Getting ready for my maiden AG voyage

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BierMuncher

...My Junk is Ugly...
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I'm going to get mentally ready for my first all-grain batch. :rockin:

Since I am going to construct an Igloo mash-tun/lautering system, the only thing I am missing is a pot that is big enough to boil 6 gallons of wort.

2 Questions:

Can I go ahead and spilt up the wort into two (or three) pots and boil, then "reassemble" the wort in the primary?

I'd like to use "Pauls Brewing Home page" process for mashing and sparging.

I have a step mash recipe and I'm hoping I can raise the temps by adding hotter water to the MT.

Does anyone have any feedback or advice?:confused:
 
Make your first outing as simple as possible, relax and take your time. In other words DWRHAHB
Go for the simplest recipe you can find for the style of beer you like.
Modern malts really do not need a 2 step mash. Most malts are fully modified and don't need older more complicated methods. You can boil in 2 pots if needed, make sure you split your hops.

That web site and this forum where my inspiration to go AG.

Good luck and happy brewing.:mug:
 
I agree with keeping it simple! Single infusion mash your first FEW times. If you are worried about efficiency, throw an extra # of 2 row into the grain bill. What is the worst thing that can happen, more fermentables? My first time around I hit 69% efficiency, and have improved by baby steps from there. It is a piece of cake!
 
You can do the 2 pot method very easily. keep it simple and relax and enjoy your brew day. I did my 1st 2 ag's on the stove top and 2 pots going at once. They both ended up pretty good.
 
I'm wondering about the following recipe for a Kolsch:

Since I've got my Stout, Hefe, English Ale and APA in various stages, :cross: I thought I'd try to replicate (without lagering) a lighter beer that my wife might confuse for a pilsner. :p

If anyone can think of another Kolsch (or other similar) recipe, I'd love to hear it. Does this recipe seem basic enough for my first AG brew?


*****
All Grain Recipe - Kolsch ::: 1.048/1.012 (5 Gal)
Grain Bill
9 lbs. - Pilsner Malt (German if you have it)
1/2 lb. - Munich Malt (Light, 10L)
1/2 lb. - Wheat Malt

Hop Schedule (14 IBU)
3/4 oz - Northern Brewer (60 Min.)
1/4 oz - Northern Brewer (30 Min.)
- OR -
1.75 oz - Hallertauer (60 Min.)

Yeast
White Labs German Ale / Kolsch (WLP029) - 1800 ml starter

Mash/Sparge/Boil
Mash at 152° for 30 min.
Sparge as usual
Boil for 60 minutes
Cool and ferment at 65° to 69°
*****
 
KalvinEddie said:
I'm wondering about the following recipe for a Kolsch:
...

Mash/Sparge/Boil
Mash at 152° for 30 min.

...

I would mash it for a full hour. 30 minutes is a pretty short mash. You might not get all of the starch converted to sugar in that amount of time. Or... even if all the starch does get converted to sugar, it might not all be fermentable sugar.

You can test for starch->sugar converstion by taking a small sample of yuor mash liquid ad adding a dro of tincture of iodine or iodophor to it. If that turns black, you still have starch left.

-walker
 
Any pharmacy should do it along with any decent HBS.

If you follow well known standard procedures using standard malt and equipment you shouldn't need to do a starch test.
 
I've never checked for conversion; if you do an hour and can maintain your temp, you should be fine (not that it's not a best practice to check, I just never think to).

Isn't the time needed for conversion dependant on mash temp, too? Like, high temps (closer to 158) only need twenty or thirty minutes, but lower temps need more?
 
I agree that the best thing is to take it easy and slow, keeping it simple and fun. Keep some records so you can do future calculations around scrike temp and volume. Take the grains temp before mashing, the strike water temp before mashing, the volume of water and grain and the rest temp you get from that. Basically write down all the little details you can think of, or just DWRHAHB. You are about to enter a whole new world. Welcome to the majors! (sorry for the bias there)!
 
Getting prepared mentally for my 1st AG batch, one piece of the picture that is still missing for me is equipment related.

In my large brew pot, what do I use in the bottom (I assume there is something) to prevent the hops and other particles from clogging my spigot or running off into my fermenter. I know to sparge the grains through my igloo / manifold system to strain the grain...(heh heh...I just rhymed).

Is there a similar manifold system you can/should use for the hotpot to strain the hops. My experience is that hops are a chronic clogger of strainers.
 
What type of hops are you using. I use whole leaf and a SS pan scrubber works well for me.

PICT0001.JPG
 
Thanks.

A picture is worth 1,000 words.

I'm going to use whole leaf and pellets for finishing. It looks like if I use an SS braid hose as a filter, I should be able to catch most of the sediment. Maybe that in combination with running the wort through a strainer over the fermenter, I should be able to filter and avoid a clogged spigot?
 
KalvinEddie, about the Kolsch recipe. I like the grain bill and yeast but here are some suggestions if you have not brewed it just yet.
Switch the Munich for Vienna-(munich will work awesome just personal pref.)
Drop the NB hops and just go with the Hallertauer at 60 and maybe 20. Keep the IBU's low around 20-25.
That yeast will make a great kolsch and ferment at 65 and then lager for a month if you can. That yeast might be slow fermenting at the lower temps but it is worth it.
 
azmtnbiker said:
KalvinEddie, about the Kolsch recipe....here are some suggestions...switch the Munich for Vienna...Drop the NB hops and just go with the Hallertauer at 60 and maybe 20.

Thanks a bunch. I 've just updated my recipe sheet as suggested. I've been talked into doing a Porter this weekend but I'm going to go ahead and pick up the grain bill for the Kolsch at the same time.

Two slow recipes.:(

I should not have sold that time machine on E-Bay.:cross:
 
KalvinEddie said:
I should not have sold that time machine on E-Bay.:cross:
I was the one who bought it, and the damn thing don't work!! I want my money back!!! :D

I'm actually turning over two sloooow recipes this weekend. Black lager into cornie, AG pils into the primary. I cant wait until i am drinking the pils......in March/April while planting the veggie garden for the summer. aahhhhhh the summmeeerrr....

Recipe looks good BTW - let us know how it pans out!
 
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