First PM

I made my first PM beer last night, 3 gallons of IPA. Everything went pretty well, I think, except I didnt refilter the first runnings (vorlauf?). How important is that step? Also, I didnt do an iodine test to be sure that all the starch was converted. Was that a stupid thing to skip? The OG was 1.068, I was shooting for 1.070.

This was a test run, from here on out I will be going AG. The last two of my wedding day meads will be tying up the secondarys for the next month or so. So I have that time to make/ buy the equipment I need to make the switch.

Any advise greatly apreciated.

- magno

Everything will settle out given time. I've only done iodine tests when I've have stuck ferments and once once was starch the problem. Modern grains will mash in 20-25 minutes, so giving them an hour makes it really unlikely that any starch is left.

Nor vorlaufing will result in a small amount of extra solids making it into the boil. No big deal.
If iodine tests are necessary, then I have been guilty of the same thing for over 30 years.
If you were aiming for a gravity of 1.070, and you hit 1.068, then I'd say you did a good job.

-a.

Yeah Im not too worried about 0.002 gravity points, but I wasnt sure if starch in the mix would raise the gravity and make it seem like I got better efficiency.

Thanks, cant wait for this one to be done!

- magno