Grain And Extract Brew - Have I Stuffed It? Advice Needed

[Juzz]

This was my attempt at a Belgian Strong Ale, and actually it was also my first attempt with grain so not sure if i have done things right here. Below is my ingredients and method. The fermenter started bubbling fine but now it seems to have stopped completely, this has never happened with any of the K&K brews before. Temp is at 18-19. Should I be worried yet? Should I agitate it? Do I just leave and see?

Also when steeping hops - can they both go in together - as long as the right one is pulled out at the right times?

1 more thing - is this type of brew a partial? (sorry if this sounds stupid - just not sure what 1 is)

500g Carra-munich speciality malt grain
3kg amber malt extract
50g Fuggles Hops
25g Tettnag Hops
11.5g Safbrew T-58

Method
cracked grain (used a mortar and pestle)
put grain into cold water and turned on heat until just about to boil.
added extract and boiled for 30min
steep fuggles for 30min
steep tettenag for 5min
chill pot
add wort and cold water to fermenter
add yeast

brew date: 29/3
OG: 1060
final temp: 22C
final volume 19L

any advice appreciated

Juzz

 

[bconnery]

A partial involves any grain that has to be mashed, which caramunich doesn't.
You can get into arguments about a minimash vs a partial but no mashed grains means neither...

So, the bubbling.
Take a measurement.
Bubbling is never the best indicator of activity or status.
SOmetimes fermenters don't seal entirely well.
Activity could have forced the seal out slightly.
The beer could be finished.
Take a hydrometer reading and see where it is up to.
If it is still too high, and that beer should finish under 1018 at least (I could put the recipe into a calculator but that will do as a guess)

Then it is time to decide what action to take.
If it is still higher I'd consider giving it a little gentle swirl but that wouldn't be ideal.
I think you'll find it is done anyway...

 

[Juzz]

Can it be done when it has only been 3 days? There was plenty of activity for 2 days before it stopped, seals are good, it always bubbles - no probs there.

Ill check the gravity tonight. Thanks

 

[bconnery]

It could be done in 3 days. At 1060 it is probably unlikely but a hydrometer is always the best way to tell.
It is possibly a little early to have a home brew, possibly, but definitely relax and don't worry.
Measure and then see how things go...

 

[pint of lager]

Caramunich is a specialty grain and only needs to be steeped in warm, 40-60 degree water for 30 minutes. Like bconnery said, this is not a minimash, nor is it a partial ag.

If you were mashing, it is essential you hit close to 65 degrees and hold it at that temperature for 60 minutes. Grains that must be mashed are called base grains, they include pale ale, schooner, pilsner, Vienna, Munich, Golden Promise, malted wheat plus others.

Next time you use caramunich, steep 500 gms in 2 litres of water, after the steep rinse the grain with another 2 litres of water. The resulting solution should be boiled for at least 15 minutes.

I admire your persistance crushing 500gms of malt with a mortar and pestle.

Never boil grain, you extract tannins, the only time you may boil grain is when doing a decoction, this is advanced all grain brewing territory.

An og of 1.060 from 3 kg of malt extract and 500 gms of specialty into 19 litres seems high. I would estimate, without running through a calculator, that this would be around og 1.050.

Your recipe is a bit confusing, once you added your hops, did you keep the kettle boiling?

Trust your hydrometer rather than the airlock. Gently swirl (with fermenter lid on) once a day for the next week. Double check over the next two days that the hydrometer reading is stable.

Relax, it will work out. The first brew is a big learning lesson.

 

[Juzz]

Well i checked it last night and it is down to 1019 - still no movement in airlock. i cant smell the beer so it is not leaking from the seals either. Ill check it again tonight and see if it has moved. If not - is this normal? will the beer be crap because it all happened so fast? can i bulk prime and bottle like i would a k&k or does using grain mean i need to do something else to it before bottling?

I had no choice to crack the grain - it was either mortar and pestle or a rolling pin and a tea towel

my kettle (aka pasta pot ) was on the heat when the bittlering hops was added but for some reason (i dont know why) i steeped the finnishing hops in boiled water for a min or so then added to the wort for aother 5 min whilst off the heat.

appreciate you help, i was really looking forward to tasting this one - i hope i havent screwed it up.

 

[braufrau]

Well i checked it last night and it is down to 1019 - still no movement in airlock. i cant smell the beer so it is not leaking from the seals either. Ill check it again tonight and see if it has moved. If not - is this normal? will the beer be crap because it all happened so fast? can i bulk prime and bottle like i would a k&k or does using grain mean i need to do something else to it before bottling?

I wouldn't worry too much about the airlock.
I would expect the SG to go a bit lower.
Leave it for a totatl of 2 weeks before bottling and then test. If its 1.016 or less then that's OK. You're keeping the brew at a good temperature so it will be fine.

John Palmer says
" Leaving an ale beer in the primary fermenter for a total of 2-3 weeks versus one when using single stage fermentation (i.e. not using a second fermenter) will provide time for the conditioning reactions and improve the finished beer. The extra time will also let more sediment settle out before bottling, resulting in a clearer beer and easier pouring. "

 

[braufrau]

1 more thing - is this type of brew a partial? (sorry if this sounds stupid - just not sure what 1 is)

Not a stupid question .. well one that's been asked a squillion times, including by yours truly when she was young and naive.

Here's a basic brewing podcast on mini, partial and steeping with extract brews.
http://media.libsyn.com/media/basicbrewing/bbr04-13-06.mp3

Be careful though ... I only did one extract + steeping before I rushed out and made myself a mash tun. Then your mashes get bigger and bigger and before you know it ....

A good source of extract + grain recipes is Jamil's "Brewing Classic Styles".
If you add your location to your ID then people can probably help you out with a HBS that will crush your grain for you.

 

[pint of lager]

RDWHAHB.

It will work out fine. As I said, this is a learning experience.

Like Braufrau said, leave it for 14 days in primary. Double check the sg is stable, then bottle as you did for your kits. Trust the hydrometer, don't worry about the airlock movement.

Because you have kept the ferment at 18-19 degrees, even the fact that it has finished fast does not matter.

That's good that your bittering hops were boiling for at least 30 minutes. No need to steep your flavour and aroma additions separately then add them to the boiler. Next time, just add to the boiler at the appropriate time. Do watch out as you add hops, sometimes the wort will froth violently.