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Joie de vivre
Picture of sig229-SAS
posted
Greetings fellow brewers, this post was timely, I have a few resource questions.

I’m a all grain brewer using the Grainfather G30 along with their fermenters(2) but still new to brewing, with 25+ brews in just over a year. Until very recently I was buying my beer kits from either Morebeer or Northern Brewers. Buying complete kits is expensive especially when I discovered Atlantic Brew Supply with grains down to the once.

Do any SF brewers have other resources for purchasing the grains down to the once other than ABS? I’m not ready to purchase my grains in bulk and grind my own but I do like to save a few bucks by buying hops by the pound and having the grains milled and shipped.

My wife and I are huge fans of IPA’s, if anyone has a recipe for a hop forward IPA please let me know, my email is in my profile. I also subscribed to Craft Beer and Brewing magazine, along with access to Beer Smith, Brewers Friend and a few Facebook brewing groups.( I dislike FB but access to the groups is the only way I can participate.)

Other brewing tips would be nice as well! Oh yes, I have been using different yeasts in the Kveik strain, I’m getting grain to glass in 7-10 days with great results.
 
Posts: 3871 | Location: 1,960' up in Murphy, NC | Registered: January 29, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Fourth line skater
Picture of goose5
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A Grainfather or something like it is going to be my next piece of equipment. I'm on my first brew using a Spike Flex with the TC-100 temperature control bundle. This controls fermentation temperature. I'm an all grainer too. Single batch sparge. I age (three months minimum) and serve from 5 gallon kegs. I've been brewing on and off for years. I've had good results and not so good results, but nothing so bad that I threw it out. I don't have any experience with the yeast that you use. I can't answer your grain question. The only thing I can suggest is trying to buy in bulk. I've never brewed enough to justify that, but it sounds like you do. If you take up this hobby to save money you're going to be disappointed. I've always used a local shop to buy all that stuff. I've grown my own hops for about 5 years now. About the only type I have any success with is Cascade here in southern Colorado. If you like IPA's you might consider doing the same. Real hops provide more of that flavor profile IMO.


_________________________
OH, Bonnie McMurray!
 
Posts: 7663 | Location: Pueblo, CO | Registered: July 03, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of dsiets
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I'm an old school brewer w/ a couple modified kegs and cooler mash tuns for batch or fly sparging.
I started out w/ a few Northern Brewer kits back in '97 but they got bought out by a mega beer co. some years ago so I no longer use them. I have used MoreBeer for various items.
But,
I've always had a great local store 20 min. away so I've always had access to most ingredients.

One of the most difficult things to understand for me was my water. There's a reason why different areas of the world brew certain styles.
I've not used the newer brewing software as I'm still using Promash, but if you haven't yet tweeked your water, check out https://www.brunwater.com/ . I've read the water sections in many brewing books over the years but none are as good as Martin's website. If you can get your city's water profile, his calculator will assist in getting the ideal water for your IPAs.
If you have well water, you can send it to Ward labs for their brewing water analyses.

If I were you, since you buy hops by the lb., I would look up a Bell's Two Hearted recipe (I don't have mine handy atm) as it uses Centennials all the way through. Makes it easy for ordering as hops are the only ingredients I buy online.
 
Posts: 7533 | Location: MI | Registered: May 22, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Joie de vivre
Picture of sig229-SAS
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by goose5:
A Grainfather or something like it is going to be my next piece of equipment. I'm on my first brew using a Spike Flex with the TC-100 temperature control bundle. This controls fermentation temperature. I'm an all grainer too. Single batch sparge. I age (three months minimum) and serve from 5 gallon kegs. I've been brewing on and off for years. I've had good results and not so good results, but nothing so bad that I threw it out. I don't have any experience with the yeast that you use. I can't answer your grain question. The only thing I can suggest is trying to buy in bulk. I've never brewed enough to justify that, but it sounds like you do. If you take up this hobby to save money you're going to be disappointed. I've always used a local shop to buy all that stuff. I've grown my own hops for about 5 years now. About the only type I have any success with is Cascade here in southern Colorado. If you like IPA's you might consider doing the same. Real hops provide more of that flavor profile IMO.


