Learning new techniques

[RickBeer]

Bah dah boom!

[whynot]

RickBeer, HMEs with steeps is my likely next step. Talked through how to do a steep with the nong, JimJ, and Phil on the taproom. Got any recipes for that? I'd do the cache search on the old forum, but don't know what to search for... Plus the MrB commerce site doesn't appear to show any recipes w/ steeps (not that I could find on my lunch break anyway). Thanks.

[gwcr]

My first venture with steeping was the old MB German Hefeweizen recipe. Very easy and a good brew. Not sure what the new MB extracts would be called, but here's what I did (retrieved from googles cache of the MB site).

"1 can WWW HME
1 can Pale Export UME
1/3oz Saaz pellet hops
1 pouch Weihenstephan Weizen Liquid Yeast (smack pack)

I steeped 1/4lb CaraPils in 4 cups water at 150-155 degrees for 30 minutes. Removed grain, brought to a boil and added HME, UME and hops. Activated the smack pack yesterday, and it was big and poofy today. Pitched the full pack at 60 degrees. Vigorous stir and away we go."

This was a good recipe IIRC.

[gwcr]

Checking out Brewdemon's ingredients looks like this would be Dante's Delight Weisenbier HME and Pale Horse Pale Export UME. Checking my old notes this fermented around 70-72F. Lots of great banana from the Weihenstehan Weizen liquid yeast. Good Hefe if you like that style.

[RickBeer]

Mr. Beer doesn't have steep recipes. You can add 1/2 lb of LME/DME and steep 4 oz of Carafoam with any batch. I've added grains to old Mr. Beer HMEs but none of the new ones so I have no recipes.

[jimjohson]

the Jims...lol. actually we also talked about doing a partial, and ume with hop boils. but WhyNot just don't seem comfortable with the idea yet, which is cool, so it backed down to a steep. everybody proceeds at their own pace.

[whynot]

thanks gwcr! I saw your recipe, then checked recipes at BrewDemon and saw that. Since Louie and Sam brewed up a discount, I ordered it and a conical kit (with more beer!).

That means I'll now have 2 kbks and one lbc to build pipeline with. While I wait for delivery, I guess I need to procure some stuff at the lhbs or where ever.

To get into grains I'll need:

1. some grain
2. a grain crusher of some sort
3. a scale
4. an appropriate probe thermometer

Missing anything?

Once I get equipped, it sounds safe to do some Frankenstein Mini-Me brewing with hops and steeps while I build up the courage to mash.

[RickBeer]

Your LHBS can probably mill for you. Mine lets me mill my own, and they have a bag sealer right there. I get two batches at once, and seal the one that I'm not brewing for 3 weeks.

[Brewbirds]

I can see why you might not like a 600 min boil...did you just chew the beer?

:opps: I fixed it thanks Dag

[haerbob3]

I can see why you might not like a 600 min boil...did you just chew the beer?

:opps: I fixed it thanks Dag

Yep BB1 now puts it the food dehydrater and has beer leather. Bit tough on the teeth but very easy to ship

[BrownstotheBone]

I can see why you might not like a 600 min boil...did you just chew the beer?

:opps: I fixed it thanks Dag

Yep BB1 now puts it the food dehydrater and has beer leather. Bit tough on the teeth but very easy to ship

Beer Jerky?

[Brewbirds]

Beer jerky? That's what it tasted like! Except without all the salt.

@whynot are you using Qbrew or other brewing software yet? If not you could be checking those out while you are waiting on your order. They are extremely helpful when you learn to use one early on because it shows what changes in your beer as you add or change ingredients. It is a great learning tool to have and there are several free versions online you can start with.

Also as you do starting adding new methods to your brews I would suggest brewing with published recipes like those in the Basic section because others will have already brewed and tasted them so you will get a better feel for how your brew day went etc.

One other thing recommended often is to take lots of notes about each batch you brew and taste notes when they are ready.

[Wings_Fan_In_KC]

I agree about the notes. I take down notes in the Notes tab of QBrew on every batch. Then after I taste it at 4, 6, 8 weeks, I go back and add more notes. My first Pilothouse Pilsner Mod was much too sharp on the hops note for the style. I love IPA's but PP isn't intended to be an IPA. Next time I made it I looked at my first batch brew notes and decided to change out the bittering hops and adjust the boil time. That batch was awesome.

Notes can be your best friend if you have the wherewithal to take the time to make them.

[TimeTraveler]

I keep all my recipes in QBrew, but not my notes. Those I have in a small spiral notebook where I list what I did to the brew and my impressions of it after it has benn in the bottle after X number of days. I am presuming that the Brew Demon LMEs will match up pretty well with the old Mr. Beer LMEs in QBrew. I likely will be trying those out when I polish off my supply of Mr. B refills.

[swenocha]

I think that this video is fantastic regarding doing a partial mash with Mr. Beer kits...