Tried this for my 1st all grain:
13.2# Pilsen 2-Row - Bel.
.5oz Sorachi Ace FWH
.5oz Sorachi Ace 30 min.
5oz Sorachi Ace Flame Out
Mash: Single infusion, 148-149F, 60 min.
Pitched 2 vials of WLP500 at 72 - 74F
I added 20% to the grain bill, skipped the 1lb. cane sugar, and aimed for a 150F mash. Missed the mark, tried to add a gallon of 200F water, no change in temp. Closed the cooler, walked away for 60 min. Temp of 148 - 149F maintained.
Collected unknown amount of wort. Added a gal of water (it splashed a bit, hope that doesn't oxidize anything) to be on the safe side.
Post boil, collected 4.5 - 5 gal of wort, my guess.
Wort SG 1.042
Post boil: 1.050
Beersmith basically says I missed all my marks. Color, OG, everything. Then again, there is no no sparge" option in BS.
I misunderstood the process as well, I should have used more water in the mash to reach a 5 gal. batch.
8 hours in - Ambient temp 68 - 70F - No sign of fermentation in airlock. Anemic film of tiny bubbles on the top. That has to mean something's going on, it'd just be still and brown without any film at all if it was a dud right?
16 hours in - Ambient 68 - 70F - Still nothing to feel good about. Called brew shop, asked if I could aerate and maybe add some yeast nutirent. As expected, they told me to hold off and sit tight. 5 min. go by, and the air lock bubbles. Bless their little yeasty hearts. I put the carboy in a bin with water, and added 4 ice packs. Temp. of surrounding water in the 66F range or lower. By morning it should warm up. Trying to cool the carboy glass ahead of time, before the yeast really get going. Even though estery floral funky is the style, all my partial/extract beers have been hot fermentations in the 70's and they'll all been too estery. I'm sure WLP500 is going to be estery floral funky in the 64 - 70+F range.
8/1 - Every second a bubble, not churnin', just crusin'. The Krausen got more chunky and raised a bit throughout the day. Water around the carboy is 63F. Put in less ice packs, want it to rise a bit. I'm assuming inside the carboy it's 65-70F. Want to make sure I get my funk though. Smells like heaven.
8/6 - Fermentation was mellow, still burping the gas lock today. Clarifying a bit more everyday. Allowed the temp to rise to 70F ambient around 8/2.