2 brewing set-up/procedure questions

[Haldedrums]

Two quick questions about my brewing procedures...

1) I don't have a strike water set-up, so I have to heat up sparge water and dump into my mash tun after I have collected the first batch of wort. I assume I am going to lose a good amount of efficiency because of this? I believe I need to set up a second boil pot above my mash tun so that I can sparge at a slow rate. Thoughts?

2) I just brewed an irish stout, and used 4 oz. of glacier hops at 60 mins. I usually throw these in a muslin bag, but after speaking with a Northern Brewer rep. he suggested just throwing them straight into the boil, as the bags tend to soak up a lot of hops flavor. I didn't notice a lot of hoppy flavor when tasting my un-carbed beer. Is this because 4 oz. is not a lot for a 10 gallon batch, or am I doing something incorrect? I am interested in making an IPA in the future, an obviously need to solve this issue. My first attempt at an IPA was not nearly hoppy enough. Good tasting beer, but definitely not an IPA.

Thanks!

 

[Revvy]

Two quick questions about my brewing procedures...

1) I don't have a strike water set-up, so I have to heat up sparge water and dump into my mash tun after I have collected the first batch of wort. I assume I am going to lose a good amount of efficiency because of this? I believe I need to set up a second boil pot above my mash tun so that I can sparge at a slow rate. Thoughts?

That is always how I've done it for years, my beer turns out great. This is my entire setup

You don't need a second pot, or a second cooler unless you want it. I just use a bucket to mash out into.

2) I just brewed an irish stout, and used 4 oz. of glacier hops at 60 mins. I usually throw these in a muslin bag, but after speaking with a Northern Brewer rep. he suggested just throwing them straight into the boil, as the bags tend to soak up a lot of hops flavor.

Hop bags/not to use them is really just a matter of preference. I just dump everything in, but really it doesn't actually affect anything that much. If it did, then no one would use them. Which isn't the case.

I didn't notice a lot of hoppy flavor when tasting my un-carbed beer. Is this because 4 oz. is not a lot for a 10 gallon batch, or am I doing something incorrect? I am interested in making an IPA in the future, an obviously need to solve this issue. My first attempt at an IPA was not nearly hoppy enough. Good tasting beer, but definitely not an IPA.

It's really hard to judge ANYTHING about a beer until it is carbed an conditioned. Wait til it's been in the bottle for 3-6 weeks before you declare it hoppy enough or not, or anything. Carbonation goes a long way to lifting aromas and flavors, plus the beer is really green withg now.

 

[Haldedrums]

Thanks, this is really helpful. I don't bottle, I keg...so hopefully after this week in secondary I will know better how my beer turned out.

Thanks man!