Rooks First Ag

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therook

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Saturday 24th March was to be a big day for Rook in doing his first AG, something like man landing on the moon.

This was to be my first serious attempt at making beer since my last K&K 3 years ago

I should have realised at 5:30am that morning when i tapped the missus on the shoulder and before i even had time to take a breath, i hear the words i'm to tired and its to early, go back to sleep. :blink:

back to sleep i go dreaming of the adventure ahead of me

Get out of bed at 8:00am, put the strides an t-shirt on and are about to head out to the shed when i hear " where are you going "......out to start my new adventure i tell her..." dont forget i'm going to yogalates at 9:00am and you have to look after the baby.....i cant repeat what went through my mind but it wasn't nice.

These was the good things so far ....lets skip ahead a couple of hours.

1. okay, got the HLT, Mash Tun out sitting on the bench.....good start

2. take 25lt jerry can out to tank to fill with water....start filling, bloody tap falls off...no worries just screw it back on, only wasted 10 - 15 litres of water....were only in a drought

3. Pour the water into the HLT......****, forgot to tighten the element after playing around with it last week....were are the bloody shifters.....phew, tighened up okay, no leaks even though i havn't wired this 3000kw element up yet i have installed it.

4. The mashmaster heating thingy with my hand held immersion element is working a treat and after 40 minutes i am ready to mash in at 76c..... i figure after adding the grains it will drop about 9c and i will be around 67c......great....WRONG.....WTF.....the temp gauge is reading 47c :eek: . **** ****, put in 4 litres of boiling water from the house kettle, up to 55c .....were is the immersion element....here it is, put it in the mash tun and no temp rise....what the hell....after 5 minutes of shitting like a big Rottweiler i realise i havn't plugged the immersion element in, ok temp is rising...phew.....get to my 67c target after about 25 minute.

5. The good lady sticks her head in and asks " Are you having fun ".........FUN i yelled, i havn't had this much fun since my last root canal.....with that she went inside.

6. after 50 minutes i have calmed down and am getting the sparge water ready......i get ready put the 85c sparge water in and decide to test the water.......if thats 85c then i'm either stupid or i have no feeling in that finger.....yep i'm right......no were near 85c so i up the temp to boiling and then add it......ok good temp.........all this time i keep reminding myself that my good buddies on the AHB forum keep saying " making beer is so much fun ". i let the grain bed settle and then sparged away.

7. Were is that 1300 BEER help line

8. After that things sort of went to plan...... i have 21 liters in the fermenter...should have been 25 but i lost count of how much water i used in the caos


9. Next day i say to myself, self lets go and do a test, i set up my HLT with 35 litres of water and heat to 80c...start running it into the mashtun and read the temp....60c....WTF

QUESTIONS

1. How can i loose 20c from the HLT to the mash tun ( Converted keg with 1/2 inch ball valve and 1 meter of 12 mm silicone hose connected via plastic garden snap lock conector )

2. I am using braid in the mash tun as my manifold and it floated, therefore i dont think i got as much out of the Sparge as i should have, how do the braid brewers deal with this.

What did i learn......CHECK YOUR TEMP BEFORE ADDING YOUR GRAIN....Screwtop told me to do this and i knew i had to do this but i didn't do this.....the adrenalin was pumping and i was to excited....bit like my first kiss behind the shelter sheds at Pascoe Vale primary school


Apart from that i had a ball....finished of drinking a Du Pont saison



Next week i think i might try something easier like shitting in the queens handbag :p

I want to thank

Screwtop - for the many PM's ( very helpful and knowledgable person )
PistolPatch - for his AG/Sparge thread....most informative and helpful post i have seen
Wazza - got to thank a paco boy
Batz - for his help on the HLT
Ross - for his gear
Devo
T.D for the recipe ( JS Amber Ale )

AHB for telling me how much fun this is


Recommendation

1. A 1300BEER helpline with 20 CSR's :p

Sorry for the PP type thread

The missus came up with a name for my brewery

" The Nagging Wife brewery "

Rook
 
Sensational post!....very funny. Has brightened up my Mondary arvo no end. The only things I can recommend is add the water to the grain (when its at the right temp). This will also weigh down the braid and stop it floating? No idea why you are losing 20c when transferring. Have you any little kiddies that might have turned the calibration screw on the back of your mashmaster thermometer?

Cheers
Steve
 
That seems to be a hell of a lot of heat being lost. Try pre-heating the Mash tun with about 4 litres of hot water proir to mashing.
 
I wouldn't worry about not hitting the mash temp - better to start too low and bring it up than starting too high. Just give yourself a pat on the back for completing a step mash for your very first AG brew!! :p

I have no idea why you lost 20degC from your HLT to mash tun. I lose about 5deg max. How cold is it where you are? Even in the dead of winter I wouldn't lose 20deg though... Maybe try preheating your mash tun by pouring in a kitchen kettle worth of boiling water just before you transfer the water. Or better still, why not heat the mash water in your mash tun using the immersion element???
 
