Cm2 First Solo Ag

[Maple]

Just a bit of a teaser...

so why have a single single step infusion mash, when you can have a 5 step, quad decotion mash...

 

[Kleiny]

Just a bit of a teaser...

so why have a single single step infusion mash, when you can have a 5 step, quad decotion mash...

Because its way easier :lol:

CM2 congrats hope all went well and we need some pics.

 

[brettprevans]

well pics are being loaded as we speak..Done LINK. commissioning of the rig had its issues.

Kick off - 10am start heating water.
1. HLT leaks. no big drama there.
2. using mongolian burner on HLT to heat water as element wont work on house circuit. ok except for the burner tape and insulation all day.
3. slight rig deformity (due to its maker) means burner keep falling off. Quick on the fly modification led by Maple fixes that.
4. step mash. would have been fiune except for the fact we discoverd after about 90min and 4 step infusions that the tun thermometer wont go above 60C <_< . use a crappy kitchen thermometer...hey we are in the right ball park!
5. due to extra step step infusions have way way too much volume. about 20L too much.
6. about 2hr boil later i start my hop boil.
7. realise about 20min into the hop boil i forgot the whifloc. no biggy.
8. borrowed immersion chiller from MAple wont fit into keg.... 45L of boiling wort and no way to cool...I'll think of something.
9. all done. time to drain..... waiting...wainting.... re whirlpool. wait. wait. (*^*&^*&^ WTF!! pull everything apart....damn hop flowers clogging up the tap!.. fix that and only half bore the drain. sweet. all draining into 60L fermentor.
10. amost give myself a hernia putting 60L fermentor into the chest freezer to chill!
Finish 6:35pm in almost pitch black.
cleaning can wait until tomorrow.

final Volume: 45L, OG 1051. Promash recons it was 1069 @ 42L. so I guess im not too far off.

Tips & lessons:
- fine to boil up rice the night before. but reheat it before you chuck into the tun. its a bitch to heat up from cold. 2kg makes a sh*t load of rice.
- measure all your hops, crack y9our grain etc the night befoe. saves a heap of time.
- Chapps et al, was right. Do a hot water run through before you brew.
- some needs to invent self priming march pumps!
- a 9kg gas bottle will run a mongolian burner flat out for 6-8 hours before its runs out.
- just remeber AG is fun.

Edit:
Big Ups to Maple for his forman skills on the day. advice and help was appreciate.
KT those sausage rolls using your recipe were ace. glad the rest of your brewing day worked out.

 

[Leigh]

That gusty wind wouldn't have helped with the boil!

Sounds like you had some fun mate. Well done!

 

[brendo]

top work CM2... I am sure that despite the dramas that it will taste darn fine mate!!!

Nothing like getting that first one under the belt to work out the system mate, and with that approach to a mash schedule, you certainly didn't do it by halves :beerbang:

This one made me laugh though since we had discussed it the week before...

- some needs to invent self priming march pumps!



Cheers,

Brendo

 

[Katherine]

Edit:
Big Ups to Maple for his forman skills on the day. advice and help was appreciate.
KT those sausage rolls using your recipe were ace. glad the rest of your brewing day worked out.

What a long day for you, I was sitting at Clancy' Fish Pub 6.00 your time! Drinking Feral Hophog!

I could of done things so much different when i look back now, like WHY did i try to sphyon the wort out from the top of the pot when I have a tap? Anyhow I ended up with 15 litres it was to high so I boiled some water left it. Went to Clancy's Fish Pub then Indian for dinner. Lloydie topped the ferenter up and pitched the yeast. By morning there was already action from the airlock and a krausen. Lager yeast STINKS! So anyhow I ended up with 18 litres and hit my gravity!

Your next day will be easier just getting to know your gear!

 

[brettprevans]

its all good. look it was frustrating but fun. if things had of gone smoothly then i would have spent less time 'hands on' than i would need to if i was extract brewing. and running into problems and needing to solve them is good cuase if it ever happens again I know what to do (or if someone on AHB runs into similar problems I can assist them).

so now all is left is to pitch yeast. will do that tonight

 

[raven19]

There is nothing like your first AG. Bottle a few and put aside for many months if you can.

Some good learning points in there for all of us I am sure.

Well done! :icon_cheers:

 

[chappo1970]

Great stuff CM2!

"Houston we have lift off!"



Love this shot BTW, actually looks like it want's to take off. Don't sweat it CM2 the brew days get easier and sometimes harder like last weeks effort where I blow the HP gas hose to the rambo... 1m flame trying to burn my brewery down. Had the throw the whole 54lt batch out as I was only at the heating up stage and the boiler was only a smidge over 70C with no way of getting it to boil.

Thanks for sharing mate... :beer:

Cheers

Chappo

 

[clarkey7]

last weeks effort where I blow the HP gas hose to the rambo... 1m flame trying to burn my brewery down. Had the throw the whole 54lt batch out as I was only at the heating up stage and the boiler was only a smidge over 70C with no way of getting it to boil.

Chappo

Nooooo!

Lid on, drive to BCF to buy hose, then keep going with the brewday.......just pretend it's an extra long mash out.

No need to throw out 54L.

Or alternatively...phone a friend or post on here that you were in the middle of an emergency...surely someone could throw a burner your way for the day for or a few beers....

PB

Edit - Top work BTW CM2

 

[brettprevans]

no boil, no chill Chaps! you should have stolen the next door neighbours reg for the boil. I pulled the one off my bbq to use.

its all good as i said. looking forward to brewiong at the new place where i'll have a dedicated elec circuit to run my hlt heating element.

 

[clarkey7]

i'll have a dedicated elec circuit to run my hlt heating element.

Might be a good idea to have gas backup.
Pesky power outages..
PB

 

[brettprevans]

Might be a good idea to have gas backup.
Pesky power outages..
PB

well i could always do what i did on saturday and use the burner. i've burnt off all the tape and stuff on the hlt now so it shouldnt stink as much 2nd time around!

 

[Maple]

well i could always do what i did on saturday and use the burner. i've burnt off all the tape and stuff on the hlt now so it shouldnt stink as much 2nd time around!

Nah, not all the tape... There is still the stuff 'roud the top that was uncharred...or did something happen after I left?

 

[brettprevans]

lol. nah most of the tape is fine, i just meant the stuff around the bottom has been burnt off/melted onto the rig. at least the rig looks used now. i recon ive ticked most of the boxes that make me a brewer now.

edit: had a phone call with KT after you left comparing notes/trial & tribulations of each others brew day. always good to share the frustration.

 

[chappo1970]

no boil, no chill Chaps! you should have stolen the next door neighbours reg for the boil.

Damn it CM2 I didn't think of that! D'oh! Man I need you around when I brew...

Cheers

Chap Chap

 

[manticle]

Nice work CM2.

@ Chappo - throwing away 54 L is a sin and I'm very disappointed in you. There's always a way.

 

[Maple]

Yeah, throw some grains in there, let it sit for a while (a few days) let the lacto take hold, give er another quick boil, and ferment it out to a beautiful sour beer. c'mon chappo, throwing it away, that's bloody soft...

edit: the spilling...er spelling..