Do you brew your own beer?

[nacho2100]

Cool. How does the sodium alginate help the gravity? Does it keep the yeast from flocculating longer?

 I don't know anything about the convertibility of quinoa, but I'd think you need a large percentage of adjuncts to get it to convert properly.

Basically it makes a bead with yeast trapped inside. This is basically like a space suit for yeast which allows them to ferment longer and stay healthier.
http://www.kitchen-theory.com/2011/06/16/spherification/

After chag I hope to get my hands on some chemicals and begin testing some formulations.

The other thing is testing quinoa starch conversion which means I need to get my hands on some iodine etc.

[nacho2100]

So it turns out someone has a patent on Quinoa beer....Didn't think that was ok, but I am sure it wouldn't be hard to prove prior art in case of "infringement"
http://www.google.com/patents/US20120201924

Short update is I have malted and dried the quinoa and now I need to roast it. Most bloggers said that this needed to be done to increase enzyme activity but this paper suggests otherwise. I guess we shall see.
http://quinua.pe/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/M%C3%A4kinen-2013.pdf

[jaywhy]

So it turns out someone has a patent on Quinoa beer....Didn't think that was ok, but I am sure it wouldn't be hard to prove prior art in case of "infringement"
http://www.google.com/patents/US20120201924

Short update is I have malted and dried the quinoa and now I need to roast it. Most bloggers said that this needed to be done to increase enzyme activity but this paper suggests otherwise. I guess we shall see.
http://quinua.pe/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/M%C3%A4kinen-2013.pdf

Cool! Are you using any adjuncts?

Split the batch in two, roast one and compare the efficiency numbers.

[nacho2100]

Ya I was planning to do something like that.
Basically I malted (2 cups) and roasted to 3 stages and then tried to make a crystal malt by pouring boiling water over the quinoa as it roasted. I think I should have done this last stage with some of the less roasted ones but its a very intense rich flavor/scent. The tricky part is removing the shoots by drying them properly. Airdrying didn't work as well as the oven, but the oven didn't heat so evenly. I wish I had the ability to invest in a popcorn machine or roaster that has the churning arms.

I am going to roast 2 more sets of 2 cups. One I will soak for around 2 hours. Just to see if I can get all the saponins out (soap precursors, you can rinse quinoa and see them come out). The other set I will just roast straight.

I was planning to make baby worts out of each set, maybe mashing them in mason jars in a hot water bath. Seeing how they smell/taste/gravate?/ and convert starchs. Then maybe I will blend and ferment them. This will help me figure out the quinoa grain bill.

As far as adjuncts I have been playing around with the idea to use sweet potatoes, I have heard they have a high alpha amylase activity. More research is necessary.
I've been considering beet juice and honey as they are fermentables that will increase the gravity and alky %.

Until now it seems that malting is the biggest potchke.

I also worry about 2 things. 1. the high protein content will gunk things up and I will lose volume. 2. I have no idea which hops to add if any.

[jaywhy]

Ya I was planning to do something like that.
Basically I malted (2 cups) and roasted to 3 stages and then tried to make a crystal malt by pouring boiling water over the quinoa as it roasted. I think I should have done this last stage with some of the less roasted ones but its a very intense rich flavor/scent. The tricky part is removing the shoots by drying them properly. Airdrying didn't work as well as the oven, but the oven didn't heat so evenly. I wish I had the ability to invest in a popcorn machine or roaster that has the churning arms.

I am going to roast 2 more sets of 2 cups. One I will soak for around 2 hours. Just to see if I can get all the saponins out (soap precursors, you can rinse quinoa and see them come out). The other set I will just roast straight.

I was planning to make baby worts out of each set, maybe mashing them in mason jars in a hot water bath. Seeing how they smell/taste/gravate?/ and convert starchs. Then maybe I will blend and ferment them. This will help me figure out the quinoa grain bill.

As far as adjuncts I have been playing around with the idea to use sweet potatoes, I have heard they have a high alpha amylase activity. More research is necessary.
I've been considering beet juice and honey as they are fermentables that will increase the gravity and alky %.

Until now it seems that malting is the biggest potchke.

I also worry about 2 things. 1. the high protein content will gunk things up and I will lose volume. 2. I have no idea which hops to add if any.

Sounds like an interesting experiment.
You can always add amylase to increase the conversion numbers.

