volume, you need to add the amount of liquid absorbed by the grain and the amount, if any, of liquid left in your mash tun. This will give you your total water volume. Subtract the amount of liquid you add to the grain to start the mash and you have your sparge water volume. The mash water volume is a choice but you generally will use 3-5 liters of water for each Kg of grain.

The equipment profile you can set up in Brewer's Friend has assumptions for each of these values but you'll have to determine your own through brewing with your equipment and process.

If I understand, you are mashing 2 kg of grain in 10 l water? Your ratio is 5 liters of water per kilogram of grain.
 
kamy said:
for example 2 kg to 10 l water (which ratio is 3: 1 or 5: 1?) as much as I put water to sparge, sparge.
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That's a ratio of 5:1 and is a pretty thin mash .
What equipment and process are you using ?
A ratio like that is pretty common for no sparge BIAB or a lower gravity beer
 
I have portable cooler 25l and pot of 12l
and how next..... how much grain and water.
 
kamy said:
I have portable cooler 25l and pot of 12l
and how next..... how much grain and water.
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Kamy - do you have a recipe created? The recipe would tell you how much grain to use. The Recipe Builder on this site will help you formulate the recipe.
 
Kamy, one thing I learned is that if you don't end up with the right amount of water when you boil it's not the end of the world. You'll have slightly higher gravity or slightly lower depending on if you left wort in the cooler or not. Don't stress yourself out if the numbers don't come out right.
 
Still worth taking accurate measurements and notes , once you know what your volumes are in real world then you can adjust accordingly for future brews .
Consistency is more important than chasing a number so be prepared to adapt
 
I am pretty new to brewing and have so far only done a couple small all grain kits, I am hoping to do my first recipe in a couple weeks and would like your opinion on my recipe, specifically the grain bill and the hop times. I am going for a nice silky porter with a nice chocolate and caramel taste. I want to eventually make this into a chili porter by adding in habinaro peppers in secondary, but one step at a time.

Also I dont have a ton of equipment yet and was wondering if you had any recommendations, specifically for the kettle and the fermentor.

Here is the recipe:
1.057
Final Gravity:
1.018
ABV:
5.11%
IBU:
32.95
SRM:
34.49
Fermentables
Amount Fermentable PPG °L Bill %
1.25 lb Flaked Oats 33 2.2 11.4%
7.25 lb United Kingdom - Pale 2-Row 38 2.5 65.9%
0.75 lb United Kingdom - Chocolate 34 425 6.8%
0.25 lb United Kingdom - Black Patent 27 525 2.3%
0.75 lb United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale 38 3.75 6.8%
0.75 lb United Kingdom - Cara Malt 35 17.5 6.8%
11 lb Total
Hops
Amount Variety Type AA Use Time IBU
1 oz Willamette Pellet 4.5 Boil 30 min 14.33
0.75 oz East Kent Goldings Pellet 5 Boil 60 min 15.54
0.5 oz Willamette Leaf/Whole 4.5 Boil 10 min 3.07

Mash Guidelines
Amount Description Type Temp Time
-- Infusion 156 F 60 min
Yeast Wyeast - Scottish Ale 1728
Attenuation (avg):71%
Flocculation:High
Optimum Temp: 55 - 75 °F
Starter: Yes
Fermentation Temp: 68 °F
Pitch Rate:0.5 (M cells / ml / ° P)
 
The Beer Snob said:
Your Recipe is private and I cant view it. Do you think there is to much specialty malt? like the black patent and chocolate that would make it that black?
Click to expand...
And can you start it in a new thread? Cleaner that way....
 
Andersan, that's a very broad question. The simplest recipes are for extract-based pale ale type beers. What kind of beer would you like to brew? As to information for beginners, I'd start by reading something like "How to Brew" by John Palmer. We can answer specific questions or provide advice as you need it.
 
There's lots of YouTube videos too. For instance, search for biab in YouTube if you like to brew biab, or extract brewing if you like to brew extract, etc. Good source to get a first understanding.
 
Relax. He’s a spammer. He’s edited his post to include a hyperlink.
 
This is going to be a fun forum to follow. I've only been brewing for less than a year so I consider myself an "experienced beginner". I've had less than a dozen brews and I've screwed up something (mostly minor things) on each and every one of them. But every one of them has been drinkable, and my last one (a simple all grain biab APA) turned out downright top notch.
Welcome and good luck, new kids -- if I can do it, you can too!
 
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