First AG BIAB + no-chill

[angus_grant]

Well ferment has finished finally. Final gravity was 1011 which leaves the beer at 4%. This was down on the recipe but I filled up the fermenter with too much water which resulted in a lower starting gravity. On with the pics.

Thought I should explain the adding water/SG thing. My boil rate was 18% which was way above the 13% that I guessed at. So I was adding water backin to fermenter to get to 21L, which ended up diluting it too much.

 

[angus_grant]

Well, drinking the second glass now. It still needs a bit more time on the CO2 to carbonate properly.

Some simple taste notes.
The colour in the glass is quite dark. A direct light reveals the red in the ale.
The taste is quite dark as well, and has a nice burnt chocolate after-taste. It reminds me very slightly of Tooheys Old, but it tastes much more like a dark ale that I can't put my finger on. I dig it. Not bad for a first AG, I reckon.

 

[sillyboybrybry]

Well done. I did my first all grain a few weeks ago with some borrowed equipment. Really wish I had documented it this well.
I am fairly crap though at even taking gravity readings. Something I need to practise.
I also filter my beers previously keg to keg but on the weekend through a gravity feed system similar to yours. Interested to know if that is causing oxidation?

Anyhow - well done - I have really enjoyed reading this this morning.

 

[JDW81]

That being said I guess I don't know exactly what oxidation tastes like.

Wet cardboard IIR.

Out of interest, what is your rationale for filtering, especially a dark beer? I could understand a lager or pilsner if you were aiming for a super clear beer, but a dark ale won't really benefit from filtering IMHO.

JD

 

[angus_grant]

Well, I've never had a wet cardboard taste to my beers, so I guess no (or not enough to notice) oxidation.

Silly as this is going to sound, I am allergic to yeast (sinuses get blocked) so the filtering is to try and remove as much yeast as possible. There may not be that much left over after cold-conditioning anyway, but the more I get rid of the better. And I need to drink quite a few beers for the yeast to affect me.

 

[JDW81]

Fair enough.

Oxidation (depending on the level) can take a little while to show up. If you keg and chill immediately then the cold temperatures slow the process somewhat.

All home brew will have some level of oxidation, what we all try to do is minimise oxygen exposure so that the result is negligible. I don't filter as I don't think it is necessary and adds another infection and oxidation risk, but in your case it is necessary so power on.

JD.