Popping my AG cherry - DSGA

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Tahoose

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Ok guys so I seems to have done this in the usual process (kit-partial-extract-fwk-AG), I would have jumped into AG sooner but I wanted to suss out which I thought was the best way for me ect, and it was handy to spend a couple of hours at G & G in Yarraville on a Saturday to see that it's really pretty simple. well the basics anyway.

I ended up going with the 2 bucket lauter system which Lord Raja Goomba uses, see below;

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/60922-2-pot-stovetop-ag-with-lauter/

I went pretty much exactly as per the docs recipe and did a single infusion mash at 66c I lost 4c over the hour, which I was confused by as I mashed in an esky, the esky seems cheap and reasonably thin so that might explain it...

Anyway the boil went reasonable well and apart from almost missing my brewbright addition I was happy with the process, I'm doing half batches for the time being in a 19ltr pot on the stovetop.

I was aiming for a 10 litre batch but I think I ended up with roughly 8-8.5 ltrs but i got 1.054 aiming for 1.048

I then cooled the pot in the laundry sink first with cool water and then in a ice bath, and pitched a couple of hours post boil.

Everything was going to well I thought, and I was correct. I forgot to put my fermenter in some sort of temperature control and due to the heat here in Melbourne when I remembered it was the next day. I took a hydrometer sample and measured the temperature at the same time 37c and 1.016.

:unsure: Facepalm!!!

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/77778-ruined-my-first-all-grain-i-think/

Anyway was a good experience and I suppose time will tell, will bottle soon and just see how it goes. I'm currently making my second batch of the same beer as I type so I feel like I'm learning more as I go. Will post some photos of the brewday too.


Last note - first brew was done on the fly- this time I'm using BrewMate, helps a hell of a lot.
 
Grain Bill
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Mashing In
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End of Mash
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Getting Ready to Lauter/Time for a beer
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Sorting out some hops (yummy Amarillo)
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Enjoying the Boil
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Lucky Last Hops
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Chill Out Time
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I find a good sheet of Al-Foil on top of the mash helps in an esky mash tun. I don't lose anything near that.
 
Good work, big drop for the mash but should be fine. My best dsga was when it was a bit sweeter from a high mash... Let us know how it goes
 
I did have a sheet of alfoil on for the first brew but this time i didn't (the 2nd brew).

Tonight I lost 3c in the first half hour, topped up gave it a stir then lost 2c in the 2nd half hour, and tonight I pre warmed my esky prior to the mash in.

Will report back how the first one tastes, I was reading up on the belle saision yeast today and I wish I had have pitched that instead. Almost at flameout tonight and going to cube/no chill for the first time

Much happier on tonights brewing effort
 
I know from my pre-temp control days that the ferment temperatures are likely to be the biggest issue here. I brewed a Neil's Centenarillo from the DB once and the temps were 25C-27C. It wasn't great, but tasted drinkable if you looked past the acetaldehyde. The biggest issue was fusel alcohols. If I had 2 longies, I would wake up feeling like I'd spent the night punching myself directly in the brain. You may not have this issue, but go easy until you establish that it's ok.
 
As above, if the beer does taste drinkable, be VERY mindful that it will most likely cause bad hangovers!!

From what I've read, fermenting over 28deg will do this
 
Good work for getting into AG, it isn't that difficult once you try it. As for the temp loss in the mash tun you could try wrapping the esky in a blanket or doona, 4 deg is a lot to loose,2 would be more acceptable.
 
Haha thanks for the heads up guys, I only have 8ish litres for the first batch so won't be a smashing a lot of it at once, got exactly 10 litres on the cube last night which was bang on what I was aiming for
 
Hey guys just bottled the first batch ( the one that fermented hot)

And put a sample through the sodastream for a bit of a idea of how it will come out. It's not quite right I don't think. It the ferment temps must be behind that, also as I used saf s-04 I think the full aroma of the Amarillo is missing.

The only other note is that I get a hint of sourness also, anyway I can definitely taste the difference between this and any if my kit/extract brews AG all the way
 
One thing i do with my esky, I boil my kettle, and pour it into the esky and let it sit (lid ON) for 10 mins or so minimum, then drain before mashing in.That way its pre warmed...
 
Yeah I prewarmed for the 2nd brew but it didn't really help, ill just be more hands on managing my mash temp for now until I buy a new bigger better esky
 
Sorry, didn't read that you pre warmed for the 2nd attempt...

What was your strike temp PRIOR to mashing in, I generally go for about 2/3 degrees over,
 
It was about 73c and when I was finished mashing in, my temp read 68c so I gave it a bit more of a stir until it hit 66c.

Checked at 30mins and added a little amount of boiling water to bring back up to 66c then checked again at the end of the mash and it still lost a couple of degrees

I'm not super concerned to be honest, but what should I expect from a $20 willow esky from Coles, I'm only using it as its what I have on hand
 
Couple of productive days saw me wire up my STC 1000 yesterday and hook up the mini fermenting fridge tonight.

I pitched my 2nd batch of DGSA which was no chilled with half a packet BRY-97 (rehydrated) and is sitting in my 18c controlled fridge.

Was pretty happy with the 2nd batch but just needed to check the OG tonight and having checked I got 1.058 which put me at 88% efficiency :super:

Diluted for 1.048 @ 12 ltrs

Fingers crossed...
 
Just an addition to this - if you don't have to pulverise your grain (aka you have a proper grain mill or get it milled at the HBS), you don't need the voile. The voile is only to filter out grain particles from the fact that I was (at the time) using a coffee grinder.
 
Quick update for anybody who cares, just cracked the first bottle of the DSGA 2nd batch.

Wow, such a difference from the first batch.

I can proudly say that I made this from scratch and I'm happy to drink it, and share with others.

On 5 AG brews now, brews 3 & 4 almost ready to bottle and brew 5 waiting it's turn in the cube.
 
Yeah, still with your method.

Gets a little tough to sparge the maxi batches, with using the grinder. But I'm working on getting a mill, the grinder will do for now. I've vowed not to spend anymore money on my brewing equipment until my keezer it build and running. Although I got the go ahead to save up for a braumiester

Funnily enough the keezer is looking to cost about 5 times the amount that my AG brew setup did (including grain and hops) and all ancillary equipment. :huh:

But it will be a beast!! :ph34r:
 
You could always just buy your grain milled, rather than use a coffee grinder.

Can't imagine what a PITA that must be.
 
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