11 replies to this topic

[SchwanzBrewer]

I went to the LHBS (I have 3 to choose from now!) and got some grains and yeast yesterday for 4 - 11 gallon batches. Good thing I get a 10% discount because it was $185 (8 packs of yeast and about 80# or so of grain). This experience taught me 2 things...#1 I think its time to start buying sacs of grain.#2 I think its time to start cultivating and preparing successive generations of yeast.In order to do #1 here is what I think I need... 1. Plastic tubs for grain2. A good scale for 50# or less3. A grain crusher (with stand) motorized4. A couple 7 gallon buckets to crush into5. A good scoopI think I would probably get pale malt, pilsner malt, munich, maris otter, crystal 60 and 40, white wheat, rice hulls... any others?In order to do #2 here is what I think I need...1. An assortment of Erlenmeyer flasks probably 100mL to 2L2. A dorm fridge dedicated to yeast preservationBasically this should allow me to wash yeast from batches and store them without contamination.My guess is between these 2 things I could easily spend $500 (not counting the grain). Please add or criticize this list of things I need to do to help me learn gooder and if you know of some items that work well for cheap please enlighten me. If I were to brew 4 batches a month I think I could save at least half the cost. I would still buy some adjuncts from the LHBS like flaked barley and also less used malts like roasted malt.Two of the batches are my palesner recipe. One I have crystal 40, then other I took it out and substituted an extra pound of munich. I damn near ran them out of pilsner malt. Between the two batches I will be using 28# of pilsner. I could brew that beer almost 4 times if I bought my own sacs of grain. I also think I would brew more often if I have all the ingredients at hand, not having to worry about shipping or whether or not I can make it to the LHBS before they close.Even though I spent $185 it will make 40 gallons of beer (I have the hops already in bulk). If I add in the cost of hops, Ice for chilling, I am still brewing for $0.55/12oz beer. Getting all my own equipment I think I can half that.Cheers,Rich

[ChefLamont]

If all you are doing is saving yeast from batch to batch (I dont think wasking is all that necessary or desirible in most circumstances), then quart mason jars and tin foil work just fine. Actually, erlenmeyers would be difficult to pour into and dont bring anything particularly special to the party.You might also want to look at the beginning side of the yeast equation. Buy one pack/tube and grow it to a pitcheable amount on a stir plate. That will cut the yeast costs in half right there in addition to the use of latter generations.When you look at costs only count the things that will change with the procedures. I assume you will still use ice either way. Also, if you are looking at total costs, dont forget fuel (I assume propane). It is definitely non-negligible.

[djinkc]

A 4L flask is nice for propping yeast when you're brewing batches that size.And you'll generate more heat with twice the amount fermenting. I have no plans to ever brew a 5 gal batch again.

Edited by djinkc, 27 January 2012 - 12:26 PM.

[Genesee Ted]

One thing that I do to save time and money is to plan out a few months worth of brewing. Then I make my purchase. I will take a night and mix the grain to make kits for the recipes and put them in trash bags. That way, it saves me that step on brew day. Then, I plan my brews to be 4 or 5 in a row with the same yeast. If you are smart about it, you could probably go longer, but most people like to change it up. Also, yeah, big flask on a stir plate for 10 gal batches. I went to 10 gal 6 or 7 years ago and haven't looked back since. More beer for the same effort.

[SchwanzBrewer]

If all you are doing is saving yeast from batch to batch (I dont think wasking is all that necessary or desirible in most circumstances), then quart mason jars and tin foil work just fine. Actually, erlenmeyers would be difficult to pour into and dont bring anything particularly special to the party.You might also want to look at the beginning side of the yeast equation. Buy one pack/tube and grow it to a pitcheable amount on a stir plate. That will cut the yeast costs in half right there in addition to the use of latter generations.When you look at costs only count the things that will change with the procedures. I assume you will still use ice either way. Also, if you are looking at total costs, dont forget fuel (I assume propane). It is definitely non-negligible.

Even though I buy a smack pack per 5 gallons, I make a 500mL starter with it for each 5 gallon batch.What I was thinking was that I would step up the starters and save a little from each yeast type in the small Erlenmeyer's (or mason jars) and step it up again before each brew day. Cheers,Rich

[cavman]

Even though I buy a smack pack per 5 gallons, I make a 500mL starter with it for each 5 gallon batch.What I was thinking was that I would step up the starters and save a little from each yeast type in the small Erlenmeyer's (or mason jars) and step it up again before each brew day.Cheers,Rich

That is a small starter, I usually do 2L starters for a 5 gallon batch(depending on the beer of course). The flasks and a striplate are nice for starters, get ball jars for harvesting.

