Finally, An Ag Resides In My Fridge

[MVZOOM]

Pat, you get another well done from me as well. I've only just started brewing (on third brew now), but your post made it all look too easy! You've got me thinking about an AG brew now... *******!

Your enthusiasm is very welcome - I wouldn't want you changethe length of your posts either. There's no such thing as too much information as far as I'm concerned

Once again, well done.

Tim.

PS. I'd love a copy of your batch sparging notes if you wouldn't mind please!

[post="126302"][/post]​

Yep, I'll third that (notes as well please).

Tim, you reckon we should have a crack at the AG thing, as virgins, together? Your research and learned approach, coupled with my impatience and tendancy to rush stuff should work well together!

Cheers - Mike

 

[Mr Bond]

[Tim, you reckon we should have a crack at the AG thing, as virgins, together? Your research and learned approach, coupled with my impatience and tendancy to rush stuff should work well together!

[post="126311"][/post]​

Sounds like the Yin and the Yang, perfect balance.Do it

 

[stephen]

Pat

Congratulations on your first AG. It is definitely a wonder feeling of achievement once you see your brew sitting in the fermenter. I only started AG brewing in Jan this year and haven't looked back. Somewhere in this forum is my post on my first AG - have a look and a read of the various posts in it.

From here you start looking for more gear to add to the "Brewery" and improving the gear you already have (and they made drugs illegal due to their addiction - don't tell the police about home brewing!!!)

Aaaah the spiral of AG brewing

Cheers and I'll have another beer

Steve

 

[PistolPatch]

LOL! Yep, have finished writing up some long and comprehensive notes (about 3 A4 pages) so I better not post them here! Others will have done a better job at this anyway but hopefully my notes will convey the simplicity of what Ross taught me. (I've included the mashing as well.)

Thanks for the comments above Tim, Brau and Mike - much appreciated. Hopefully some things I write (sober) are useful! I just think that as you read and learn more you forget what things you struggled with earlier. Like the grain bit I mentioned this morning - obvious now, bewildering before.

Tim and Mike. If you guys know that you do definitely intend doing AG
at some stage, I'd say go for it as soon as you can. Why not? I think AG, if you have the equipment, is easier than partials and only a little harder than kits. Brewing together sounds like a grand idea. You could even share the cost of the equipment until you can afford 2 sets. I'd definitely go and watch someone else's brew day first though if poss. If they, like Ross, will come along to your first brew, then that will make things a breeze for you. Just buy or provide a heap of beer!

Will send those notes off to you now. I wrote them in email form so you won't get the formatting. If you want the formatted version, just send me your email address.

Thanks again.
Pat

 

[PistolPatch]

Steve! You're back! Have been meaning to find out where you've been. Cheers mate and thanks for your earlier help with AG equip/advice etc.

 

[Ross]

Well it spent 9 days in primary & was transferred to secondary yesterday - No sign of continued fermentation this morning (no hiss on releasing lid) - So it's into the fridge today for filtering/kegging tomorrow morning - Fingers crossed we've produced something nice - tasting session approx 9am tomorrow...

Cheers Ross

 

[PistolPatch]

tasting session approx 9am tomorrow...

[post="127807"][/post]​

Bacon, eggs and beer - uh oh!

Am looking forward to seeing the filtering process carried out and I will be truly amazed if the beer is drinkable at the 10 day mark. I know it's going to be as the wort tastes great now but my brain won't believe it until I actually taste the carbonated beer. Beats waiting 4 months!

Ross is bringing his camera again so there should be some more great pics.

After this we're off to AussieClaret's for a brewday. He has 5 beers which I thnk are all kegged. Uh oh again!

Mash and Batch Sparging Notes - CorrectionAnyone that asked for the mash and batch sparging notes I mentioned above should have received them by now. If you haven't, let me know.

A mistake has just been pointed out to me.* In "9. Add boiling Water to The Tun for the First Run," I wrote, '...just tip the 15litres into the tun...' This should have read 7 litres. Hope this didn't confuse anyone too much.

Also received an interesting PM* re the batch sparging. Here's an excerpt...

I suppose the reasons why everyone doesn't do it [batch sparging] are simply a) Homebrewing started by copying what the big guys do, and they fly sparge because all that dead space for the hot water addition costs money -- bigger mash tun, more brewery space -- and small differences in efficiency make a difference for them. And b ) Even for us home brewers, that size requirement is a factor because you need at least a 30-L vessel for 20-L batches. Actually, I have a 28-L stainless steel stock pot that I mash in and the first water addition fills it right to the brim! A bit dodgy, that, but we survive. So everyone simply tooled up for fly sparging from the start. It took a bit of lateral thinking on the part of whoever invented batch sparging. I think gradually homebrewers are switching over as and when they can upgrade to bigger mash tuns. I am certainly a convert. There is now the opportunity for new brewers such as yourself to just equip themselves for batch sparging from the outset.

