Well this isn't working.....Decoction UGH!!

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Bulls Beers

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My first decoction and I haven't hit one temp..Every temp has been way too low..I don't have direct fire for my mash tun. That was the first problem. I'm starting my second decoction and at boil stage.. I guess I should've mashed it at 153 for 90 minutes instead. I'm going out to buy a bayou classic kettle today... I'm gonna take a preboil gravity reading to see where I'm at..I need a beer.
 
That's a good idea. Beer always helps. :D

If you want some help critiquing why you had issues later, we can help you with that so the next decoction day goes more smoothly. Unless you don't have another decoction day, that is. :mug:

Thanks Yooper, but I'm not sure what I gonna do..I don't think I had much conversion. I also had my first stuck sparge...WTF!! Thank goodness I have two fresh kegs on tap, I'm gonna need them..:ban:
 
Thanks Yooper, but I'm not sure what I gonna do..I don't think I had much conversion. I also had my first stuck sparge...WTF!!

You probably got conversion in the mash, so don't worry too much about that. If you just soldier on, you can at least consider this a learning experience in the end if nothing else.
 
It looks like beer....lol! I feel like a newbie...

Oh, that happens to me all the time! Just when I feel comfortable, something new comes along and makes me feel like it's my first brewday ever.

I'll be doing a decoction on my next beer, and while I feel pretty comfortable with my process in a 5 gallon batch, there will probably still be a few surprises!
 
My preboil gravity is about 1.020..Not good. Should I scrap it or keep going?? I've never dumped a beer..

Geez, really? I guess you were right about no conversion. I'd check it again, to make absolutely sure (not that I don't trust you!) and make sure it's a good sample. Or even two out of three. Because I'd hate to think about scrapping it.

If it's 1.020, even if you boiled it WAY down, you might only get 1.035.
 
Geez, really? I guess you were right about no conversion. I'd check it again, to make absolutely sure (not that I don't trust you!) and make sure it's a good sample. Or even two out of three. Because I'd hate to think about scrapping it.

If it's 1.020, even if you boiled it WAY down, you might only get 1.035.

yeah I'm up a little to 1.026. That's about it..What'd ya think?? I'd hate to waste a good yeast starter and some hops...
 
How low were you for temps? My last decoction mash I undershot by I think ten degrees after adding back the first decoction. Not sure if this is the right route to go or not but I just drained off some wort, heated it up and added it back. Seemed to work. On the next decoction I pulled more than I thought I would need and hit my temp.
 
yeah I'm up a little to 1.026. That's about it..What'd ya think?? I'd hate to waste a good yeast starter and some hops...

What's your volume? If you're at something like 7 gallons, you could boil down to 5 gallons and have a 1.037 OG beer. Or down to 4 gallons and have a 1.045 OG beer.

It might be worth it.
 
Alright screw it, I'm going for it...I have a ton of propane and I'm not afraid to use it...:D





Edit: I'm pissed...I was so excited to make this beer....
 
Ok, well, if you boil down to 5.00, you'll have 1.039. Do it!

You are probably going to want to reduce the hopping, so you may want to recalculate while you're reducing the volume. I mean, since it's going to take like 1.5 hours. :p

Well, The recipe calls for a 2hr boil anyway.
 
Wow- that really looks good! You'll have to try it again in the future. I'm not sure what the results will be here, as if you missed the temperatures by alot you may have done an acid rest instead of a protein rest, and then missed the saccrification rest, etc. But it's definitely worth finishing, and I think you'll have a drinkable beer in the end, even though it doesn't seem like it now.

You can call this a "German Mild" or something, and it'll be tasty I bet.
 
Ok, well, if you boil down to 5.00, you'll have 1.039. Do it!

You are probably going to want to reduce the hopping, so you may want to recalculate while you're reducing the volume. I mean, since it's going to take like 1.5 hours. :p

Hey Yooper, I just took a gravity reading and it was 1.049...huh..The color also looks great..
 
From that article:

"Fifty percent of the grain bill consisted of a classic 19th-century, slightly under-modified, pale floor-malted barley that was grown and malted not far from the city of Prague."

If you are using (I presume) a modern pils malt, I doubt a decoction is really necessary. A decoction does, however give you a little boost in maltiness from the melanoidins produced, which would be nice for a dunkel.

For what it's worth, I always do a "decoction mash out" on my brews. It's a normal part of my process, but also provides some added melanoidins. The Maltose Falcons has a write-up about it on their website. Way easier than a traditional decoction, too.
 
My first decoction and I haven't hit one temp..Every temp has been way too low..I don't have direct fire for my mash tun. That was the first problem. I'm starting my second decoction and at boil stage.. I guess I should've mashed it at 153 for 90 minutes instead. I'm going out to buy a bayou classic kettle today... I'm gonna take a preboil gravity reading to see where I'm at..I need a beer.

HA! Ha. Not laughing at you, dude, but with you. My first triple decoction took 9 hours, and clean up had to be done the next day. One has to love beer to do that kind of toil. I hope yours turns out as good as mine did years ago. I hogged it all to myself. No brother-in-laws, friends, passers bye got a drop. Well, my wife tried it and said it was pretty malty. :)
 
HA! Ha. Not laughing at you, dude, but with you. My first triple decoction took 9 hours, and clean up had to be done the next day. One has to love beer to do that kind of toil. I hope yours turns out as good as mine did years ago. I hogged it all to myself. No brother-in-laws, friends, passers bye got a drop. Well, my wife tried it and said it was pretty malty. :)

Oh man, what a day...It took about 7 1/2 hours from start to finish and I still haven't cleaned out my keggle yet. That's tomorrow. I think I saved this batch.. I want to give props to Yooper for not letting me scrape this beer. I almost dumped it a couple times, but I can't believe I hit my Gravity. After I finished today, I skated for 2 1/2 hours. I'm toast. Time for a very large beer.

I will try this recipe again, but will have a direct fire mash tun next time..
 
Oh man, what a day...It took about 7 1/2 hours from start to finish and I still haven't cleaned out my keggle yet. That's tomorrow. I think I saved this batch.. I want to give props to Yooper for not letting me scrape this beer. I almost dumped it a couple times, but I can't believe I hit my Gravity. After I finished today, I skated for 2 1/2 hours. I'm toast. Time for a very large beer.

I will try this recipe again, but will have a direct fire mash tun next time..

Bull, fear not, this will be the best. Yeah, Yooper is a great encourager when things are tough. My wife is like that. I'm so glad. I had a job pouring the top for a porch once and the concrete come hot! I thought I'd have a heart attack and was ready to get a jack hammer, but she kept telling me don't give up. Well, the job got worked out and I'm still alive(I think). Encouragement is finer than gold. Cheers... :)
 
Bull, fear not, this will be the best. Yeah, Yooper is a great encourager when things are tough. My wife is like that. I'm so glad. I had a job pouring the top for a porch once and the concrete come hot! I thought I'd have a heart attack and was ready to get a jack hammer, but she kept telling me don't give up. Well, the job got worked out and I'm still alive(I think). Encouragement is finer than gold. Cheers... :)

Thanks man...My wife said the same thing, it'll probably be my best beer...:mug:
 
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