newbie question

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grimm
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2003 5:15 pm

newbie question

Post by grimm »

Hi all. I am very new at this and I love what I see here. However, I have only used recipes with explicit directions up until this point :). So, I have a couple of questions about the recipe format here:
1. When the batch size is 5 gal and the volume bioled is 3 gal, does that mean that I boil my malts in 3 gal of water and have 2 gals of cold water in the carboy to mix with after the boil?
2. Hops mentioned in the ingredient list but without an indication of boiling time are for dry hopping?

Thanks, that's all I can think of now.
vtterror
Light Lager
Light Lager
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Mar 28, 2002 9:30 pm
Location: Underhill Center, VT, US

Newbie question

Post by vtterror »

To answer your first question: for a 5 gallon batch in which only 3 gallons is boiled; add the cooled wort to your carboy, and then bring the volumn up to 5 gallons with cold water. The reason you add the cold water to the wort and not necessarily the other way around is that the wort may have reduced considerably from 3 gallons in volunm during the boil.
fitz
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
Posts: 442
Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2002 8:36 am

Right, and

Post by fitz »

You are right to say add the cooled wort to the carboy, and then top up with cold water. Also, the smaller boil will require you to use more hops in your beer, because the hop conversion is smaller with the smaller volume in the kettle. Play around a little with the recipe generator to see what I mean.
bredmakr
Double IPA
Double IPA
Posts: 175
Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2001 10:34 am
Location: South Bend, IN, US

bittering, flavor, aroma, and dry hops

Post by bredmakr »

often the exact timing of a hop addition may be absent from a recipe. There are several reasons. To answer your specific question, yes, on the recipe ingredient form the hop selections without time choices are for dry hopping.

You may also see from time to time references to bittering hop additions, flavor hop additions, aroma hop additions, as well as dry hop addition.
Bittering hop additions are at the start of the boil. Flavor hop additions are usually half way to three quarters of the way through a boil. Aroma hops are typically added for the last few minutes or at the very end of the boil. Dry hopping is done during fermentation. I prefer to dry hop in the secondary fermenter. If you keg DO NOT ADD HOPS TO THE KEG WITHOUT SOME TYPE OF CONTAINMENT (see my earlier post 'oops hops in keg') like a mesh bag or stainless mesh ball.

Hope this helps.
Mike
beerbelly
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2003 9:53 pm
Location: surprise, AZ, US

water

Post by beerbelly »

iam boiling 6.5 gallons of water to get 5 gals. my first batches of 3 gal boils , i found a way of cooling faster, after your boil you should have only 2 gals or so left if you started with 3. what i did was bought seeled water from the store and put it in the freezer for about 3 hrs , ((you sould only add water right after boil when wort is still very hot to prevent infecting your beer)) plus it cools mutch faster helping the irish moss settle out proteins . if your brew pot is to small pour the boiled wort into your bottling bucket add chilled water till its a litte over 5 gals. intill you an advanced brewer,i would stay away from dry hopping, if you do put it in secondary, unless you have alot, of head space so the yeast doesnt get to your air lock or blow off. i put in primary once, "with blow off", it pluged blow off, blew the hose out of the top and filled the bathroom with hops and yeast over night. in the morning i was not relaxed and it was to early to have a home brew, although i thought about it.
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