My ESB, false bottoms & dry yeast

I had my first brewday in a while yesterday and I learned two things.

The first thing is, I dislike false bottoms very much. I batch sparge using a 5 gallon round cooler and thought I'd try a false bottom to maybe improve my extraction rates (I've only been able to hit about 60% or so) so after I started the mash I noticed that I wasn't getting any runoff in my tubing like I would when using a SS braid. I dumped the mash into my brew kettle to investigate and all of my tubing was still attached and the false bottom wasn't clogged, so I just swapped it out with my braid and dumped the mash back into the cooler and it immediatly gave me a bit of run off like I expected. I don't quite know what happened, but I've got a false bottom that fits a 5 gallon cooler if anyone wants it . Oddly enough, I had my best measurement of efficiency @ 65% and I thought I had a disaster on my hand. I guess I'll just refine my procedures and stick with the SS.

The second thing I learned is, I love dry yeast! I pitched a packet of Safale S-04 right into the wort after cooling and I had activity in the airlock less than an hour after pitching. About 12 hours later, it was going crazy and by this morning, less than 24 hours after pitching, things calmed down and I'm getting a bubble or two every 30 seconds. I will definatly be using dry yeast from now on unless the style calls for a liquid yeast.

I'm gearing up for my next batch, which will be an Oktoberfest style ale, if you can imagine such a thing.

Would you care to share the recipe for your O'fest style ale? I am planning on making something of that nature within the next week or two. I'm doing PM not AG, but your recipe could give me some ideas. Thanks.

I actually haven't developled my recipe, but I was thinking something along the lines of:

50% Vienna
30% Munich
15% Maris Otter
5% Cara-Pils

And probably 20-25 IBUs of noble hops, probably just Hersbrucker @ 60 minutes and 15 minutes or so and either US-05 or S-04 for the yeast.

hoplobster said:

I had my first brewday in a while yesterday and I learned two things.

The first thing is, I dislike false bottoms very much. I batch sparge using a 5 gallon round cooler and thought I'd try a false bottom to maybe improve my extraction rates (I've only been able to hit about 60% or so) so after I started the mash I noticed that I wasn't getting any runoff in my tubing like I would when using a SS braid. I dumped the mash into my brew kettle to investigate and all of my tubing was still attached and the false bottom wasn't clogged, so I just swapped it out with my braid and dumped the mash back into the cooler and it immediatly gave me a bit of run off like I expected. I don't quite know what happened, but I've got a false bottom that fits a 5 gallon cooler if anyone wants it . Oddly enough, I had my best measurement of efficiency @ 65% and I thought I had a disaster on my hand. I guess I'll just refine my procedures and stick with the SS.

Click to expand...

Before giving up on the false bottom, you might want to read https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=30803&

-a.