AG batch number two in the carboy

So, I was a little late updating my blog to reflect my second AG day. It was, for the most part, a success. There wasn't any issues to speak of. It was a very busy day at the brewery as I brewed this stout, kegged the ESB, and upgraded my kegerator (fridge) to hold two kegs.

Unlike the first time, for this batch I wanted to measure the temp at every gravity reading and record it. Also, I slowed my sparge and first runnings collection down a little to hopefully extract more sugars from the grain. My efficiency was 82% this time (a little better than the 68% last time). I assume that all helped in the increase in efficiency? Does this affect the final product? I'm not sure, so I turn to you guys... I also let the sparging water sit for a few minutes in the tun before draining.

Here's the entire write-up on my blog with all of the pictures: BrewingExperiment.com

I brewed an Oatmeal Stout (recipe below) this time. I had the grain ran through the mill twice at the LBS since the first time my crush wasn't fine enough. My mash-tun held the temp like a champ! It didn't even drop a degree. BeerSmith recommended a temp of 158, but I only hit 154 during the mash. I assume things will be ok.


While mashing I was able to design and develop this extremely precise hop suspension system. :cross: Would it work well in the boil? We'll see...


With a some more time left, I racked my ESB to a keg and put it in my newly expanded kegerator. Unfortunately, the first keg (my Wounded Trout Wheat) mysteriously ran dry during the brew session. Go figure, right!


Here's that HSS (Hop Suspension System) in action!


Here we are chilling the wort. No clogs, the HSS worked great!


I racked it to the carboy a few days ago (since my brew day was two weeks back). The gravity sample was pretty dang good; I could just about drink a pint of it now... Must wait & add co2 though. I'm calling this one the Black Stone Stout.

Recipe the 'Smooth Oatmeal Stout' from HBT recipe database. I did modify it slightly though...
* 7 lb Pale malt 2 Row (US)
* 0.5 lb roasted Barley (350l)
* 0.75 lb chocolate (330l)
* 0.5 lb crystal 40
* 0.5 lb crsytal 120
* 0.75 lb victory
* 1 lb flaked oats
* 2oz Willamette hops
* 1 vial White Labs WLP002 English Ale yeast

Original Gravity: 1.063

Looks awsome. I will watch this post to see how it turned out. I always like to see different setups. Right now I don't get paid enough to have a setup like this or other ones but one day.....one day....

flyfishnc said:

My efficiency was 82% this time (a little better than the 68% last time). I assume that all helped in the increase in efficiency? Does this affect the final product?

Click to expand...

On the recent BN session show, they brought up an opinion that high efficiencies (in the 85-95 range) while impressive, do not actually make better beer on the home brewers' scale. Their point was that you're extracting more sugar from the grains, but not more flavor or color. They said a good target was more like 70-75%. Having only 1 AG batch under my belt I can't comment much, but it seems to make sense to me.

Looks good! I'll be doing my second and third batch tomorrow myself and might have to try your HSS, lol. I found a similar way to rig a strainer to the top of my bucket to strain all the hop trub, while aerating the wort as well.

Flyfish,

where did you get your thermometer? I like that better than my hand dipped thermometer.

Beavdowg said:

Flyfish,

where did you get your thermometer? I like that better than my hand dipped thermometer.

Click to expand...

That remote probe thermo looks similar to what can be found at most any cooking/housewares shop. The only caveat with them is that some are not robust enough for liquids as if you look closely at the tip, where the temp probe is, there is a seam in the metal. Over time liquid seeps in...and fries the probe.

I no longer check mash temps once I hit my number, it stays constant in my system to the point I have no need to check.