[Genesee Ted]

Depending on the beer though, you can even go smaller. With 3711 for my saisons, I make a 1 qt starter with 1 smack pack on the stirplate for 10-11 gallons no problem. Ferments dry and no off flavors.

[SchwanzBrewer]

That is a small starter, I usually do 2L starters for a 5 gallon batch(depending on the beer of course). The flasks and a striplate are nice for starters, get ball jars for harvesting.

They always come out clean. I dump the whole thing in though. I'll use two packets and a 1 gallon jug to make the starters for the 10 gal batches. The starter size is a bit over 1L though that I split for the two batches. I really wish I had some conicals (and the space to use them). That would rock.Cheers,Rich

[bigdaddyale]

Here is what I do. I have four 1 gallon glass wine jugs that I use to store yeast ,grow a starter,and hold boiled and cooled RO water in.On brew day I brew an extra 1/2 gallon of wort and transfer hot wort to a clean and sanitzed jug.I place this in the beer fridge to cool down.I transfer 5.250 gallons of hot wort to a fermentor keg,(I ferment in cornie kegs) hit with co2 to seal and place in beer fridge to cool.I then make a 1/2 gallon starter with the new cooled wort and the yeast from the last batch that has been in storage.Two days later I decant starter then pitch yeast and aerate wort in keg.I move keg to fermentation chamber.After fermentation is over I rack beer to bright keg, cold crash and carb in beer fridge.I then harvest yeast from fermentor buy pouring 1/2 gallon of ro water from one of the gallon jugs into the keg swish the slurry around then seal up keg with co2.15 minitues later I dispense yeast into sanatized gallon jug and store in beer fridge.

[beach]

I just use 1 tube/pack and build that to the necessary startere size. No need to use 2, that's one of the points of the whole exersise. I've been doing 10 gal (net) batches for a year and see no need to do smaller as long as it's >1.000 OG.Beach

[SchwanzBrewer]

I'm cleaning up the house, making my starters, cleaning the porch and garage to prepare for tomorrow morning. Gonna get up at 6am and brew 20 gallons. I haven't brewed in a month and stuff is scattered, the dogs have wrecked the porch, and I have to make room in the garage for the new fermentation chamber.Cheers,Rich

[gnef]

I primarily do 10 gallon batches, but for really big beers, I typically do a 5 gallon batch first, and then pitch on top of the yeast cake. If you build your own stir plate, it can be pretty cheap, and you will only need to get the glassware and stir bars. Like cheflamont said above, I also use mason jars for yeast storage, and only use the erlenmyer for the buildup. I only have a 2L flask, but I can do smaller starters in it if I desire. I try to use the yeast cake as much as I can so that I don't have to worry about starters. I also pressure can wort to have on hand so that I don't have to boil for each starter. This makes working with starters much easier for me.As for grain though - I am a bit different than just about everyone else I know. I buy in bulk, but I only buy one base grain - canadian 2-row. It is light enough that I can brew cream ales with now problem, and I rarely do pilseners, and for any recipe that uses pilsner, I just use the lighter canadian 2-row, adjust the specialty grains if I feel it is necessary, and I can then boil only 60 minutes if I feel so inclined.I still buy a sack of wheat every now and then, and I have a sack of munich and rye, but those are for beers I brew fairly often (and hate paying close to $3/lb) . I used to have canadian 2-row, canadian pilsener, wheat, franco belges pils, crisp MO, American 2-row, rye and munich in bulk, but that just got too busy for me, and I personally like the simplicity now. I know the flavor profile may not be exactly to style, but honestly, my pallet isn't sensitive enough I feel to taste the difference, especially if I use other specialy malts to compensate a bit for it.I also keep many specialty malts on hand (I think I have around 20-25 or so right now), but in smaller amounts, around 5 pounds of each, and I just refill these as I need to from the LHBS. I do get some odd looks sometimes when I get 5 pounds of roasted.I guess my main point is, use what we all say to figure out what the best method is for you. It may change in the future, and that's great as you learn what your own priorities are to make beer that tastes the best to you. You may also figure out something that none of us has even considered, so post back if something works amazingly for you!