So, yesterday afternoon I decide to brew up an APA recipe for one of the competitions coming up. I quickly formulate a recipe using the ingredients that I have on hand, and start gathering my equipment. My friend shows up as I'm heating up some water. I get on Beersmith and start adding stuff to the recipe for a 2.5 gallon version.
I am not sure what went wrong. I suspect I need to spend more time in Beersmith, but my mash temp was quite a bit lower than it should have been. I think part of that is the fact that I'm not putting as much water and grain in the same size cooler. Or it could be that my friend, who was doughing in while I was busy with something else, stirred it too long.
I'm not sure, but I ended up adding a couple of quarts of hot water to raise the temp, but it was barely enough to raise 1 degree. Then I poured out a panful or two at a time and quickly got them boiling and added back in.
Finally hit my temp, but after the hour (I was afraid to lift the lid again) I took reading and it was 8 degrees off. I did a rinse and the gravity was spot on. After the hour boil, the gravity was high and the volume low, so I added a bit of water to balance.
All in all, a disappointing brewing. I think the beer will be "ok", but after two very successful first AG brews, I'm not thrilled. Do you think it was the smaller batch in a larger MLT that could have affected the temp? Or did I do something wrong in BS when setting up the recipe?
I am not sure what went wrong. I suspect I need to spend more time in Beersmith, but my mash temp was quite a bit lower than it should have been. I think part of that is the fact that I'm not putting as much water and grain in the same size cooler. Or it could be that my friend, who was doughing in while I was busy with something else, stirred it too long.
I'm not sure, but I ended up adding a couple of quarts of hot water to raise the temp, but it was barely enough to raise 1 degree. Then I poured out a panful or two at a time and quickly got them boiling and added back in.
Finally hit my temp, but after the hour (I was afraid to lift the lid again) I took reading and it was 8 degrees off. I did a rinse and the gravity was spot on. After the hour boil, the gravity was high and the volume low, so I added a bit of water to balance.
All in all, a disappointing brewing. I think the beer will be "ok", but after two very successful first AG brews, I'm not thrilled. Do you think it was the smaller batch in a larger MLT that could have affected the temp? Or did I do something wrong in BS when setting up the recipe?