I skipped over the bottles and keg all my beer. I have 4 tap kegerator upstairs, the G30 is in the garage so no mess inside. When I dry hop a beer I put the hops in spider in a spare keg, transfer the beer in and back out after 4-5 days into my serving keg before cold crashing and add the carbonation. Just love all the beer choices we have.
 
Posts: 3871 | Location: 1,960' up in Murphy, NC | Registered: January 29, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Joie de vivre
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quote:
Originally posted by dsiets:


If I were you, since you buy hops by the lb., I would look up a Bell's Two Hearted recipe (I don't have mine handy atm) as it uses Centennials all the way through. Makes it easy for ordering as hops are the only ingredients I buy online.


I really enjoy Bells IPA which I’ve brewed it several times. You are correct about the hops, super easy!
 
Posts: 3871 | Location: 1,960' up in Murphy, NC | Registered: January 29, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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If you don’t have the Beersmith software get it! I’ve never brewed from a kit and have only used existing recipes a handful of times. Almost all my beers are recipes developed in Beersmith.

I buy hops in bulk from Puterbaugh Farms or Hops Direct. I get everything else from the local homebrew store.

If I had more space Id buy at least base grains in bulk, perhaps my most used specialty malts and get a mill...




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Posts: 5043 | Location: Oregon | Registered: October 02, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Fourth line skater
Picture of goose5
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Also try HomeBrewTalk.com. Great information/recipe forum.


_________________________
OH, Bonnie McMurray!
 
Posts: 7663 | Location: Pueblo, CO | Registered: July 03, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Fourth line skater
Picture of goose5
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by dsiets:
I'm an old school brewer w/ a couple modified kegs and cooler mash tuns for batch or fly sparging.
I started out w/ a few Northern Brewer kits back in '97 but they got bought out by a mega beer co. some years ago so I no longer use them. I have used MoreBeer for various items.
But,
I've always had a great local store 20 min. away so I've always had access to most ingredients.

One of the most difficult things to understand for me was my water. There's a reason why different areas of the world brew certain styles.
I've not used the newer brewing software as I'm still using Promash, but if you haven't yet tweeked your water, check out https://www.brunwater.com/ . I've read the water sections in many brewing books over the years but none are as good as Martin's website. If you can get your city's water profile, his calculator will assist in getting the ideal water for your IPAs.
If you have well water, you can send it to Ward labs for their brewing water analyses.



We have hard water here. Not insanely hard like Minnesota, but fairly hard. I usually cut my tap water with half distilled. They way some of these guys get into it you have to be a chemist to understand what they're up to. And, I treat with Campden to remove chlorine.


_________________________
OH, Bonnie McMurray!
 
Posts: 7663 | Location: Pueblo, CO | Registered: July 03, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of cyanide357
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Local home brew supplier (to me) that a few of my friends use (I think at least one of the local breweries uses as well) is Homebrew your own beer.

Unfortunately the smallest grain unit size is per pound though.
 
Posts: 260 | Registered: November 24, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of dsiets
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by goose5:
quote:
Originally posted by dsiets:
I'm an old school brewer w/ a couple modified kegs and cooler mash tuns for batch or fly sparging.
I started out w/ a few Northern Brewer kits back in '97 but they got bought out by a mega beer co. some years ago so I no longer use them. I have used MoreBeer for various items.
But,
I've always had a great local store 20 min. away so I've always had access to most ingredients.

One of the most difficult things to understand for me was my water. There's a reason why different areas of the world brew certain styles.
I've not used the newer brewing software as I'm still using Promash, but if you haven't yet tweeked your water, check out https://www.brunwater.com/ . I've read the water sections in many brewing books over the years but none are as good as Martin's website. If you can get your city's water profile, his calculator will assist in getting the ideal water for your IPAs.
If you have well water, you can send it to Ward labs for their brewing water analyses.



We have hard water here. Not insanely hard like Minnesota, but fairly hard. I usually cut my tap water with half distilled. They way some of these guys get into it you have to be a chemist to understand what they're up to. And, I treat with Campden to remove chlorine.