Have you ever looked into making beer with chestnut chips?
Supposedly, they convert well and have the best flavor next to malted barley. I would definitely add those to my experiment before sweet potatoes.
Honey would be great. I'd leave the beet juice out. If you want gravity, use molasses or corn sugar and maltodextrin for body.

Once, you decide on the grain bill, you can decide what kinds of hops you want to use. I'd lightly hop it first and then see how far you can take it. 
This is an awesome experiment and I will definitely be participating once I get the Picobrew. 

[Drago]

Ok, so you guys are way too advanced for me.

Let me start off with a simple question.

It looks like we're finally going to buy the beer kit this Friday from a store in Mevasseret.
Any tips about what to be looking out for when I buy?
What other supplies should I buy that they might not suggest to me?
What might they suggest to me to buy that I don't really need?
Any other tips?

Thanks!

[jaywhy]

Ok, so you guys are way too advanced for me.

Let me start off with a simple question.

It looks like we're finally going to buy the beer kit this Friday from a store in Mevasseret.
Any tips about what to be looking out for when I buy?
What other supplies should I buy that they might not suggest to me?
What might they suggest to me to buy that I don't really need?
Any other tips?

Thanks!

Congrats!
I think the first page of this thread has the info discussed already.
Make sure they give you a few feet of tubing with the kit. Buy some extra dried malt extract just in case you have a boil over and lose wort. On that note, it's pretty much guaranteed that you will have a boil over, it happens to everyone. Just make sure your wife is out of the kitchen and it's all cleaned up when she gets back You can ask them if they have any Fermcap S - reduces the chances of a boil over.
Best tip is: RDWHAHB. Relax don't worry, have a home brew
Good Luck!

[Drago]

Dang it, just realized that the beer store isn't open on Friday! Boo

On a different note, is a regular fridge cold enough for most fermenting needs?

[jaywhy]

Dang it, just realized that the beer store isn't open on Friday! Boo

On a different note, is a regular fridge cold enough for most fermenting needs?

Too cold unless you're doing lagers.
As long as you can keep it under 75, you're good.

[Drago]

Too cold unless you're doing lagers.
As long as you can keep it under 75, you're good.

So what other options do I have? A dark room in a house?

[jaywhy]

So what other options do I have? A dark room in a house?

That's perfect.

[Drago]

So I bought the kit for 450sh.
48 used bottles for 50sh
And a pale wheat ale mix for 120 that makes 55 bottles.

Now I just have to find some good articles to read to I understand all the lingo and instructions.

How much time should I plan for creating the first batch? 2-3 hours or work?

[jaywhy]

So I bought the kit for 450sh.
48 used bottles for 50sh
And a pale wheat ale mix for 120 that makes 55 bottles.

Now I just have to find some good articles to read to I understand all the lingo and instructions.

How much time should I plan for creating the first batch? 2-3 hours or work?

Awesome

I'd allocate at least 5-6 hours.

John Palmer's How to Brew is a great book available for free online.

[Drago]

Awesome

I'd allocate at least 5-6 hours.

John Palmer's How to Brew is a great book available for free online.

Anyway to print it out in a single file, or do I have to print out each page separately?

[AharonInIsrael]

Anyway to print it out in a single file, or do I have to print out each page separately?

You can save the whole thing to your computer over here (or print it, I guess, if you're printing at home):
http://ebookbrowsee.net/gdoc.php?id=132862908&url=722d914ae6c3879c242dacf68452c44e

[henche]

So I bought the kit for 450sh.
48 used bottles for 50sh
And a pale wheat ale mix for 120 that makes 55 bottles.

Now I just have to find some good articles to read to I understand all the lingo and instructions.

How much time should I plan for creating the first batch? 2-3 hours or work?

just pm'ed jaywhy to complain that you got ripped off like a beast, until he explained that you those numbers are shekels.   

[jaywhy]

just pm'ed jaywhy to complain that you got ripped off like a beast, until he explained that you those numbers are shekels.   

Haha, cracked me up too.

[Drago]

just pm'ed jaywhy to complain that you got ripped off like a beast, until he explained that you those numbers are shekels.   

Thanks for watching out for my back.
Unless you were pm'ing him and not me so that you could have a hearty laugh at my expense.

[Drago]

I realized that I didn't refridgerate the beer ingredients after buying them. They've been in a dark coolish room.
Is this an issue?

[jaywhy]

I realized that I didn't refridgerate the beer ingredients after buying them. They've been in a dark coolish room.
Is this an issue?

No.