My Ag Cherry Has Been Popped

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Joel

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Well, I've finally done it. I've made an all grain beer.

The Original Recipe:

5kg Pale Malt (JWM I believe)
0.25kg Crystal (120-150 EBC)
30g Northern Brewer 60min 9.5%
25g E.K.G 30min 5.2%
20g E.K.G 15min 5.2%
1968 London ESB Yeast

I was planning on a mash efficiency of 65% (O.G of 1.046), and a calculated IBU of 35 for a BU:GU ratio of 0.76. (be prepared... I use both degrees C and F :ph34r: )

Heated the strike water to 85C, put 14L into my mash tun and waited until the temp had dropped to 75C. Poured my crushed grain into the mash tun in 4 batches mixing it in each time. I think that I still put it in too fast as I spent about 5 mins slowly mixing and finding dough balls, I got them all in the end though. Temp = 155F (my mash thermometer is in F)

Stirred the mash slowly every 20 mins. temp at 20min = 152F. temp at 40min = 151F, and temp at 60min = 150F. Not bad at all. )My mash tun had extra insulation in the form of 2 towels) :)

Then I added 7L almost boiling water for a mashout at 77C. Mix and rest for 10min. The first runnings took about 6L to clear, then I ran into the kettle for 15L of first runnings.

Added 16L of 80C sparge water to the mash tun, stirred and rested another 10min before draining into the kettle for a total of 30L wort in the kettle. I didn't drain as fast as my system would allow, but with my valve open only 1/3 it only took less than 10min for each drain into the kettle.

I took a gravity reading from the kettle and got 1.042. So estimating the post boil O.G. (figuring 5-6 litres total boil off) should be about 1.050 to 1.052

Began the boil. With both elements going it only took 10mins to get up to the boil. After reading about others' good experience with boiling for 30mins before hop additions I decided to do the same. And found out that I have a boil off rate of about 6L/hour with my kettle lid off meaning I'd loose 9L over the 90min boil. This was a little too much as I hadn't taken into consideration the extra 30min. So I added another 2L boiling water to compensate for boil-off and half covered the kettle opening.

At this time I realised that my efficiency was better than expected. So, I quickly fired up Promash and played with my hop amounts to restore the BU:GU ratio. So my hop additions became:

35g Northern Brewer 60min
30g E.K.G 30min
25g E.K.G 15min

for a calculated IBU of 41, and a ratio of about 79. Hopefully this will turn out alright.

At the end of the 90min boil I had 25L in the kettle. The Immersion chiller took the temp down to 27C in 25min.

I still got some hop debris through to the fermenter but not too much. Volume in the fermenter, 23L. Spot on. Gravity 1.052.

Airated with an airstone. Couldn't airate for too long as it kept foaming up and out of the fermenter. Pitched about 400ml of my 1968 starter slurry when the wort temp was about 24C, covered with glad wrap, and put the fermenter in a nice cool corner.

It was about 3pm by this stage, including clean up the brew day took about 7 hours.

8am Sunday morning, a nice big foamy krausen greeted me. The fermenter temp was at 72F (about 22C. My homebrewed temp sensor and fridge controller is in F), and moving slowly up. So I cleared out my homebrew barfridge and stuck it in there so I could regulate the fermentation temp to a more acceptable 68F (19C).

Now its 4pm Monday arvo, and the krausen had all but disappeared. I read somewhere that people have had to rouse the yeast to get a full ferment, any comments from people who have used the 1968?
 
Joel said:
Now its 4pm Monday arvo, and the krausen had all but disappeared. I read somewhere that people have had to rouse the yeast to get a full ferment, any comments from people who have used the 1968?
[post="73257"][/post]​


Good stuff Joel. Welcome to the noise. :beerbang:

Wyeast 1968 will settle out quickly. I don't suggest rousing it and risking infection and oxidisation. If you're worried just gently swirl/agitate the fermenter to mix up the trub on the bottom and stick your fermenter in a warmer place, say about 20c for a couple of days. I've found there's only so far it will attenuate one way or another.

