Alrighty...I have done 6 extract kits over the past year and a couple of months with great success and feel that I am ready for the next step, which I assume (dangerous to do, I know) is all grains. I've read Palmer's "How to Brew" over and over again. -I got the basics for equipment needed, but I am curious as to seasoned brewers what are the "must haves" that you feel are critical to a really good brew? -Also, what websites do you use most making new recipes? -Where do you order your supplies from, (grains, hops, ect.)? I am sure this question has been asked countless times before on here, sorry a head of time, but I would like to start off on a good foot as this hobby is slowly becoming a passion and the few questions I have asked on here have gotten me great information!!! Thanks
You may already be doing these things, but if not... - Full Boil (large kettle and a way to heat it) - Fermentation temperature control - Wort Oxygenation - Good Software (you'll want to hit those mash temps, etc. Rules of thumb suck.) Not a website, but if in doubt about a style, Brewing Classic Styles is a good starting point. Nowadays, usually from MoreBeer, if they have what I need. Fast shipping/delivery and they haven't pissed me off yet.
1) There are no must-haves. I'm making 5 gallons this weekend on my stovetop. I do not own a fancy burner. I do not own an immersion chiller. I do not own kegging equipment. I do not use an aeration stone. I do not own a stirplate. Temperature control is me moving my fermenters around between corners of the basement and my closets. I make award-winning beer. 2) I get the best recipes from forums like this one or from magazines. Recipe websites are more of a crapshoot. Designing Great Beers, Radical Brewing, and Brewing Classic Styles are also great resources. 3) I usually get my ingredients from MoreBeer these days. They have the lowest prices AND if you spend more than $59 you get free shipping.
Sounds like you are prepared for your first all grain, I think the next step is to do it. You sound much more prepared than I was for my first all grain.
I bought the cheapest 10-gal kettle I could find, and bought a 10-gal Igloo cooler with the false bottom, which was by far the biggest investment. I think that was the only additional equipment I bought for my first all-grain brew. Other than that, just read up on the process. Trying to hit the correct mash/sparge temps is key. I watched John Palmer's All-Grain brewing youtube video on NorthernBrewerTV's channel, and thought it was very helpful in preparing for my first AG. Good luck man!
One thing that becomes more relevant when you are brewing all-grain is water adjustment. Here is my old attempt at boiling it down (ha!), although I have no idea if this is too dense and assumes too much background information to be useful. Anyway you will need to get a water report and think about how you are going to get your mash pH and flavor ions into the appropriate range.
I bet a six pack of homebrew you have an accurate thermometer. @greyghost86 , spend some coin on a decent thermometer if you don't have one. I made the mistake of trusting a crappy one and mashed an American pale ale @ 160F... Never again.....
A good calibrated thermometer is indeed a very nice thing to have. I guess I take such things for granted and don't really think about it.
There is an old carpenter’s saying of measure twice and cut once. I may be ‘old school’ but along with my digital thermometer I use one of these to ‘double check’ temperatures:
You could also do a half step, which would be to do a partial mash. That way you do the mash, and figure things out a little bit, but if you screw something up, the extract can make up for some of it. I felt there was less risk that way.
