Hello all
I really have not done any brewing in 12-14 years - my business & all - I know no excuses.
I am doing a basic recipe (can & yeast[bock]) 2 stage to get my feet wet again and start to “recall” stuff I know I forgot.
My question is - What is a good easier recipe that I can try that is a real “gem” I know this is a loaded question but I was thinking something in the area of an Amber Lager.
Thanks
Holzster
I can’t really give you a good recipe (I could try but there are many better sources than me on this forum) but I was in your boat not that long ago and one thing that I found is that Primary/Secondary fermentation schedules seem to have gone out of style for the most part. I assume that’s what you mean by 2 stage. Ferment it in the primary and leave it there until it’s done and then bottle/keg directly. I’ve been doing it since coming back to brewing and I think it works just fine and I’m sure others on here will agree (and some won’t which is why the forum is great).
GMac
Thanks for the reply - I was kind of thinking about that (2 stage comment you made) also when I have been doing some reading the past couple months.
I know this is another loaded question but here goes? Why drop the second stage - is is really not needed mach or…?
It’s not needed in most cases. The common advice to do it in the past was likely due in part to using substandard yeasts and the desire to get the beer off of that yeast as quickly as possible. Unless you’re actually doing a secondary fermentation, like adding fruit for example, there’s no good reason to transfer to a secondary and lots of good reasons (like risk of oxidation and contamination) not to.
If you’re just getting your feet wet again, maybe you don’t want to start with lagers. Brewing an ale would be fewer things to “re-learn” as you getting going again.
Do an ale first, something with a lot of flavor, a Stout, Pale Ale or an IPA.
The flavors can cover up minor issues on your first brew.
There is no NEED to use a secondary, as several others have said.
The bottom line is pick a flavorful ale you liker and go for it.
Thanks all for the great & quick responses.
OK I like IPA’s - any good easy ones out there?
You like Bell’s Two-Hearted? Here’s a simple kit clone version…
Welcome to the forum! I recommend you pick up a good updated brewing book, such as “How to Brew” by John Palmer. I’ve been brewing for a bout the same amount of years you have been off (a little longer, actually) and I can attest that a lot of great information has come out in the last 15 years that you most likely don’t have in your possession but that would behoove you to gather. Good luck and stick to it this time. 
I’ll second getting a good book like How to Brew. That’s a comprehensive book on homebrewing that will get you back on the horse quick. I also recommend hanging out here for questions and answers.
Welcome to the AHA Forum holzster! 8)
This recipe I found (local brew store web site) look fairly easy - am I over thinking my abilities so far? & what Yeast would you recommend from he list?
Style: Red Ale
Sugars:
Amount Type
6 lbs. Amber Malt Extract
3/4 cup Corn Sugar (priming)
Grains:
Amount Type
1 lb. Light Crystal Malt (10L)
1 lb. Cara-Pils Malt
1/2 lb. Belgian Cara-Vienne Malt
1/4 lb. Special “B” Malt
Hops:
Amount Type
2/3 oz Clusters (bittering)
1/2 oz Cascades (flavoring)
1/2 oz Cascades (finishing)
Yeast: Nottingham or Coopers dry ale yeast, or Wyeast # 1028, 1056, 1084, 1098 or 1968, or White Labs WLP001, 002, 004, 005, 007, 008, 013, 051 or 023
Yeast nutrient (optional)
1/2 tsp Calcium Chloride
Starting Gravity: 1.047
Ending Gravity: 1.012
Directions:
Make any water adjustments first. It is best to boil as much (up to 5 gallons) as your brew-pot will hold. Be careful not to overfill or cover your brew-pot when boiling, this will cause a boil over.
The use of a grain bag is highly recommended. Place grains in grain bag, and put into 160 degree water. Cover, turn fire off, let steep for 30 min. Remove grain bag and bring water to a boil. Turn off the heat (to prevent scorching), and mix in the malt extracts and any other adjuncts. When fully dissolved, turn the heat back on and return the wort to a rolling boil. Add the bittering hops, continue to boil for 50 min. Add the flavoring hops, continue to boil for 5 min. Add the finishing hops and continue to boil for 5 more min. The use of hop socks make the addition and removal of hops much easier.
After you have boiled your wort for a full 60 min, remove all hops and add water to reach 5 gallons. Cool to 75 degrees and add yeast nutrient and yeast. Shake your fermenter vigorously for 5 min. to aerate the wort. Remember, your yeast needs oxygen to live and grow. Attach the blow-off hose to the fermenter and place the other end into a container of water to form an air-lock. Rack into secondary fermenter after krueson has begun to subside.
that looks like a good place to start. I wouild probably use one of the dry yeast options so you don’t have to worry about pitching rates. Also a thought to try out, if you are fermenting in a bucket is to replace a a gallon of so worth of the water with ice from the store (sanitary). it makes chilling much easier. Check out alton browns beer recipe for instructions on how to do that. I used that method when doing extract brews and it worked well.
At the minimum, there’re two things you probably want to change in those instructions. First is to chill the wort to well below the 75F that’s suggested - mid to low 60’s instead. Number two is to forget about the secondary.
Thanks for the tips - I got the stuff this morning - I decided on Safale S-04 yeast - make it a little more “English” style if I am understanding everything right.
+1
I also recommend rehydrating your yeast prior to pitching for the best yeast yield.