Uncle Argyle
Well-Known Member
Hi everyone,
I have done my fourth all-grain and I am having trouble getting my FG down below 1.020 on every one of my batches OG on the last one was 1.055. I am thinking that it is either my water or my mash temps.
My latest was EdWorts Haus Pale Ale. I followed the recipe exactly.
8lbs 2 row
2lbs Vienna
.5 Crystal 20ml
Nottingham dry yeast
2 ounces of cascade hops.
Some details on my process:
I mashed in a 5gal cooler for 60 mins. @ 150. I pre-heat a gallon of water to 180 and dump it in the MLT, then after a few moments I add some grains and more water at 170 degrees until I have filled the MLT with 13.10 quarts of water. The temp at this point is 150 degrees which holds for the entire 60 minutes. (I stir at 15 and 30 mins )
The MLT thermometer is one that I am using from the Turkey fryer. I drilled a small hole in the top of the MLT and drop it through the top. I checked this thermometer against a another that I use for heating the Mash and sparge water, it seems to be almost identical.
I vorlauf 2 to 3 quarts and then fill my kettle with the initial runnings. Then I add 3 gallons for the batch sparge @ 170 degrees. Wait 10 mins, vorlauf and collect the runnings and repeat with another 2.5 gallons.
After I collect the wort from each running, I immediately start to boil it (I read I was supposed to do this and not let it sit while you wait for the batch sparge runnings).
I have not done an Iodine test I will next batch though.
I boil for an hour and then cool in about 15 minutes with an Immersion Chiller.
I pour through a sanitized strainer into the fermenter (This and a little shaking is the only oxygenation that I do).
I add the yeast (dry yeast re-hydrated for 15 mins) and let it sit at about 65 to 70 for a week...bubbling had long since stopped. This last time I added another pack of yeast after a week just to see if I could restart fermentation no such luck.
My water is softened. The ph seems high @ 7.2 or so other than that I dont know much about its contents. Tastes OK.
Sorry for the long post, but I wanted some input before I retry Eds recipe.
The changes I am considering for the next session will probably be:
1. Use a digital probe thermometer for the MLT (suggestions?)
2. Use PH 5.2
3. Brewing salts
4. Spring Water
5. Oxygenation of some kind
Any thoughts or recommendations would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Uncle Argyle
I have done my fourth all-grain and I am having trouble getting my FG down below 1.020 on every one of my batches OG on the last one was 1.055. I am thinking that it is either my water or my mash temps.
My latest was EdWorts Haus Pale Ale. I followed the recipe exactly.
8lbs 2 row
2lbs Vienna
.5 Crystal 20ml
Nottingham dry yeast
2 ounces of cascade hops.
Some details on my process:
I mashed in a 5gal cooler for 60 mins. @ 150. I pre-heat a gallon of water to 180 and dump it in the MLT, then after a few moments I add some grains and more water at 170 degrees until I have filled the MLT with 13.10 quarts of water. The temp at this point is 150 degrees which holds for the entire 60 minutes. (I stir at 15 and 30 mins )
The MLT thermometer is one that I am using from the Turkey fryer. I drilled a small hole in the top of the MLT and drop it through the top. I checked this thermometer against a another that I use for heating the Mash and sparge water, it seems to be almost identical.
I vorlauf 2 to 3 quarts and then fill my kettle with the initial runnings. Then I add 3 gallons for the batch sparge @ 170 degrees. Wait 10 mins, vorlauf and collect the runnings and repeat with another 2.5 gallons.
After I collect the wort from each running, I immediately start to boil it (I read I was supposed to do this and not let it sit while you wait for the batch sparge runnings).
I have not done an Iodine test I will next batch though.
I boil for an hour and then cool in about 15 minutes with an Immersion Chiller.
I pour through a sanitized strainer into the fermenter (This and a little shaking is the only oxygenation that I do).
I add the yeast (dry yeast re-hydrated for 15 mins) and let it sit at about 65 to 70 for a week...bubbling had long since stopped. This last time I added another pack of yeast after a week just to see if I could restart fermentation no such luck.
My water is softened. The ph seems high @ 7.2 or so other than that I dont know much about its contents. Tastes OK.
Sorry for the long post, but I wanted some input before I retry Eds recipe.
The changes I am considering for the next session will probably be:
1. Use a digital probe thermometer for the MLT (suggestions?)
2. Use PH 5.2
3. Brewing salts
4. Spring Water
5. Oxygenation of some kind
Any thoughts or recommendations would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Uncle Argyle