bleeding, sweating, and on the virge of tears

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stevecaaster

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Well I finally got my first ag in the fermenter, though it definatly did not go smoothly and I have a nasty scrape across my thumb. this brewage was just slight of disaster!
(I thought) I nailed my mash temp of 153 BUT when I opened the lid on my cooler MLT to check it once more before draining my mash, I read 158. the temperature went up. what was that all about? Will my batch suffer greatly for this? it was :

8.5 lbs of crisp maris otter
1.5 lb flaked oats
.5 lb roasted barley
.5 lb chocolate malt
.5 lb dark crystal
.5 lb 60 L crystal
.5 lb flaked barley
.25 lb black patent

first runnings (just the mash draining out) pH was 5.9
also I took a pH reading of the preboil wort and got like 5.8

I ended up with a 1.063 grav. after the boil when i took a sample out of the fermenter. My pre-boil volume was 7.25 gallons and post was 5. would I be able to calculate efficiency from this?

also, i forgot to vorlauf, all three times I drained my MLT! how serious is this? I use a stainless braid, if that helps me at all...

thoughts, consolations, opinions, and criticisims are welcome...
thanks for the help everyone, have a good one
 
You're fine. The higher temp will give you a maltier beverage but it looks like you're brewing a stout anyway. The braid will keep most of the husks out so missing your vorlauf isn't that big a deal.

Give me a couple of minutes (I'm brewing today too) and I'll calculate your efficiency for you.

RDWHAHB
 
I come up with a 68% efficiency. That's very good for your first brew. Don't sweat the small stuff. You've made a fine brew.
 
Blender said:
It's always a learning experience,but did you have fun?

I had fun right up until I stabbed myself in the hand with a racking cane while trying to put some tubing on it so i could attach it to my o2 bottle. I ended up taking off a layer of skin about the size of a pen cap.

So I guess my whole brew situation is rdwhahb for the most part? Im also freaking out that my sparge temps were only around 165.

and thanks a lot for the calcs FINGERS! have a good one!
 
stevecaaster said:
I had fun right up until I stabbed myself in the hand with a racking cane while trying to put some tubing on it so i could attach it to my o2 bottle. I ended up taking off a layer of skin about the size of a pen cap.

So I guess my whole brew situation is rdwhahb for the most part? Im also freaking out that my sparge temps were only around 165.

and thanks a lot for the calcs FINGERS! have a good one!
Don't sweat the sparge temps. Yours was fine. Those tubes fit on a lot easier if you warm them up first.
 
When striking the mash, always stir wait 5 minutes and stir thourougly again and then take the temp several places in the mash and it should be stabilized. It takes time to let the grain and mash tun exchange temps and brewers need to do this to get actual mash temps throughout the mash.
 
That's an easy day compared to some of my nightmares. As far as not vorlaufing, that's a dark beer so you wouldn't notice any extra cloudiness, and a little astringeny might actually be of benefit. You can always hit it with gelatin if you feel paranoid about to many tannins.
 
wow this is great news, thanks so much everyone, looks like i nailed it! wooooo
 
The bottom line is how it tastes...I try not to sweat things while I'm brewing. As longas the sample from the hydrometer jar tastes like it's going to mellow into something I will enjoy drinking then it's been a good brew day.

BTW, welcome to the obsession that is AG brewing!!!:mug:
 
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