RIT_Warrior
Well-Known Member
So I'm going to try my first AG batch today. I have a 5 gallon nylon paint strainer bag, a 7.5 gallon pot, and a 5 gallon pot (which is more like 4.5 gallons). I have a false bottom for my 7.5 gallon pot (metal plate with a small hole in the middle), but I wasn't planning on using it. I'm trying the Young's Double Chocolate Stout clone detailed in the Dark Chocolate Stout recipe here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f68/dark-chocolate-stout-136707/
I was just going to run through my process with you guys to make sure I don't screw something up.
1. I was planning on heating up 5.5 gallons of water in the 7.5 gallon pot and using the 5 gallon paint strainer bag to hold my grain in there once the water gets up to temperature. After about 70 minutes or so, I was going to pull out the bag, put it in a colander and drip dry over the pot. Then I was planning on pouring .5 gallons of water heated up to mash temperature through the grain/colander to get more sugars. My temp for the water is 163 before the grain, I am shooting for 153ish when I add the grain. Then I'll turn off the heat, put the lid on the pot and let it sit for the required time, stirring every 15 minutes or so.
2. After that, I was going to calculate my efficiency. While the wort is going to a boil, I'll cool down a sample and take a hydrometer reading based on that. I'll get a reading, but I am a little confused because I figure it will be a bit inaccurate, because I don't know the exact volume of water in the pot? Should I just assume there is 6 gallons there and base the rest of the calculations on that?
3. I don't think I'm going to hit the ~80% efficiency that I'll need for this recipe, which is why I have 3lbs of DME on standby. After I get my efficiency, I'm planning on plugging the numbers into beersmith while the wort goes to a boil and finding out how much DME to add to hit my target OG. This is a 6 gallon recipe, and I have things adjusted accordingly in beersmith.
4. After that, I'm going to proceed with the rest of my boil like any normal batch.
Anyway, what do you guys think? Any tips on increasing my efficiency? Anything I'm doing wrong? Thanks in advance!
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f68/dark-chocolate-stout-136707/
I was just going to run through my process with you guys to make sure I don't screw something up.
1. I was planning on heating up 5.5 gallons of water in the 7.5 gallon pot and using the 5 gallon paint strainer bag to hold my grain in there once the water gets up to temperature. After about 70 minutes or so, I was going to pull out the bag, put it in a colander and drip dry over the pot. Then I was planning on pouring .5 gallons of water heated up to mash temperature through the grain/colander to get more sugars. My temp for the water is 163 before the grain, I am shooting for 153ish when I add the grain. Then I'll turn off the heat, put the lid on the pot and let it sit for the required time, stirring every 15 minutes or so.
2. After that, I was going to calculate my efficiency. While the wort is going to a boil, I'll cool down a sample and take a hydrometer reading based on that. I'll get a reading, but I am a little confused because I figure it will be a bit inaccurate, because I don't know the exact volume of water in the pot? Should I just assume there is 6 gallons there and base the rest of the calculations on that?
3. I don't think I'm going to hit the ~80% efficiency that I'll need for this recipe, which is why I have 3lbs of DME on standby. After I get my efficiency, I'm planning on plugging the numbers into beersmith while the wort goes to a boil and finding out how much DME to add to hit my target OG. This is a 6 gallon recipe, and I have things adjusted accordingly in beersmith.
4. After that, I'm going to proceed with the rest of my boil like any normal batch.
Anyway, what do you guys think? Any tips on increasing my efficiency? Anything I'm doing wrong? Thanks in advance!
