feeding the beast

I gave the "beast" it's first wet run today. I used all of my bottled water for the brew so had to resort to drinking(clears throat) -purified water- from the last batch to knock down the AZ sun. Anyway, lots of little problems, most easily solved. mashed in on 23 lbs with 28.75 qts at 167*F. overshot mash temp(158*F) and had to drop in frozen water bottles to bring temp down to 152*F. held for 1 hour and pulled first running(1.062G at about 150*F). 4.5 gall 1st sparge, stir, rest 10 and pull(1.030G at about165*F). 3.5 gall final sparge, stir, rest 10 and pull(1.014G at 170*F) preboil gravity1.046. reduce volume 1.75 gall to 10 gall during 65 min boil. hop additions 1.50oz. (NZ green bullet @12.8AA)at 65. .5 oz (yakima goldings @4.4AA) at 15, .5 oz (yakima goldings @4.4AA) at 5. cooled using recirculating CFC and tap water to 110*F in 25 min. continued cooling with CFC and output to fermenter, drop to 85*F. had to move one hose clamp when using cfc(forgot I was one short before brew) placed fermentor in fermentation cab to reduce temp further. My ground water runs about 80-85*F will use prechiller as Bobby_M threaded about with tap pressure to drive it, next time. will pitch when temp drops far enough and ferment at 65*F for 3 weeks. will dry hop 5 gall with 1 oz of yakima goldings and 5 gallons with tett. this is the beginnings of my hops taste and aroma experiment. I will keep the same beer and bittering hops, only changing final 5 and dry hop with each 1/2 batch. ok here are the pics. I think it was ersatz that wanted to see action photos. once I teach the brewkitty how to hold a camera, it will be easier.

first strike http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll153/beerthirty_01/DSCN2258.jpg
http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll153/beerthirty_01/DSCN2259.jpg
http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll153/beerthirty_01/DSCN2260.jpg

beginning boil
http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll153/beerthirty_01/DSCN2263.jpg

hop addition
http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll153/beerthirty_01/DSCN2265.jpg

wort cooling
http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll153/beerthirty_01/DSCN2266.jpg

filling fermenter
http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll153/beerthirty_01/DSCN2268.jpg

Its not about the beer, its about the brew.