If I can figure it out, most anyone can. Big Grin
Like you, I have moderately hard water. My Dark and brown beers were exellent. My Pale's were good.
The first time I tried to make a very light honey wheat w/ 100% tap, it was horrible. It was astringent, like an over used tea bag flavor at the end on your tongue.
Then I started diluting and using a pH meter. Diluting was an improvement. Then I figured out the Bru'n Water Calc and I now dilute a bit but then add back a few minerals and a little lactic acid for lighter beers. I have the free version of Bru'n Water and stopped using my pH meter as those things require way too much care and the readings I was recording fell inline w/ what was predicted by Bru'n Water.
If you get the chance, I highly recommend grabbing a beer and reading the Water Knowledge section and then downloading the free Bru'n Water and fiddling around w/ it. Martin was a water engineer before becoming a homebrewer and he dumbs it down as much as he can for us.

As for Campden tablets, I don't bother (they're more useful if you have chloramine in your water). I fill my measured water out the day before brewday and chlorine is pretty much gone by the next day. But life happens so I also have an inline charcoal filter if I need water on the spot.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: dsiets,
 
Posts: 7533 | Location: MI | Registered: May 22, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Alienator
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Find your local brew supply store. They have uncracked grains, hops, and any other supplies you should need. I find or make my recipies, go to the store and crack the grain I need, and get brewing.


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Posts: 7202 | Location: NC | Registered: March 16, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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FYI, InBev sold Northern Brewer to a private company a few years ago.
 
Posts: 13883 | Location: Shenandoah Valley, VA | Registered: October 16, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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OP - how about this? Check with your local breweries for grains. Mine have been very helpful with not only tips and tricks, but grains and yeast.
It's super enjoyable to talk with people who make their livelihood doing what we do for fun.

It is really about the water also. Very lucky to have great water where I am.

Cheers~
 
Posts: 932 | Location: Valley Oregon | Registered: May 23, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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this is really just a bump.... I've done some beer brewing in the long lost past and even at one point in time .... mixed up a batch of sour mash from pure corn and ..... well let's just say 180 proof.


My Native American Name:
"Runs with Scissors"
 
Posts: 4441 | Location: Greenville, SC | Registered: January 30, 2017Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Joie de vivre
Picture of sig229-SAS
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by slyguy:
OP - how about this? Check with your local breweries for grains. Mine have been very helpful with not only tips and tricks, but grains and yeast.
It's super enjoyable to talk with people who make their livelihood doing what we do for fun.

It is really about the water also. Very lucky to have great water where I am.

Cheers~


The word ‘local’ is a misnomer for me, we are two hours from almost everything. We do have a supplier ( 25 miles ) but he only sells extract kits and a very, very limited amount supplies. The next town over has a brewer that I know well, but he is somewhat old school, ‘this is the way I’ve always done it and I see no reason to change’ type. I’m beyond that and need help with the finer points of brewing. We are planning an overnight trip to Asheville ( 2 hrs ) where Atlantic Brew Supply is located, he’s willing to coach me a few items.

I do have Beersmith, I admit I need more time to work in more detail. Just as info, we’re on a 500’ deep private well, the pH from Ward Labs was 7, but I need to know how to bring it down to a pH of 5.2 to 5.5 and a way to test my pH on the fly as well.
 
Posts: 3871 | Location: 1,960' up in Murphy, NC | Registered: January 29, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Originally posted by sig229-SAS:
Just as info, we’re on a 500’ deep private well, the pH from Ward Labs was 7, but I need to know how to bring it down to a pH of 5.2 to 5.5 and a way to test my pH on the fly as well.
Your malt will often bring it down to a desired 5.3-5.5 on it's own due to the buffering abilities of the grain, depending on your water and grist. A small amount of tweeking will help you hit your target pH.
However, depending on the type of brewing you do, for example, I do a lot of batch sparging. Once I drain my mash, a lot of the buffering is gone and it's the lautering water that needs more adjusting to maintain the proper pH. Same thing if I "fly-sparge".

My email is in my member profile if you want to send your water analysis numbers. I'll take a look but I would really need your exact recipe grain bill to give you mineral and acid addition amounts because while your water tends to remain the same, your mash changes per recipe.
 
Posts: 7533 | Location: MI | Registered: May 22, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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