Go the Rook! :beerbang:

Pascoe Vale boys live for disaster (and creative writing). It's in our very fibre. :lol:

Rook there's something really askew going on from your HLT to your mash tun. I only get around an 8 degree drop through around 1 metre of non-insulated hose. Sure it's not taking a short right through your wort chiller? :blink:

Any chance you can post some pics of your HLT and mashtun. I reckon as a collective we'll all get you there.

Enjoy the experience mate. The only way is up. :)

Warren -
 
:lol: :lol: :lol: Well done rook.
It does get easier :lol:
Cant help with the heat loss, only as others have said,
maybe try preheating your mash tun.
 
wow, I get a thanks without doing anything at all :p how good am I.


btw that is odd yer getting 20c shift and yes, always check your strike temp before adding ya grain.
 
That sounds like did you have fun! Nothing like a couple of cockups to get the adrenalin going :D . I hope I have a much fun when I do my first AG.
Just gotta start to make the keggle that I "found" at 4 this morning :ph34r: .
 
Steve,

My kiddies are 21 yo, 17 yo old and 10 months old.

My thermometer is the digital mashmaster HLT controller and i checked it with the 12 buck job from Ross, both on the ball

T.D

How cold is it....its always warm up my way......but saturday was 20c

Wazza,

will post some pics tomorrow, and email you

Devo,

Because you live near me nan... :D

rook
 
Congratulations on your first AG beer.

All I can suggest is to take notes and learn how your setup reacts.

If I heat my HLT 2 degrees above the beersmith estimate, I hit my strike temp every time. I'm sure I can calibrate Beersmith to allow for this, but for the moment, I just overshoot the HLT by 2 degrees.

There is nothing more frustrating than chasing a swinging mashtun temp with a kettle of boiling water in one hand and a jug of cold water in the other :blink:

Having said that, 20 degrees seems a little excessive.


I'm sure this will still be by far the best beer you have ever made.


Practice makes perfect!


Fester.
 
At least in your haste to add your grain you didn't do what I did a few months back and forget to put in the false bottom....my was my language colourful that day ;)
 
At least in your haste to add your grain you didn't do what I did a few months back and forget to put in the false bottom....my was my language colourful that day ;)

:lol: :lol: Classic!!

Warren -
 
I want to thank AHB for telling me how much fun this is.

Ah Rook! Obviously they didn't tell you. It's fun for us, not you!

A great post mate and congrats on your first AG. I'm going to add a link to this at the bottom of Screwtop's description of his second AG in the 'Funniest Posts' thread. Yours goes hand in hand with his!

Thermometers and Loose Fittings - Agh!...

I think these two things cause the most trouble on people's first AG so you are not alone.

For a start, I have never ever seen two thermometers (even of the same make) read the same figure at mash temperatures. (I haven't seen two of Brissy's side by side but he does top stuff so maybe they are spot on?) Some of the guys here know I'm often tempted to buy a heap of the cheap but great SS brewers thermometers (about $15 I think), get my nephew to calibrate them at mash and ferment temps and then send them off to our AHB sponsors for sale so we can have an, 'AHB standard.' I reckon we need something to bring us all into line and prevent these hassles. My $15 one brings all my thermometers into line and I love her! (Calibrating at zero and boiling point means absolutely nothing at mash temperatures by the way.)

And then, with some brewing methods or set-ups, you have the problem of where to fix or place the thermometer in a mash. Don't get me started on that!

Seriously though, I couldn't tell from your post whether you were using the same thermometer to measure that 20 degree difference. If you were, you either have one totally crap thermometer or you need to agitate your sparge water, your mash water and the actual mash before taking your readings. Even if you do this, it's still important (and re-assuring) to test your thermometer against someone's who brews good beer. Once done, calibrate all your thermometers against it. I know, this is easier said than done especially when you are out in the bush hence my fantasy above.

As for loose fittings, I had that on my mash tun on my first brew. Luckily I also had Ross there supervising and keeping me calm saying, 'Mate you haven't had a beer for at least 30 seconds. Lighten up! Oh, and while you're up!'

My goodness!...

Rook, I'm always dumbfounded by you guys that do your first AG without help but I'm especially pleased to have caught this thread. (I miss the majority of AHB threads - wonder why? :blink: )

You have huge enthusiasm, help people out (usually in a few sentences - WTF?) and are bloody funny. The perfect brewer! I will not be surprised one iota if your first AG turns out beautifully despite your hassles. If not, your post will both entertain (you also at a later date ;)) and educate so who cares?

Your first AG certainly made my day,
Pat

P.S. Oh, and glad to see that one of my long posts helped you out. Cool!
 
