PranK
Active Member
Hi Guys,
Did my 2nd AG last night. Took some advice from my last thread (First AG, Not Quite To Plan) - cooled my samples down before checking gravity was the biggie, but my 2 mistakes were;
1. Perhaps not sparging long enough. Last time I left the sparge in the tun for ~15mins, last night I left it in for maybe 5mins.
2. Didnt boil long enough!! Boiled for 60mins and not 90mins - I mis read the recipe and was working off a BIAB recipe also. I had a few extra litres at the end that I sadly turfed.
Pre boil gravity was 1.031 (20C) and post boil was 1.036 (20C) - that might make it a little 'light' and not too full bodied. Is that right?
Lessons learned this time;
1. I still need a nice burner, using the wok burner on my BBQ was still not enough and while the wort was 'turning' it was far from a rapid boil. (Was thinking this looked good?)
2. Because of the extended time to heat water, the whole process took ~5hrs which meant that I was finishing after midnight, which meant that I was not quite as careful toward the end as I'd like to have been. I just wanted to get to bed. Maybe no more night time brews. I was excited to start.
3. I want to read and re-read recipes and then jot a simple 'TODO' list down so its easy to follow and reference
4. I need to learn how to use BeerSmith2 properly, including setting up equipment and taking more measurements (eg, I have no idea how much wort I got out of the tun, but measuring that would be a *******, surely?)
Anyway, as usual, super keen on suggestions, advice, criticism, etc.
Thanks very much in advance.
Christian
Did my 2nd AG last night. Took some advice from my last thread (First AG, Not Quite To Plan) - cooled my samples down before checking gravity was the biggie, but my 2 mistakes were;
1. Perhaps not sparging long enough. Last time I left the sparge in the tun for ~15mins, last night I left it in for maybe 5mins.
2. Didnt boil long enough!! Boiled for 60mins and not 90mins - I mis read the recipe and was working off a BIAB recipe also. I had a few extra litres at the end that I sadly turfed.
Pre boil gravity was 1.031 (20C) and post boil was 1.036 (20C) - that might make it a little 'light' and not too full bodied. Is that right?
Lessons learned this time;
1. I still need a nice burner, using the wok burner on my BBQ was still not enough and while the wort was 'turning' it was far from a rapid boil. (Was thinking this looked good?)
2. Because of the extended time to heat water, the whole process took ~5hrs which meant that I was finishing after midnight, which meant that I was not quite as careful toward the end as I'd like to have been. I just wanted to get to bed. Maybe no more night time brews. I was excited to start.
3. I want to read and re-read recipes and then jot a simple 'TODO' list down so its easy to follow and reference
4. I need to learn how to use BeerSmith2 properly, including setting up equipment and taking more measurements (eg, I have no idea how much wort I got out of the tun, but measuring that would be a *******, surely?)
Anyway, as usual, super keen on suggestions, advice, criticism, etc.
Thanks very much in advance.
Christian