Dylan42
Well-Known Member
I am about 8 batches in since starting to brew all grain. For this brew I did the NB Tombstone Pale Ale. I followed the brew instructions, but I had some things go not as planned during the brew.
1) I tried a new digital thermometer (Char-Broil Coldspot Wireless Thermometer) it worked up until I poured the water in the 10 gal cooler Mash tun then it went haywire. In other words I had no idea what the temp was the whole time. I heated my water to about 175 degrees before transferring it in the mash tun (I checked it with my trusty analog thermo). Mash time and everything else was normal.
2) I tried this new hop basket it I got from my LHBS. it hooks on the side of my kettle and is meant to hold the hop trub/leafs. I found out half way through my boil that it was too tall for my 7.5 GAL kettle. It touched the bottom of my kettle and caused a vicious boil instead of the rolling boil that I am used to, and it left a gnarly burn mark on the bottom of my kettle.
3)My OG was 1.064. I let it ferment for 3 weeks and 5 days. FG reading was 1.017 (which I thought was a bit strange), and it tastes burnt/smoky.
Could I have possibly mashed at too high of a temp? Can that cause the off flavor? I am getting and the lower attenuation for the same reason? I wouldn't think that the burning of the kettle could cause this off flavor.
I put her in my secondary and I am cold crashing now. What are your thoughts?
Oh and I could use some advice on a decent thermo. Preferably digital so I can monitor the mash with the lid on. New SB 15 GAL kettle should solve my hop basket problem, if I ever use it again.
1) I tried a new digital thermometer (Char-Broil Coldspot Wireless Thermometer) it worked up until I poured the water in the 10 gal cooler Mash tun then it went haywire. In other words I had no idea what the temp was the whole time. I heated my water to about 175 degrees before transferring it in the mash tun (I checked it with my trusty analog thermo). Mash time and everything else was normal.
2) I tried this new hop basket it I got from my LHBS. it hooks on the side of my kettle and is meant to hold the hop trub/leafs. I found out half way through my boil that it was too tall for my 7.5 GAL kettle. It touched the bottom of my kettle and caused a vicious boil instead of the rolling boil that I am used to, and it left a gnarly burn mark on the bottom of my kettle.
3)My OG was 1.064. I let it ferment for 3 weeks and 5 days. FG reading was 1.017 (which I thought was a bit strange), and it tastes burnt/smoky.
Could I have possibly mashed at too high of a temp? Can that cause the off flavor? I am getting and the lower attenuation for the same reason? I wouldn't think that the burning of the kettle could cause this off flavor.
I put her in my secondary and I am cold crashing now. What are your thoughts?
Oh and I could use some advice on a decent thermo. Preferably digital so I can monitor the mash with the lid on. New SB 15 GAL kettle should solve my hop basket problem, if I ever use it again.