any homebrewers here?

[Tenacious_ND 0]

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f75/blueberry-summer-ale-197271/

 

What exactly is the process of mashing? I've only done one brew before and it was with a guy who knows what hes doing so I vaguely have an understanding of the process.

 

mashing is when you hold your grains at a certain temp (usually an hour) to convert the starches to sugars.

[irishndfan2 0]

mashing is when you hold your grains at a certain temp (usually an hour) to convert the starches to sugars.

 

oh ok, well how is the different then steeping? just a longer period of time?

[Rocketsan 773]

Home brew cider and licorice stout. Been flirting with trying to do an alcoholic root beer style ale without much luck. Also trying to do a ginger beer.

 

Well, it only took four years but I think I've got a hard root beer down...

 

Starting a coconut milk stout this afternoon after the kids' sports this morning.

[ztexz 0]

oh ok, well how is the different then steeping? just a longer period of time?

 

Here's the essential difference:

 

When you mash grains, you are trying to pull the starch (i.e. sugar) out of the grain. Base grains -- the ones that you mash -- are called "malted," meaning that they have started to germinate, but the process was stopped halfway through. By stopping the process, you make available the enzymes that are necessary to convert those starches to sugars. That sugar is what the yeast will eat and convert into delicious beer-flavored alcohol.

 

When you steep grains, you are basically extracting flavor and color. You are trying to get certain aromatic compounds out of the grain but NOT the starch. Steeping grains do not add any significant gravity to your beer because you (hopefully) have not converted any of the starches to sugar.

 

Some grains, called base grains, can ONLY be mashed: American 2 Row, American 6 Row, Pilsner, Rye, Wheat, Vienna, Munich, etc.

 

Other grains, typically called specialty grains (e.g. Crystal grains, Barley, etc.), can be steeped OR mashed, depending on what you are trying to accomplish.

 

The only real difference in the process is the amount of water you use and attention to temperature control.

[ztexz 0]

Allow me to share with you the absolute best cider recipe I have ever come across. It comes out to about 7% ABV, so it can pack quite a punch. But it is absolutely delicious and bone dry.

 

 

5 Gallons 100% Apple Juice (No preservatives or additives)

2 pounds of dextrose (corn sugar) in one pound bags

1 five gram packet of Montrachet Wine Yeast

 

Pour it all into your carboy and wait. Give it a LONG time -- like 4-6 months in the carboy. Immediately after making your first batch, get your second batch going, because I guarantee you that you will want more.

 

Note that you can adjust the ABV and the dryness by changing the amount of dextrose you add. The relationship is inverse, however, so the dryer the cider, the higher the ABV (which is unfortunate because I like low ABV stuff but very dry)

[Rocketsan 773]

I only use Nottingham ale yeast in my cider