Second brew help

[madchemist83]

Should I be worried about yeast nutrients ? A lot of recipes I'm looking at have 2-row pale malt and I understand that's to create enough nutrients and enzymes for yeast to eat up those other ( munich, vienna malts).

[spiderwrangler]

I'm using mesh bag but now thinking of just straining it through fine colander. Can I do partial boil as I'll take half of my grain - mash it, then do another half?

Sure, do it however you want.

If you are using an ale yeast, you need colder (longer) fermentation to retain residual sugars.

I don't really agree with this... if you are looking to retain unfermentables, it should be done in the mashing rather than trying to stunt yeast fermentation to keep some otherwise fermentable sugars around...

Should I be worried about yeast nutrients ? A lot of recipes I'm looking at have 2-row pale malt and I understand that's to create enough nutrients and enzymes for yeast to eat up those other ( munich, vienna malts).

Not sure what you are asking here... nutrients and enzymes are completely different things. 2-row contains more enzymes, which can be useful if you are also mashing something without enzymes of their own. However, munich and vienna can both self convert.

[gwk453]

Spiderwrangler....The info was in the Porter chapter of Brewing Classic Styles and I respect the author.

[madchemist83]

Thanks for info. What about water? I analysed my water for metals and it looks like it's pretty soft.

[Bugeater]

Thanks for info. What about water? I analysed my water for metals and it looks like it's pretty soft.

It's pretty early in your brewing career to worry about water. If you didn't get any medicinal tastes in your first beer, don't mess with your water right now. Work on getting your process down. If you mess with too many things at once, you won't be able to diagnose any problems that may arise.

Wayne

[madchemist83]

By medicinal taste do you mean chlorate? I haven't checked that yet. Sorry to disappoint you but I'm a chemist and like to get to chemical part of everything. I'm not planning on tweaking water or use ro water for that matter.

[Cody]

By medicinal taste do you mean chlorate? I haven't checked that yet. Sorry to disappoint you but I'm a chemist and like to get to chemical part of everything. I'm not planning on tweaking water or use ro water for that matter.

If you're a chemist, you should appreciate what Wayne is saying. For example, you don't go out the first time and perform a perfect, multi-step polymer synthesis. You master the basic steps, one at a time, until you can put them together. You don't have the skills to master water chemistry, mashing, and fermentation. Please realize that this is different from saying that you don't have the capacity to understand those processes. We're not trying to insult your intelligence. We are simply trying to save you time and frustration (and the waste of what could have been good beer) by guiding you to master the most important skills first. This is no different from an internship in a chemistry lab.

However, if you simply insist on ignoring everyone's advice, by all means do that. But don't be dismissive and condescending in the process.

[madchemist83]

Like I said I'm not planning on tweaking water. Please read post first before mindlessly insulting poster. I do appreciate all the info.