Ideas for my first AG batch?

Hefeweizen
5 lbs Wheat malt
4 lbs Pilsner malt
1 oz any Noble hop (60 min)
Wyeast 3068

 

I would make something that can stand to go up or down in terms of gravity. My first AG batch had really low efficiency and I ended up with a beer that was like 3.2% ABV (it was supposed to be over 6%). Sucked.

Wheat will sometimes cause a stuck sparge, so I wouldn't recommend doing a wheat as your first AG. A nice pale ale or IPA would be good IMO. Maybe try to find a recipe that is formulated to like 65% efficiency just in case.


Just remember, something will probably go wrong your first few AG batches. It's kind of like learning to drive a stick shift after driving automatics - it takes getting used to. RDWHAHB

 

Are you sure you want to use that 5 gallon mash tun? You're eventually going to have to get something larger if you're going AG, so you might want to think about upgrading now rather than later.

If you're going to use the 5 gal, then obviously it has to be a relatively low OG beer, so I would say do an APA, and don't scrimp on hops (which as you know can cover a lot of flaws, should they arise). Also, it's a good idea to have some DME on hand to add to the boil in case your efficiency is low. Good luck! AG is totally the way to go, you won't be sorry.

 

Malt:
9 lbs Pale malt (2 row, marris otter, golden promise, etc)
0.5 Crystal 40L

mash at 152 for 45min with roughly 1.75 qt/lb. Sparge to collect 6.5 gallons (depending on your boil of rate). Even at a eff of 50% you are still at 1.034 OG, which shouldn't be too bad. Ideally you will be closer to 70% and get 1.048 OG

Hops:
1 oz Centennial 60min
1 oz Centennial 10min
2 oz Centennial Flameout

Yeast:
San Diego Ale (either starter or two vials)

 

When I did my first all grain I did an adaptation of one of my part mash brews that was really good. I would recommend doing just that.

 

I always advise that your first AG mash should be a dry run. It would be a help to know how close you can get to your predicted temps. To see if you get a stuck sparge, if you destroy your manifold when you stir, etc. Malt is pretty cheap.

Since you've been doing partials you might have this all worked out, but just a thought.

 

I have a 10 gallon mash-lauter tun so I'm trying to picture this in relation to mine. 9 lbs of grain with a water ratio of 1.75 qt/lb seems like it wouldn't fit. That's almost 4 gallons of water in a 5 gallon mlt plus grains. I haven't tried so I'm not saying it wouldn't work but you are going to be cutting it super close. If you are using that much grain I would hang closer to 1.25-1.4 qt/lb for a 5 gallon mlt.

 

that is true, I have a large mash tun (18 gallon) so i typically don't have to worry about not fitting my mash and forgot the OP has a 5 gallon.

 

I would suggest doing something simple like a SMaSH beer. When I first started all grain I did a series of SMaSH beers so I could get a better feel for the ingredients.

 

Theres gotta be a LHBS in Boston!

 

I'd do a SMaSH with Maris Otter\Fuggles. Can't go wrong with that combo and it'l keep things simple.

 

I hope that this doesn't sound snarky, but the malt and hops is your recipe. The quantity of malt is your gravity. The amount of hops is your bitterness. Any brewing software can help.

That being said, figuring your gravity is about the only 100% calculation that you can make. Bitterness can be calculated, but varies immensely. It depends on hops freshness, your process, etc. You can also pick the mash temp, but I feel that this is something that in the end you have to proof with your taste buds. Homebrewers mash tuns aren't all equal. If you are get readings around 154*F and you feel that your wort is too fermentable try going up a few degrees. If things improve then you will realize that your reading the upped part of a larger window.

The third part of course is yeast. You can get a pretty straight forward explanation from the suppliers site.

Last part and for me the hardest part is correcting things. For instance you feel that the back end is too thick. Is that just the Maris Otter? Did you mash too warm. Did you mash okay for WLP001 but you picked a English yeast? Is everything good but you have 1.7 volumes of carbination and need 2.5? Did you ferment too hot?

 

One of my favorites so far has been Vienna/Galaxy. Really turned out nice, the great thing about a SMaSH beer is it gives you the ability to really see how your setup reacts to minor changes: mash temp, water profile, thinner/thicker mash, etc

11 lb Vienna Malt
1 oz. Galaxy (14%) (First Wort Hop)
1/2 oz. Galaxy (14%) (10 min)
1/2 oz. Galaxy (14%) (Flame out)
1 oz. Galaxy (14%) (Dry Hop - 7 days)
US-05 / WLP001 / 1056 (Whichever you prefer)

Mash @ 154 F
Ferment cool (66 F)

SG - 1.059
FG - 1.017
~75 IBU