Jester
Senior Member
So.... after 3 years of not brewing I brewed a 2.5 gallon batch of Bee Cave Brewery Haus Pale Ale yesterday. I have moved since the last time brewing and had to adapt all of my techniques to apartment living. I wanted to stick with all grain, so I tried no sparge BIAB. It was an interesting and long brew day and I am not 100% sure if I can stick with 2.5 gallon batches because there is just as much work with half the return. I could still just be tired from everything....
I took a pre-boil gravity reading and got 1.058, which put my efficiency somewhere near 90% using Brewer's Friend. I still don't know how to use my BeerToolsPro to do all of this little calculations. I really don't think that is correct. I had to guess on the amount collected since I do not have a sight glass on my kettle.
I also tried to take a post-boil gravity reading and it off the chart with the refractometer. Then in a flurry I forgot to take a gravity reading after topping off the carboy.
Reached my strike temp and added the grains
The temp was a little high, so after cooling it down I wrapped the pot and started my timer. temp dropped about 4 degrees over the hour.... Not as good as my cooler mash tun, but it worked.
Raised the temp to 168-170 for 10 minutes.
Started my no-sparge sparge... I also let the bag sit in a colander for 30 minutes and drain into another pot.
I had to use foil and 2 burners to get a good rolling boil.
I ended up boiling off a .5-.75 of a gallon more than expect. I had to add water to get to the 2.5 gallon mark on my carboy.
Signs of activity 4-6 hours later.
I took a pre-boil gravity reading and got 1.058, which put my efficiency somewhere near 90% using Brewer's Friend. I still don't know how to use my BeerToolsPro to do all of this little calculations. I really don't think that is correct. I had to guess on the amount collected since I do not have a sight glass on my kettle.
I also tried to take a post-boil gravity reading and it off the chart with the refractometer. Then in a flurry I forgot to take a gravity reading after topping off the carboy.
Reached my strike temp and added the grains
The temp was a little high, so after cooling it down I wrapped the pot and started my timer. temp dropped about 4 degrees over the hour.... Not as good as my cooler mash tun, but it worked.
Raised the temp to 168-170 for 10 minutes.
Started my no-sparge sparge... I also let the bag sit in a colander for 30 minutes and drain into another pot.
I had to use foil and 2 burners to get a good rolling boil.
I ended up boiling off a .5-.75 of a gallon more than expect. I had to add water to get to the 2.5 gallon mark on my carboy.
Signs of activity 4-6 hours later.