Well, it was better than I expected with an efficiency into boiler of 76% and a brewhouse efficiency of 74%. But my volumes were off a bit.
I pumped 4.25 gal of 174* water into my MLT and let it settle to 169*, added 13.5 lbs of grains and the temp stabilized at 154.7* after stirring well. I closed the lid and the temp climbed to 156.5* within 10 minutes or so.... Opened the lid and stirred well and the temp dropped back to 156*. I had to repeat the stirring for the first 35 or 40 minutes before the temp would stay down. (Starch conversion exothermic? hmmm.) After vorlaufing a couple of pints, the runnings cleared nicely and I began collecting into my graduated bottling bucket. But I only managed to get about 9 qts out! I tested my MLT previously and it only holds about a quart that is below the manifold, so where the hell did the rest of my water go?!?!?! I lost 8 qts to a 13 lbs grain bill..
Then came the mad dash to heat more sparge water to make up for the loss which was unexpected. I sparged with almost 4 gallons of 200* water total that settled the grain bed at 172*, higher than I wanted but not too bad I guess. I managed to get almost 6 gal into the BK after all was said and done. Boiling went well, hop additions into bag as planned, forgot whirlfloc.... Whirlpool chiller dropped temp after flame out to 70* within 23 minutes! Very happy with that, by the way.
Target OG was 1.070 and I got 1.072, but only 4.6 gal into the fermenter. I could have added some water to get my volume but 1.072 was still in range for the DFH 60 Min IPA....
New liquid chiller fermentation chamber has kept the temp at 67.3 - 68.3 even in the garage! WHOOHOO.... No bitchin from the SWMBO about fermentation odors in the closet anymore!!!
I pumped 4.25 gal of 174* water into my MLT and let it settle to 169*, added 13.5 lbs of grains and the temp stabilized at 154.7* after stirring well. I closed the lid and the temp climbed to 156.5* within 10 minutes or so.... Opened the lid and stirred well and the temp dropped back to 156*. I had to repeat the stirring for the first 35 or 40 minutes before the temp would stay down. (Starch conversion exothermic? hmmm.) After vorlaufing a couple of pints, the runnings cleared nicely and I began collecting into my graduated bottling bucket. But I only managed to get about 9 qts out! I tested my MLT previously and it only holds about a quart that is below the manifold, so where the hell did the rest of my water go?!?!?! I lost 8 qts to a 13 lbs grain bill..
Then came the mad dash to heat more sparge water to make up for the loss which was unexpected. I sparged with almost 4 gallons of 200* water total that settled the grain bed at 172*, higher than I wanted but not too bad I guess. I managed to get almost 6 gal into the BK after all was said and done. Boiling went well, hop additions into bag as planned, forgot whirlfloc.... Whirlpool chiller dropped temp after flame out to 70* within 23 minutes! Very happy with that, by the way.
Target OG was 1.070 and I got 1.072, but only 4.6 gal into the fermenter. I could have added some water to get my volume but 1.072 was still in range for the DFH 60 Min IPA....
New liquid chiller fermentation chamber has kept the temp at 67.3 - 68.3 even in the garage! WHOOHOO.... No bitchin from the SWMBO about fermentation odors in the closet anymore!!!