Best Of

@oni_dels said:
was on syrup, switching to all grain for my next batch. but trying to get as much info as i can before

Why the rush to all-grain?

I've been brewing for 8 years, I make plenty of all-grain beers, I've brewed with professionals. My last 3 batches have been extract. Extract beers have won awards.

I love good all grain beers. I love good extract beers. It's easier to make a good extract beer. It requires less equipment to make a good extract beer, and the grains were mashed by professionals so you don't have to worry about the starch conversion. The reason I chose extract for my last 3 batches was because they did not need special base malts like rye and they were not extremely light beers like Pilsners. All grain requires more time and equipment, and requires a greater attention to detail. It also gives you more control over the final gravity, protein levels and more.

Take a look at MoreBeer's Evolution of a Homebrewer. I agree with them in that those are the logical steps to improve your beer, except for kegging. Fermentation control through temperature, oxygen, and proper pitching rates will improve your beer much more than controlling mash temperature (especially if you are doing a single-step-infusion step).

I'm not trying to scare you off; all-grain isn't impossible. You can start out with it if you really want to. I just don't want you to have the impression that extract beers are bad, or that you aren't doing it yourself if you use extracts.

If you do go all-grain, I recommend this cooler deal for $230.

@oni_dels said:
i used distilled water for my previous batch, is that ok?

That's fine, since you used syrup. Malt extracts have all the minerals you want already in them.

Personally I would ignore water chemistry until after you have a few batches under your belt, but that's just me. I have been brewing for 8 years and still ignore water chemistry beyond a carbon filter to get chloramines out. Depends on how nerdy you want to get.

@oni_dels said:
i used distilled water for my previous batch, is that ok?

It's not the best. Like all living things yeast needs certain nutrients and minerals to thrive. Distilled water strips all that away. So unless you throw in some yeast nutrients as well your yeast will be struggling. There is a whole section on water in that How to Brew book you bought. It will explain it better and go into more detail.

I usually buy gallons of spring water because filling up a pot takes forever otherwise.

@oni_dels said:
so, i'm finally gonna start brewing with hops and malts (not a syrup-y substance). i have a very basic setup, 23l basket and 23l (that's 5gal) carby, both food grade plastic. i was thinking of boiling outside with a burner and a big kettle.

also being on a 3rd floor apt, i can't really control temperature, so i know lagers and belgian ales are out of the question.
one of my friend's been brewing for a while now and he suggest i do english ale or stout. i was thinking of getting Goldings, but cascade is very tempting.

i don't know much about what to do really. i've been reading about it for a while now, but i'd like inputs.

edit: also, i was told to get this book,, which i just did.

1) awesome.

2) go to your city's public water website and get a water report. Compare it to the table HERE to figure out what type of beers are best suited to your water without any modifications. I'd start with something that you can just do without any water modification.

3) temps will also hinder what you can do. Lagering in an apartment will be tough, but you could do it with a tub of salted ice water that you monitor regularly. I'd personally stick to some sort of Ale, or Belgian because its easier to keep something constantly warm than cold.

4) all-grain brewing takes a fair bit more volume to work with. Mashing requires you to put your full volume of grain with most of your water at one time, so you'll want something in the area of 8 gallons to do this in.

5) if you aren't on a tight budget, consider electric brew in a bag systems.

Let me know if you have any questions.