My Cherry Popper.........

[Fourstar]

Good stuff, mate. Luverly clear runnings going into your keggle. :super:

+1 for that! I went WOW! it took me 3-4 a-g befre i really knew what a 'clear' running was. i wish i made a mesh manifold earlier rather than the PVC maifold i originally had

Nice work CB! i wish my 1st AG felt as smooth as your's!

Enjoy the brau's! im sure the 'Smurto Special' will go down a treat! :icon_cheers:

 

[Rob C]

Bonj Ive got a 36ltr keepcool mashtun and im only loosing 1deg C per hour.

Cheers
Rob

 

[bonj]

What's your batch size, Rob? And do you have a hole drilled in the lid for a temperature probe? h34r:

 

[clean brewer]

What's your batch size, Rob? And do you have a hole drilled in the lid for a temperature probe? h34r:

I used a 38ltr Esky for a single batch and there is no way I could do a double batch in it, I held temp extremely well..

I put 5ltrs hot water(tap) in it to start to preheat, then tipped it out and put my mash water in and waited for it to come to correct temp and then tipped grain in, put some camping mat style foam on top of grain bed, then lidded and wrapped up fully in sleeping beg and left in the sun on our concrete driveway, was shocked how well it held as I thought I would need a new esky after hot water test but the one ive got is fine for now....

Will be getting a Refractometer though, instant gravity readings are crucial I reckon...

 

[Rob C]

Ive only done 2 x AG brews around the 23ltr mark. I got my temp prob mounted on the side wall about 1/2 way up. Ive mashed in at 66deg C and after 60minutes it has only dropped to 65.

Cheers
Rob

 

[clean brewer]

Ok,

Ive got the pictures sorted out and they are now in the Gallery...

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...si&img=2670

 

[yardy]

+1 for that! I went WOW!

+1 for the run off, no channeling of the grain bed either B) , you must have the manifold sorted.

well done

cheers
Yard

 

[Steve]

Congrats! One thing I do is write the hop addition times on the lids of the hop bowls with a marker pen i.e. 60, 30, 15 0 etc etc that way they dont get mixed up.
Cheers
Steve

 

[clean brewer]

+1 for the run off, no channeling of the grain bed either B) , you must have the manifold sorted.

well done

cheers
Yard

Thanks
The run-off is what excited me the most, the first of the sweet precious wort, I was running inside to the missus jumping up and down like a jelly bean with happiness, the manifold is just some stainless braid but it worked exceptionally well..

Congrats! One thing I do is write the hop addition times on the lids of the hop bowls with a marker pen i.e. 60, 30, 15 0 etc etc that way they dont get mixed up.
Cheers
Steve

Thanks also, thats a good idea, I just lined them up in order, the first addition closest to the kettle and so on...

A few personal tips for anyone ready for their first AG

1. Get you Equipment sorted out.
2. Check that your burner/reg/kettle work in harmony and you can get it to boil.
3. Do a test run, boil water, check for leaks, let your water out using a hose(get the silicone from ross or similar, well worth $12 a metre) and see that your pickup tube is in the right position to get as much wort as possible but leaving the trub behind.
4. Let your boiling water into your mash-tun and if its an esky, see that it holds up to the hot water and that there are also no leaks(very important), then drain your esky and ensure that it is draining all/most of the liquid.
5. Have a measuring stick marked out with pre-boil volume and post boil volume on it to check that your volumes are as per recipe and use a timer for your mash, boil, hop additions etc
6. Get everything in place ready to go and know your set-up and how its going to work.
7. Do as much reading as possible on the subject and ensure that you understand the process first, it makes the day a whole lot simpler(worked for me)
8. Sit in on a fellow AG brewers brewday(someone with a little experience I feel) and watch closely and ask questions if unsure about everything.

Most of all, follow the above, relax and let your eqipment do the work.

I wont be brewing anything else other than AG now, very simple and there is plenty of time to do other stuff in between while you wait for your fruits..

Hope all new AG brewers enjoy it as much as I did and have a simple free flowing brewday... :beer:

 

[drsmurto]

1st AG and a run off that clear......

You were meant to be an AG brewer! :super:

 

[buttersd70]

1st AG and a run off that clear......

You were meant to be an AG brewer! :super:

Must be the blessed of Eagor.

 

[Screwtop]

Just had a squizzy at the pics CB. Look at you go, won't be long and this one will be going over the tonsils, whats planned next :lol:

Welcome to the dark side

How long before we see things on the menu like:

Leek fondu, button mushrooms, eggs and spices, all cooked with DrSmurto's Golden Ale

Or

Mussels cooked with vegatables, in Jody's own Beer :lol:

Screwy

 

[browndog]

Well done CleanBrewer, hope you will be showing up at the QLD swap to meet everyone, you will get to spend the night drinking the best beer you have ever tasted and meet the best bunch of blokes you could imagine.

cheers

Browndog

 

[clean brewer]

Just had a squizzy at the pics CB. Look at you go, won't be long and this one will be going over the tonsils, whats planned next :lol:

Welcome to the dark side

How long before we see things on the menu like:

Leek fondu, button mushrooms, eggs and spices, all cooked with DrSmurto's Golden Ale

Or

Mussels cooked with vegatables, in Jody's own Beer :lol:

Screwy

Thanks Screwy, Cant stop saying how much fun I had and how exciting it was, my next beer? Not sure, wanted to wait till I get this Bulk Grain before I do another, but dont really think I can wait.... Might have to order another recipe of grain from Ross and get it going, im hooked..

Geez mate, one day we might be able to do our own beer up here????? Might just try get them drinking some nice stuff first, liqour license is only a sniff away, I hope.. :unsure:

Well done CleanBrewer, hope you will be showing up at the QLD swap to meet everyone, you will get to spend the night drinking the best beer you have ever tasted and meet the best bunch of blokes you could imagine.

cheers

Browndog

Thanks Browndog, would love to go to swap but being a Chef with no Staff, I am forced to work every f--king weekend, like always everything is on on the weekends, maybe I could just vanish that weekend and come...

Have placed a couple more pics in my Cherry Popper Gallery, just putting my 1st AG in my Shiny Conicals first brew, have a look..

Cheers
CB

 

[buttersd70]

Love the conical, CB, but how can you possibly brew if the airlocks not bubbling? :lol:

 

[clean brewer]

Love the conical, CB, but how can you possibly brew if the airlocks not bubbling? :lol:

I love the Conical to, it only just fits in with the other fermenter, gotta get 4 brews ready to go for some kegs..

Its funny, the conical has hole in the lid and i was like, I cant just put glad wrap over that, so had to go to LHBS and get a rubber bung and actually dig out an airlock to attach, shit, havnt used one since my second brew...

My brew must be working as the airlock is bubbling away, id be worried if it wasnt!!!! :blink: :lol:

 

[buttersd70]

I need to get my eyes checked....I can see it now. Strange I didn't see it last night when I posted...everything else was coming up double.

 

[clean brewer]

A couple pics of how my 1st AG went down, my first kegged beer aswell, great day for me...

 

[peas_and_corn]

I'm quite impressed, well done on the first AG