The Night Before First AG Brew! Hitch Hickers Pale Ale

[dave_moriarty]

So after much research and even more reading tomorrow is the big day.

I wanted to put up my plan and hopefully if there are any gaping holes in it someone can let me know. haha

Here is it:

4 Kg Maris otter
500g Victory
500g Lt Crystal
saf us 04

15g Galaxy @ 60 min
15g Galaxy @ 15 min
15g Galaxy @ Flame Out

Whirflock @ 15 min




Mash 90 Min. Mash in 30Lt Esky with Cu manifold.

15Lt
Strike Temp 76 C
Mash Temp 68 C


Mash Out

Bring mash up to 80 C with some boiling water
Fly Sparge 17Lt @ 80 C


Boil 90 Min

30 Min boil prior to hop addition for hot break
60 min add bittering hop
15 min add flavour hop
15 min add Half whirflock tablet
Flame out add aroma hop

Whirlpool

Cool overnight

Transfer to 23Lt food grade jerry and pop into fridge set to 20 C

Pitch Yeast


I feel as though i have my head around the plan for tomorrow, but would still love some input

Thanks Guys

Dave
Hawkesbury Home Brewers

 

[boybrewer]

If you are going to no chill and especially with Galaxy I would definately reduce the bittering down to around 20 min . Galaxy has a high alpha acid rating and in doing what you propose to do might make it undrinkable for at least a few weeks . Hop additions would go something like this . @ 20 min bittering , @ flameout and then dry hop around 15g for aroma . I personaly have yet to try a no chill but from what I have read on the forums the bittering will be still going on in the cube until it cools right down . Just my 2cents worth . Someone who does this on a regular basis might have some more input on this .

 

[Blitzer]

Nah you'll be fine, leave your bittering at 60. I don't think it will change much, take a look at changing your bittering between 60 and 90 mins you'll only get a couple of IBU's difference.

 

[peas_and_corn]

I'm assuming a 19L recipe, put the numbers into beersmith and got 38IBUs which isn't that high. The bitterness will be a little harsh because that's how Galaxy rolls, but it will be an enjoyable beer.

 

[Donske]

I'll add another vote for moving the 60 minute addition of Galaxy to 20, or substituting with a hop that is more suited to bittering, Warrior, Magnum or Simcoe are my favourites.

Also, Galaxy is not a great dry hop in my experience, it can go grassy on you really quickly, check every 6 to 8 hours of dry hop, once you hit the aroma you want, package, don't wait.

I've personally completely given up on Galaxy, I love the flavour/aroma it gives but it always goes to shit on me.

 

[dave_moriarty]

Thanks for the input guys!! I was primarily questioning my methed (Mash temps and the like ) rather than the recipe, which was develpoed with the LHB man. (we're trying to get something simillar to another local micro brewery.

Ive been using brewtarget to put all my numbers into its a 22l batch. the IBU count came out at 31 which I think SHOULD BE OK (FINGERS CROSSED).... hahah
and being a public holiday i cant just race out and grab some other bittering hop, so i think ill stick with it.

i dry hopped before with some amarillo and nelson sauvin on my kit and steep, and the amarillo came through more than i would have liked. took a bit of getting my head around but now im having trouble giving out the samples i previousy promised because i want it all for myself. Ha

Heres the number Sheet

 

[dave_moriarty]

So far all is good, I'm soon to do the 15 min hop and Whirflock addition. My expected boil gravity was 1033 and I've hit 1036 so good there.

I took a 400ml jar of wort off preboil can I cool it to 20 c and pitch my dry yeast as a starter????

 

[danestead]

So far all is good, I'm soon to do the 15 min hop and Whirflock addition. My expected boil gravity was 1033 and I've hit 1036 so good there.
I took a 400ml jar of wort off preboil can I cool it to 20 c and pitch my dry yeast as a starter????

You have probably done whatever it is you decided to already however if you are actually talking about rehydrating yeast, generally thatis done in sterile (boiled then cooled) water at around about 27 degrees.

If you are actually trying to grow more yeast, ie yeast starter, generally it isnt done with dry yeast as its less hassle and about the same cost to just purchase more packets of dry yeast. Also, and I think its on either John Palmers How to Brew or maybe the wyeast website, its not beneficial to do a starter of less than about 1L because it affects the health of the yeast in a detrimental way. Might be worth reading.

 

[danestead]

Links worth reading.

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter6-5.html

Also, in the Mr Malty FAQs under When shouldnt I make a yeast starter and I've heard that too small or too large a starter can be bad for the yeast. How is that possible?

http://www.mrmalty.com/starter_faq.php

In general, that whole page is worth a read.

 

[grod5]

Dave,

Congrats on the prep work and recipe. Since I went all grain I have loved the brewing process more than drinking the product. The things that we can control are heaps greater. I would say that its best to think about the process more than the recipe on the first few. It seems like you have given yourself plenty of time on brew day too which is a bonus.

I havent brewed since January and therefore getting hungry to do something very soon.

Brew Strong mate

g

 

[thedragon]

Dave, give it a go the way you've got it, there's no major flaws. Use the taste of the beer you brew to benchmark your recipe and process.

Brewing a recipe and trying subtle variations will help you understand the impact of you changes: be it mash temp, duration, grist, timing of hop additions, just to name a few of the many pre-mash variables.

Hope your brew day went well.

And I agree with Grod, I do like the process of AG, thinking about brewing and talking about brewing as much as I do drinking the beer.

 

[dave_moriarty]

Brew Day DONE!!!!!!

Hit 75% Way over my expected efficiency of 65

tasted the wort after cooling, which took approx 3 Hours. pretty exited about how it turned out so straight into the fermenter and pitched the wort.

my volume numbers were pretty much spot on 4Lt per hour loss to the boil kettle.

cheers for all the advice ill get some pics up soon

Dave

 

[slcmorro]

Onya mate