Tom's first brew

"Whatever you do, don't squeeze the bag!" (quote of the evening)

Last night, Tom and I brewed his very first beer. He purchased a similar beginner's kit to mine (single fermenter) and used a pale ale recipe. If you happen to be near Tempe, the Brewer's Connection shop had a very knowledgeable and pleasant staff. The recipe:

6 lb. Plain Light DME
1/2 lb. Carapils Grains
1/2 lb. Crystal 60L Grains
1 oz. cascade hop pellets (bittering)
1 oz. cascade hop pellets (aroma)
1 Package SafAle Yeast
1 tsp gypsum
1 tsp Irish Moss
1 lb. Dextrose

The main differences for me in this brew were:

• a nearly full boil (about 4 gallons) - helps to bring out the flavors better because they have more room in the pot to roll around
• heating to 160, and steeping the grain bag at that temperature for 25 minutes and not squeezing the grain bag - to avoid leeching too many tannins into the brew
• gypsum (to harden the water for the purpose of better suspending particulates)
• Irish Moss (a clarifying agent)
• Brewing to the gravity, not the volume (to make sure the concentration was right)
• iodophor as a sanitizer (instead of C-Brite)
• a big kitchen to work in

Every time I brew, it gets easier and I learn something new. The gypsum and Irish Moss made the break proteins coagulate FAR more quickly and completely. I'm definitely going to place and order for some of that.

Tom's observation on the finished wort:

"It is bold! I like it!"