Ah Rook! Obviously they didn't tell you. It's fun for us, not you!

A great post mate and congrats on your first AG. I'm going to add a link to this at the bottom of Screwtop's description of his second AG in the 'Funniest Posts' thread. Yours goes hand in hand with his!

Thermometers and Loose Fittings - Agh!...

I think these two things cause the most trouble on people's first AG so you are not alone.

For a start, I have never ever seen two thermometers (even of the same make) read the same figure at mash temperatures. (I haven't seen two of Brissy's side by side but he does top stuff so maybe they are spot on?) Some of the guys here know I'm often tempted to buy a heap of the cheap but great SS brewers thermometers (about $15 I think), get my nephew to calibrate them at mash and ferment temps and then send them off to our AHB sponsors for sale so we can have an, 'AHB standard.' I reckon we need something to bring us all into line and prevent these hassles. My $15 one brings all my thermometers into line and I love her! (Calibrating at zero and boiling point means absolutely nothing at mash temperatures by the way.)

And then, with some brewing methods or set-ups, you have the problem of where to fix or place the thermometer in a mash. Don't get me started on that!

Seriously though, I couldn't tell from your post whether you were using the same thermometer to measure that 20 degree difference. If you were, you either have one totally crap thermometer or you need to agitate your sparge water, your mash water and the actual mash before taking your readings. Even if you do this, it's still important (and re-assuring) to test your thermometer against someone's who brews good beer. Once done, calibrate all your thermometers against it. I know, this is easier said than done especially when you are out in the bush hence my fantasy above.

As for loose fittings, I had that on my mash tun on my first brew. Luckily I also had Ross there supervising and keeping me calm saying, 'Mate you haven't had a beer for at least 30 seconds. Lighten up! Oh, and while you're up!'

My goodness!...

Rook, I'm always dumbfounded by you guys that do your first AG without help but I'm especially pleased to have caught this thread. (I miss the majority of AHB threads - wonder why? :blink: )

You have huge enthusiasm, help people out (usually in a few sentences - WTF?) and are bloody funny. The perfect brewer! I will not be surprised one iota if your first AG turns out beautifully despite your hassles. If not, your post will both entertain (you also at a later date ;)) and educate so who cares?

Your first AG certainly made my day,
Pat

P.S. Oh, and glad to see that one of my long posts helped you out. Cool!


to long, didn't read it :p
 
At least in your haste to add your grain you didn't do what I did a few months back and forget to put in the false bottom....my was my language colourful that day ;)

I must say I've done this on countless occasions... :rolleyes: Its particularly annoying when you've gone to so much trouble to get the "perfect" strike temp, only to have to pour all the water (and grain that's already been added, which has occurred a couple of times too) back into another bucket, meaning it needs to be re-heated back to strike temp. Yep, there's definitely some interesting language that finds its way out on those occasions!
 
I must say I've done this on countless occasions... :rolleyes: Its particularly annoying when you've gone to so much trouble to get the "perfect" strike temp, only to have to pour all the water (and grain that's already been added, which has occurred a couple of times too) back into another bucket, meaning it needs to be re-heated back to strike temp. Yep, there's definitely some interesting language that finds its way out on those occasions!

When I did this I had to drain off what I could due but the clogged outlet I scooped the rest of the mash into a large bucket. Then once this was don't I seated the false bottom and poured the mash back in and let sit for the duration of it's rest.

I'd have to say though the beer itself (APA) still turned out pretty bloody good so not all was lost except for about 6 litres.
 
Rook, next time harden up mate, don't tap mummy on the shoulder and go off back to sleep, get up and into the BREW at 5.30 give yourself a head start.

Gongrats mate on your first AG leg over, If your HLT is SS and shaped like a keg then try setting your Mash Tun Specific heat to .380 and see how close the temp is after travelling through the ball valve hose etc.. Did you put the grain in first and then add your strike water?

Cheers,

Screwy
 
I must say I've done this on countless occasions...


When I did this I had to drain off what I could due but the clogged outlet I scooped the rest of the mash into a large bucket. Then once this was don't I seated the false bottom and poured the mash back in and let sit for the duration of it's rest.

You silly buggers. :lol: You're all coming out of the closet now. One of the stupid brewer tricks I'm yet to perform.

I always make a point of chucking my FB in the night before. Yep, you guessed I'd probably do the same thing otherwise.

Stop sampling before you brew you young hooligans. :p

Warren -
 
Same setup as you Rook, not getting quite that amount of heat loss but looking ~12degs which seems excessive.
MashMaster HLT controller, with a mashmaster dial guage (always give the HLT a stir before trusting the reading), both thermometers check against each other and the mashmaster stick thermometer I use to measure mash temps.
HLT controller needed ~1deg offset to follow the other two thermo's. Don't understand where all the heats going, though I am mashing into a ke.....stainless pot.
 
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