Summer Pilsner

[*hop*cone*]

Ok this is the first brewday since I have moved, yes a Monday. Still on holidays

Ok woke today to find that the boiler that I use on my herms system was at the correct temp, all was fine in the world. Coffee in hand, I thought "hows the serenity" was I wrong.
Ok now to recirculate the Phos Acid Solution through all the pumps and copper tubing, get those critters packin. Ahhh.... March Pump motor siezed, Ok I can hear the windings trying to turn over... good. Ok take off cover plate and turn impeller, mmm thats not it. Ok I will have a crack at fixing it, ahh theres the problem.
I removed the plastic impeller to find some very tasty hardened Wermann Pilsner malt from the last brew choking the spindle. Ok a bit of soaking with WD 40 and 20 minutes should do the trick. Allehluah it worked she fired up beautifully. Cleaned March Pump to an inch of its life, afterall I dont want WD 40 Pilsner, and put it all back together.

Moral of the story so far, Don't be a manky ******* and clean your pumps by flushing with very hot water.

Ok Grain is cracked 10kg of Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner Malt plus 300 gr of Melanoidin malt.

Mash water heating up with a PH of 6 ( I used 5 ml iof Phos acid n 53 liters of water to bring it down from 7.8)
Grain temp 15 degrees. Ok sitting at computer working out strike temp on promash. Thought I might document this for all to follow.


More to come through the day.


*Hop*Cone*

 

[*hop*cone*]

Ok, heat exchanger set at 70 deg. Strike water 75 deg. I had a crack at underletting the mash water. I must say it was great not to have to get rid of the dough balls. Fitted alll the hoses etc, cleared the mash, then fired up the pump. I have even hit my target of 67 deg. on the knocker.

Just heating up the sparge water as we speak and then to pump the first runnings into the boiler. I am going to try to get to the 46 liter mark in a 50 litre type keg. But I will see how it looks. I may chicken out at 42 litres and add water in the primary. It will all depend on the refractometer readings after the sparge water is pumped into the boiler.

More later.

 

[*hop*cone*]

Ok, Refractometer readings at the kettle were a bit above 16 Brix which is 1068. Which is not to bad for 42 litres. Three hop additions,40 gr Saaz 4% aau and 40 gr NZ Begian Saaz 7% aau at 60 min, then 40 gr Saaz at 20 mins, Whirlfloc Tablet (whole) and then final addition of NZ Belgian Saaz 40gr at flame out and let steep for 30 minutes.

Now off to cool using immersion chiller, into 60 litre fermenter and take final readings at the fermenter berore possible dilution to make it up to 46 litres.

More later,

*Hop*CoNe*

 

[*hop*cone*]

Had to top up water to reach the 46 liter mark. Final OG in fermenter was 1044. The effeciency is down a little bit, promash says I was at 65% today. But none the less a good days brewing all the same.
Cheers,

*Hop*CoNe*

 

[razz]

Out of interest HC, how long did you recirc the mash liqour for during the mainrest ?

 

[*hop*cone*]

I recirculated from after the dough in and clearing. For the whole time of the sacrification rest, ie 90 mins. Im starting to wonder if this is causing me grief- low efficiency.

 

[razz]

I can't comment about the efficiency, you may need to do side by side brews (oops, I just commented !) I doubt it would be the mash recirc, more likely crush. I only asked about the recirc because I only recirc long enough to get a clear runoff before the mash out. My mash tends to compact if I recirc for more than about 15 minutes. I still get 80%+ efficiency.

 

[*hop*cone*]

Come to think of it, I really flew through the sparging today. In a hurry. Usually I add sparge water and stir for 20 minutes and let sit. Today was lucky to be 5 mins. Thats where I guess the efficency went. I usally have no problems getting to 75-80%. Oh well we live and learn.

 

[razz]

Don't be to concerned about time taken to sparge, the main thing is to balance the water in and the liquor out so the mash stays afloat. (I take it that was a fly sparge you did) I've been sparging 42 lts in 10 mins for years and still get plenty of extract.

Just reread your post, looks like a batch sparge.