Picking you'll really enjoy your beer when you tap/open it. ;)

Warren -
 
Now for some pics of my setup...

Inside the mash tun

Inside_the_mash_tun.jpg

inside the kettle

Inside_the_kettle.jpg


Go the plastic electric!!!
 
The towel insulated mash tun :)

Mash_Tun_for_AHB.jpg

and my mash temp gauge. It has a 10cm stem, and I drilled a hole through the top of the lid so it measures mash temp without having to open the tun.

Termo_for_AHB.jpg

It's actually reading 155F in this pic.
 
The HLT... It's a 35L electric urn with a thermostat. Price = free :ph34r:

HLT.jpg

In side the mash.... actually during the first runnings

Inside_the_Mash_for_AHB.jpg
 
The first runnings. The second runnings were quite a bit paler.

First_Runnings_for_AHB.jpg

First runnings in the kettle.

Into_the_Boiler.jpg
 
Sounds like it went really well. I use 1968 a lot, and my preference is to physically (carefully etc) stir it near end fermentation. I see a reasonable drop in gravity after stirring, which I dont usually get from a gentle external swirl.
 
The boil

The_boil.jpg

And the remains of the day..

Remains_of_the_day.jpg
 
Thanks for the replies re: 1968 Warren and Lurker. I'll give the fermenter a shake up first and see how the goes, and see whether an actual good stirring rouse is worth the risk in a few more days time.

The day went really well and according to plan. I had quite a bit of time to sit down and relax and just let the mash and boil do their thing.

I can't wait to taste it. The next few weeks are going to be an agony of anticipation. Hope it turns out well :unsure:

Either way, I had fun doing it. Thats the point of the whole exercise anyway isn't it? :)
 
Joel ,

I am sure it is going to taste great!!!!!


Pumpy
 
Looks good there Joel, well done. The recipe looks good too - bet it'll taste great in a few weeks.

Shawn.
 
Nice work Joel. Must feel good to have the brewery up and running at last. I hope it turns out a good drop. :beerbang:

BTW I did notice however that you seem to be lacking any sort of stand for your gear. You may want to check out the brewstands from these guys. They have a good range and seem quite popular amongst some brewers. :D

Cheers

Borret :blink:
 
Another AGer !

Welcome you will never look back , I love reading these posts of new AGers and how thier day went.
Seems they found things a lot easier than my first attempt.

Interesting to see the equipment used as well.


Batz
 
yep

well done

welcome to the club :super:

your day went better than some of my first atempts.

Now you will be looking at everything and thinking "can i use that in my brew rig" the nextdoor neighbours mail box wont be safe, it might make a good hop back.

and the one i saw a bit out of town, it was made from an 18 gal keg........mmmmm their mail box is not safe :p

naaaaaaaaaa i wouldnt do that <_< i thought about it though :ph34r:
 
Borret said:
You may want to check out the brewstands from these guys. They have a good range and seem quite popular amongst some brewers. :D

Cheers

Borret :blink:
[post="73302"][/post]​


:lol: :ph34r: Where's me sausage.

Or perhaps this link

Warren -
 
warrenlw63 said:
Borret said:
You may want to check out the brewstands from these guys. They have a good range and seem quite popular amongst some brewers. Cheers

Borret :blink:
[post="73302"][/post]​



Where's me sausage.

Warren -
[post="73325"][/post]​

Warren ,

If you no longer know where your sausage is then it's time to seek some professional attention. :excl:

Ha, Give me a kebab anyday :D

Borret :blink:
 
Congrats :beer:

You made it sound all too easy.

Jye
 
Borret said:
If you no longer know where your sausage is then it's time to seek some professional attention. :excl:

Ha, Give me a kebab anyday

Borret :blink:
[post="73327"][/post]​


Mate, that's 11 years of marriage for you. :lol:

Warren -
 
A good 3 tier brew stand is next on my "Things to build" list. Unfortunately, we're living in a shoebox of a house and I have no room. All my brewing stuff lives stacked up in a corner until brew day, and then I take over the laundry. It'll happen soon though. It only took 2 years to finally get my modest rig together <_< what's another year to wait for a brew stand?
 
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