First all grain mash this weekend!

[damoninja]

Planning my first all grain this weekend. I've heard great things about Dr Smurto's golden ale and it seems like a simple brew so giving this a go.
http://aussiehomebrewer.com/recipe/502-drsmurtos-golden-ale/

All the ingredients are on order and should be here on Friday

I was going to go BIAB, but I've managed to get a hold of a mash tun (pics below) which will work better for me anyway as the largest pot I have is 15 litres.

I had a few questions:

How much water should I start with and what temp should it be to reach a target of about 67?
Is an iodine test critical? I haven't picked any up.




Thanks!

 

[damoninja]

I did find this: http://pint.com.au/calculators/strikewatertemp/

Which tells me to hit 67 with the amount of grain I have I need about 71 degrees starting temp which seems a little low to me.

Thoughts?

 

[slcmorro]

http://www.brewmate.net/downloads

Use this, mate. Has everything you need including strike temp etc. It's free.

 

[damoninja]

http://www.brewmate.net/downloads

Use this, mate. Has everything you need including strike temp etc. It's free.

Brilliant - thanks mate.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

close your eyes, hold on tight and enjoy the ride!!!

 

[damoninja]

The process really doesn't seem that complicated...

The only specific I'm not 100% sure about is the sparging process / impact it has on the brew...

Youtube will fix that though.

 

[slcmorro]

Pretty simple mate. I do BIAB mashing in an esky similar to yours, but I don't have a manifold.

To sparge all I do is remove the bag from the esky (let it trickle in and give it a few squeezes), drain the wort from the esky into the keggle, and then put the bag back in the esky and add the sparge water. Give the grain a good stir, then repeat the process until the mash tun is empty.

With yours, if you're not BIABing, you'll do pretty much the same but instead you'll want to gently add the sparge water to the grainbed slowly, and let that drain.

 

[damoninja]

Pretty simple mate. I do BIAB mashing in an esky similar to yours, but I don't have a manifold.

To sparge all I do is remove the bag from the esky (let it trickle in and give it a few squeezes), drain the wort from the esky into the keggle, and then put the bag back in the esky and add the sparge water. Give the grain a good stir, then repeat the process until the mash tun is empty.

With yours, if you're not BIABing, you'll do pretty much the same but instead you'll want to gently add the sparge water to the grainbed slowly, and let that drain.

I was originally going to do this exactly but I was generously given this mash tun by a mate as he moved to a 60L one so he can mash 50 odd litres.

 

[AJ80]

Research batch sparging, probably easier for your first AG - particularly if you don't have a dedicated HLT. Brewmate should give you the figures you need for strike water and sparge water volumes. Just make sure you note down all of your numbers throughout the brew day (eg mash tun dead space, boil off rate, pre and post boil gravity (for efficiency) as well as losses to trub). Every system is unique and it took me four brews on my system before I had my numbers down pat and am now getting pretty consistent results. Prepare yourself for the awesome smell of doughing in for the first time too!

Good luck and have fun! Hope this has been of some help.

 

[damoninja]

Research batch sparging, probably easier for your first AG - particularly if you don't have a dedicated HLT. Brewmate should give you the figures you need for strike water and sparge water volumes. Just make sure you note down all of your numbers throughout the brew day (eg mash tun dead space, boil off rate, pre and post boil gravity (for efficiency) as well as losses to trub). Every system is unique and it took me four brews on my system before I had my numbers down pat and am now getting pretty consistent results. Prepare yourself for the awesome smell of doughing in for the first time too!

Good luck and have fun! Hope this has been of some help.

I was thinking this was going to be the best way to go. From reading there's a lot of debate over which method is best, none really giving a definitive answer.

 

[Pickaxe]

Forget the debates, pick a method, go with it, measure and record sg etc ad you go. After you've tried a method, see where you need refinement, go again. Enjoy mate, you won't look back.

 

[damoninja]

Looking forward to it.

Thanks for the advice everyone

 

[Liam_snorkel]

and don't forget to dip your nuts into the mash, it's a tradition on the first brew. Happy brewing!

 

[slcmorro]

and don't forget to dip your nuts into the mash, it's a tradition on the first brew. Happy brewing!

Maybe a 90 minute boil is needed, if you do this. I've heard the rumours...

 

[maldridge]

Maybe a 90 minute boil is needed, if you do this. I've heard the rumours...

Just don't dip your nuts in the boil...

 

[damoninja]

Just don't dip your nuts in the boil...

I was planning on dry nutting.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

I was planning on dry nutting.

whatever you do, for gods sake, soak your nuts in sodium percarbonate and boiling water for at least 20 minutes and then give them a good spray with starsan.

 

[drsmurto]

Beersmith and pdf file links in my signature should help you.

 

[wombil]

Is that manifold made from PVC tube?

 

[damoninja]

Is that manifold made from PVC tube?

I don't believe so, the guy who made it is pretty experienced and said it was all food grade stuff. Though there are some food safe PVCs these days.

I'll find out what it is.