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blackntan · 03-10-2009, 09:59 PM

I read all the "Did I ruin my batch" threads and didn't really come across one that dealt with an all grain batch.

I brewed my first all grain batch on 3/8, it's a Newcastle type. Here's the receipe I followed and the procedure.

ingredents:
9lbs - English two rows
1lbs - Crystal 55L
2oz - Chocolate
1oz - Black Patent

Started out with 2 1/2 gallons of filtered bottled water, brought it to 155 degrees and slowly add my grain, and boiled for 90 minutes

Added:
3/4oz - Kent Golding @ 60 min
1/2oz - Kent Golding @ 30 min
1tsp - Irish moss @ 15 min
3/4 - Dark Brown Sugar @ 15 min
1/4oz - Kent Golding @ 10 min

Sparged with 2 1/2 gallon of 180 degree water.

Cooled wort to 90 degrees, pour wort into carboy airiated and pitched yeast.

I got an OG of 1.060.... Have no Idea what the efficency was, I'm not really sure how to figure that part out.

Here's where my problems come in....

1. When I added the wort to the carboy, I went from using 5 gallons of water to about 2 1/2 gallons of wort, so I added more bottled water
2. The first day of firmenting, just hours after the brew, the airlock was bubbling like crazy, then next day it slowed down quite a bit and now there is no activity, and there doesn't seem to be much Krausen developed.

Questions:

1. Is it normal to loose that much liquid during the brew and sparge process?
2. Will adding water after the fact dilute the brew and lower the OG?
3. And why did the fermintation seem to stop after 3 days?
4. Should I just let sit and ride it out for a week or 2, then check the grvity?

any help ?

**rocketman768** · 03-10-2009, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackntan

Started out with 2 1/2 gallons of filtered bottled water, brought it to 155 degrees and slowly add my grain, and boiled for 90 minutes

You boiled the grains? You didn't let it sit at 155F for an hour?

**HoppyDaze** · 03-10-2009, 10:09 PM

Yes...You used five gallons total (which is the problem) I believe you lost a gallon and quarter to both grain absorption and boil off or some combination thereof; thats two and a half total. five minus 2 and a half equals two and a half.

in the future try mashing with 3 and a half gallons and sparging with 3 and a half gallons ....this should leave you with roughly 6 and a quarter gallons of pre-boiled wort. then boil off a gallon and a quarter to end with five gallons.

**Brooklyn-Brewtality** · 03-10-2009, 10:12 PM

is that OG before or after you doubled the volume?

blackntan · 03-10-2009, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Berserker_Brew

is that OG before or after you doubled the volume?

I heated my water to 155 degrees andded my gain, I did let it sit at 155 for 60 min and brought to a boil.

The og was before I added the extra water.

**Brooklyn-Brewtality** · 03-10-2009, 10:49 PM

well, diluting the 1.060 from 2.5 gallons to 5 gallons will lower the OG to 1.030. That could ferment out REALLY fast, especially if the temperature was in the higher end

Limited Visibility · 03-10-2009, 10:52 PM

You said that it was not producing much krausen... is it possible you just missed your fermentation and it fell from the top already? Only real way to check is whip out that hydrometer.

Also yes adding additional water will dilute your brew and make the og lower... how much water did you have to add to get to 5 gallons?

Was your wort at 90 degrees when you checked your og? That could be throwing you off some also

blackntan · 03-10-2009, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Berserker_Brew

is that OG before or after you doubled the volume?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Limited Visibility

You said that it was not producing much krausen... is it possible you just missed your fermentation and it fell from the top already? Only real way to check is whip out that hydrometer.

Also yes adding additional water will dilute your brew and make the og lower... how much water did you have to add to get to 5 gallons?

Was your wort at 90 degrees when you checked your og? That could be throwing you off some also

The og was before I added the water.

I added 8 to 10 pints, if my covertion is correct then i think it was like 1 gallon and 1 pint at the most, and i didn't get to a full 5 gallons... i ran out of bottled water. My wort was at or around the 90 degree mark, give or take, probably more on the low side.

So am I at a loss here, is it worth waiting for?

It was my first time and i think I may have ejaculated a bit early.

MajorTom · 03-11-2009, 12:13 PM

I'm kind of confused...

Did you heat your water to 155* and then add the grain? If so, then your mash was way lower than 155 degrees.

Then your OG of the 2.5 gallons was 1.06? You added the yeast to that and it was 90*? Then you added another 2.5 gallons of water and that would make the OG 1.03.

So, It is probably done fermenting after a couple of days and my guess is that you will have some nasty tasting beer colored water.

jcdillin · 03-11-2009, 12:16 PM

Well if your wort was 90 degrees when you measured it then it was probably more around 1.064 and if you had 3 gallons of wort and added a gallon and a bit I would think it would put you in the 1.040's which isn't the worst thing in the world. I wouldn't worry about the fast ferment. I've had plenty of beers finish with the furious fermenting in the first 48 hours and then looked like they were doing nothing for the other 3 weeks I let them sit.

I'm sure the yeasties are still hard at work.

But my only question is you said you kept the mash at 155 for 60 minutes and then you boiled, you boiled with the grains or you boiled just the wort alone?