*I won't mention these 2 people's names as the correspondence originated in PMs or emails but many thanks to both of you.

Cheers
PP

EDIT: Had to put a space between the 'b' and the ')' in the quote above as if you don't a smiley appears. Still haven't worked out a way around this.

 

[Darren]

I fly sparge because I can't boil faster than I can sparge. Nothing like having a kettle full of wort and having to hang around waiting for it to come to a boil.

Batch sparging has its advantages. Time saving isn't one of them.


cheers
Darren

 

[Ross]

I fly sparge because I can't boil faster than I can sparge. Nothing like having a kettle full of wort and having to hang around waiting for it to come to a boil.

Batch sparging has its advantages. Time saving isn't one of them.


cheers
Darren

[post="127922"][/post]​

Get a better burner then Darren I batch sparge & the worts at boiling before I finish, unless I turn the flame down.

Cheers ross

 

[Darren]

My burner works fine Ross. Its a Mongoliain burrner with a high pressure regulator. Fly sparge will boil all the way. Pump through and batch sparge I would be finished in 15 or so minutes. There is no way any burner will boil 65 litres at batch sparge rate.
Anyone else have there boil at the end of a batch sparge? or is it the 65 litre batches that just take a bit more?

thanks

Darren


cheers
Darren

 

[Jye]

Anyone else have there boil at the end of a batch sparge?

Yep and thats with the Gameco burner turned down and 30L pre-boil.

 

[Darren]

How quickly does it heat a 50 litre keg full of water?

cheers
Darren

 

[PistolPatch]

There's a slight pissability (sp?) that I'm over the legal limit for posting so all I have to say is...

1. Absolutely amazed how good the schwarzbier tasted today - 'grain to brain' in ten days! I am totally surprised.*

2. Great brew day at AussieClaret's with Old Dog and Ross. Got to drink some really well-made beers in a great home with the above excellent company. Many thanks Aussie.

3. Ross picked me up and drove me home which added about 2 hours to his travelling time - more outstanding generosity! Lucky for Ross that I'm pretty funny and interesting....

Something tells me I should end this post now and go and watch Brant and Todd.

Thanks Aussie, Dog and Ross. Top day!
PP

(*When I was born, I was so surprised I couldn't talk for a year and a half.)

 

[poppa joe]

(*When I was born, I was so surprised I couldn't talk for a year and a half.)
I bet your mum bought u a typewriter....instead of a G.I.JOE...
Cheeers
PJ

 

[Ross]

Well here are the final 2 pics.

8.30am we start filtering.


9.00am Pat samples his first AG.


Tasting note: This is the first time I've tried a Schwarzbier with Safale US-56 rather than a lager strain. This beer is really lovely & it's gained a slight fruitiness with is really nice - more of an Aussie dark ale than a Schwarz, but I'm that impressed, it's my next beer to be brewed on Wednesday.

Congrats Pat - hope you can make it last to try in a few weeks, when it should reach it's peak :chug:

cheers Ross

 

[warrenlw63]

Oi Ross.

That filter looks familiar.

Glad to see it's finally getting some work.

Warren -

 

[hockadays]

It regards to burners,

I bought the gameco job and when I got it home the mj rating which I thought to be 80 was actually 120mj. It gets 30L to boil in around 10 -15mins from 20degC. and boiling after the batch easily the same as Jye..

The neighbours know when I'm brewing cause of the noise this puppy makes.

Ps nice work on the AG pat. hope it tastes as good as it looks...

matt

 

[PistolPatch]

I bet your mum bought u a typewriter....instead of a G.I.JOE...

[post="128128"][/post]​

LOL Poppa! How did you know?

That beer is truly tasty. Just had a little taste then to make sure yesterday wasn't a dream! It's great to finally know how to make a beer that I love and have the confidence to repeat the process. There's going to be a lot more brewing going on at my place now.

I'm sold on this filtering caper as well. Once I have that and my 70lt pot, I think I'll have all that I need. (Famous last words.)

Once again Ross, thanks for everything.

Cheers
PP (a happy brewer at last!)

 

[Kai]

When it comes to batch vs fly, I batch because I don't have the equipment to fly sparge, and I rarely even have the boil going while I'm still sparging.