First beer - AR15.COM

Posted: 8/9/2016 5:09:17 PM EDT

Gonna make my first beer this weekend. Friend gave me a Brooklyn brewshop everyday IPA kit for a gallon batch. He has had it in his basement for "maybe a year" says best by April 2013.
Was planning on getting new yeast. You reckon the hops are ok? Looks pelletized.

Posted: 8/9/2016 5:56:28 PM EDT

[#1]

I'd get new hops.

Edit: I'd get a new kit. I'm assuming it's an extract kit and it's likely too old for decent results.

Edit again: I just read the instructions and it's all-grain. I don't know what the shelf life of grain is. I think I would keep the gear from the kit, look up a 1 gallon recipe online, get those ingredients, and make it.

Posted: 8/9/2016 10:26:21 PM EDT

[#2]

Quote History

Quoted:
I'd get new hops.

Edit: I'd get a new kit. I'm assuming it's an extract kit and it's likely too old for decent results.

Edit again: I just read the instructions and it's all-grain. I don't know what the shelf life of grain is. I think I would keep the gear from the kit, look up a 1 gallon recipe online, get those ingredients, and make it.

View Quote

Ok. thanks for the input.

Posted: 8/17/2016 12:22:27 AM EDT

[#3]

Hell, brew it up. If itsucks, all you've wasted is time. I bet it is drinkable, though it is an IPA, which I don't like.

Edit: it's an IPA, can't taste any worse than a normal ale.

Posted: 8/17/2016 9:52:44 AM EDT

[#4]

Quote History

Quoted:
Hell, brew it up. If itsucks, all you've wasted is time. I bet it is drinkable, though it is an IPA, which I don't like.

Edit: it's an IPA, can't taste any worse than a normal ale.

View Quote

So I ended up getting a whole new recipe for a 1 gallon IPA

2.75 lb 2row barley
2/3lb crystal malt
.6 oz warrior
1 oz citra half in boil half in 10 days.
And then some yeast the guy recommended

So I doubled the hops and used them on the old one.
I also opened the old hops and the smelled nice. So I used them too on the one batch.
It came with about 1/8oz Columbus for bittering and about 1/4 oz cascade for flavor.

So I have 2 batches going.

I'll rack it and dry hop it Monday. Also it didn't have any priming sugar. Any recommendations?

Posted: 8/17/2016 12:56:07 PM EDT

[#5]

Awesome! You can use granulated sugar in the place of dextrose. Here's a priming sugar calculator: http://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/

Posted: 8/17/2016 2:27:06 PM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:
Awesome! You can use granulated sugar in the place of dextrose. Here's a priming sugar calculator: http://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/

View Quote

That is very helpful. Thank you.

Posted: 8/19/2016 9:04:53 AM EDT

[#7]

So I guess I screwed up. Didn't know you weren't supposed to boil the mash on all grain. Am I hosed on this batch of will it be drinkable?

Posted: 8/21/2016 9:35:12 PM EDT

[#8]

Quote History

Quoted:
So I guess I screwed up. Didn't know you weren't supposed to boil the mash on all grain. Am I hosed on this batch of will it be drinkable?

View Quote

Keep going all it costs you is time. Decoction brewing boils some of the mash.

Posted: 8/22/2016 9:58:08 PM EDT

[#9]

Hmm, well I don't know how that will turn out, but stick with it and let us know. Hopefully you continue on and try a third batch.

Posted: 8/23/2016 9:06:43 AM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
Hmm, well I don't know how that will turn out, but stick with it and let us know. Hopefully you continue on and try a third batch.

View Quote

I'll keep it going. Gonna dry hop it today. It's a couple one gallon batches so I'm not too worried.

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