1st all grain - Observations for improvement

**cercueil** · 07-30-2009, 04:19 PM

I brewed BM's Centennial Blond and for the most part it went really well. The only modification was adding 1 more lb of 2 row because I figured my efficiency would suck. After going through the process here are some questions I have:

1) My efficiency was about 65%. I mashed at 148 for 60 minutes. I did a double batch sparge with no mash out. I sparged with 170 degree water. I mixed the grains a waited only about 5 minutes and drained that into the bucket, repeat. (Should I have let the sparge water sit on the grain for a longer time?)

2) I don't have a hose running from the MLT to the pot. I read in Palmers book that you need this so you minimize oxygen getting into the wort. Has anyone not used a hose? I wont know until I taste it if this affected anything.

3) Damn that grain eats up a ton of water! I used Beer Smith and apparently I should set the batch size higher? I set it for 5.5 gallons post boil and I was left with about 4.5 gallons (After leaving about half gallon of gunk in the BK). My total water usage was about 7.25 gal.

Denny · 07-30-2009, 04:35 PM

There's nothing to be gained by letting the sparge water sit at all. I stopped doing that years ago and found no difference. If you use a hose from the mash tun to the kettle, it will start a siphon effect and help you drain your tun more easily. I figure grain absorption at about .12 gal./lb. of grain.

sundowner · 07-30-2009, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cercueil

I used Beer Smith and apparently I should set the batch size higher? I set it for 5.5 gallons post boil and I was left with about 4.5 gallons (After leaving about half gallon of gunk in the BK). My total water usage was about 7.25 gal.

Also, boil off rates are going to vary from system to system and from brewer to brewer, depending on how vigorous you boil the wort. You have to adjust to your own system and procedure...

phatuna · 07-30-2009, 05:54 PM

Great job, sounds like you learned some good lessons. Like the folks above say, you will loose a lot of water depending on your setup / how much grain etc. You can dial all of this in on beersmith as you become more comfortable w/ your system / procedure.

I am still trying to dial-in is my boil off rate. I have a big burner and had that baby cranked up for my first few boils. I was wonedering why I kept ending up with less than expected volume. Turned out I was boiling off over 20% of my volume.

It took me a bit, but I learned that you do not have to maintain a volcano, just a nice rolling boil and shoot for more like 10 - 15% boil-off.

Best of luck!

**passedpawn** · 07-30-2009, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cercueil

2) I don't have a hose running from the MLT to the pot. I read in Palmers book that you need this so you minimize oxygen getting into the wort. Has anyone not used a hose? I wont know until I taste it if this affected anything.

Although I would suggest a hose and valve from your mashtun to your pot, I don't think oxygenation has any effect here. And, when you send your boiled wort to the fermentation container, you absolutely want to oxygenate the wort to ensure quick and healthy yeast activity.

The time to avoid oxygenation is after fermentation has begun. They yeast don't need it then, and once the fermentation is complete oxygen becomes your enemy. So, make sure you use "quiet" methods to transfer your beer to bottling bucket/bottles or keg.

bdaddy · 07-30-2009, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denny

There's nothing to be gained by letting the sparge water sit at all.

That true? I had read somewhere that part of the sparging is letting it sit 10-15 minutes at 170 degrees, as that stops the enzyme conversion process.

sundowner · 07-30-2009, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdaddy

That true? I had read somewhere that part of the sparging is letting it sit 10-15 minutes at 170 degrees, as that stops the enzyme conversion process.

How dare you question the great oracle...

Denny · 07-30-2009, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdaddy

That true? I had read somewhere that part of the sparging is letting it sit 10-15 minutes at 170 degrees, as that stops the enzyme conversion process.

It's absolutely true. You probably read the other way on my website. Over the years, I've experimented with rests from 30 min. to 0 min. and found no difference. What you're talking about is a mashout. For that, you need to hold 170+ for 20 min. or more in order to denature enzymes. It's unnecessary in batch sparging since you get to a boil so quickly compared to fly sparging.

**cercueil** · 07-31-2009, 05:43 PM

OK..Great..Thank you for the replies..So I need to get a hose for the MLT, not worry about letting the grain sit at sparge temp for longer than a few minutes, and once I figure out how much water my system will eat I will be better able to judge it. The software is to just give you a round about figure.

boredatwork · 07-31-2009, 11:50 PM

Regarding the hose from the MLT to brew kettle. Even though Palmer said to use one in How to Brew, after an interview with Dr. Bamforth in the Brew Strong podcast on Hot Side Aeration Palmer changes his opinion.