My first all grain...is it OK?

[jprag]

hi...this is my first all grain and post...I haven't gone with the simplest process..but after reading and reading...i went for the one that i found the most interesting...

Quick summary of setup:
-From HLT to mlt by gravity, from mlt to kettle with pump
-MLt is the boilermaker with its false bottom with direct fire
-Sparge arm

OK here's the recipe i chose..
5 Gallon Brown ale
Base Malt: 11 lbs
Speciality Malts: 1.25
Total: 12.25 lbs

SG= 1.046-1.048

Here's what im planning to do....(please tell me if im OK, give me all the recomendations you can..etc etc...) Im in a country where im probaly the only homebrewer doing all grain...and its kinda hard if you have very little visual references...so i appretiate all the help/tips etc i recieve..thanks!!


Before Mashing
1) Mill grain all together into a plastic bucket or bag
2) Since I have a burner, I don’t have to send from HLT to MLT water, I can just bring water (4 gallons) to 163 (11 degrees above 152) temperature in MLT and pour grain slowly to avoid dough balls. Or should I still move water from HLT to MTL…and then pour grain..


Direct Heat Mashing
3) 1.25 qts x 12.25 = 15.31/4 = 4 gallons of water
4) Mash at 152F for 1 Hour
5) As soon as I get a temperature reduction, I turn the MLT burner and start re-circulating (just like vorlauf but from this moment) and stirring until I’m done with mashing before sending wort to kettle. (should I turn burner on when temp goes down + recirc, turn it back off when im good, or keep till the end) ….

6) So I won’t vorlauf know since I’ve been doing it for a while…(in the case that i leave it on all the time) After 1 hour I change outbound of pump from the MLT to the kettle.

Continuous Sparging

7) I warm up HLT water to 170 F, I will have 6 Gallons of this water.
8) As soon as I see that the water is less than 1 inch above grain bed in the MLT, I start releasing the water from the HLT into the MLT, trying to keep a steady flow between Inbound/outbound and maintain at 1 inch water over grain bed in MLT
9) I keep doing this until I get 6 gallons and/or 1,010 or 2.5 on my refractometers (2.6/1.04). (whichever comes first??)

….Everything else is as usual…

 

[Walker]

2) Since I have a burner, I don’t have to send from HLT to MLT water, I can just bring water (4 gallons) to 163 (11 degrees above 152) temperature in MLT and pour grain slowly to avoid dough balls. Or should I still move water from HLT to MTL…and then pour grain..

If you can directly heat your MLT, then there is no real need to do it in the HLT. You just need hot water. Get that hot water however you want.

5) As soon as I get a temperature reduction, I turn the MLT burner and start re-circulating (just like vorlauf but from this moment) and stirring until I’m done with mashing before sending wort to kettle. (should I turn burner on when temp goes down + recirc, turn it back off when im good, or keep till the end) ….
6) So I won’t vorlauf know since I’ve been doing it for a while…(in the case that i leave it on all the time) After 1 hour I change outbound of pump from the MLT to the kettle.

I would suggest you turn the heat on for a while while stirring and then shut it off when you get back to the temp you want.

Note that if you are stirring the mash, then the recirculation you are doing is not going to accomplish what the vorlauf is supposed to accomplish. The point of vorlaufing is to let the grain bed settle and act as a filter so that the wort coming out of the MLT is clear and free of grain particles.

If you are stirring the mash, you are going to prevent that filter bed of grain from forming and you will continue to get grain particles out of the MLT.

My point is: You'll still need to vorlauf before going to the kettle. Stop stirring at some point and keep recirculating until the wort is clear, then drain to the kettle.

9) I keep doing this until I get 6 gallons and/or 1,010 or 2.5 on my refractometers (2.6/1.04). (whichever comes first??)

I don't know how powerful your burner is, but if you stop sparging with 6 gallons of wort in the kettle, you'll might have less than 5 gallons at the end of the boil. You can always top off with water near the end of the boil if you think you have boiled off too much.

 

[nilo]

What would be your grain temperature before you add to the mashtun?
Assuming 80F, my calculation shows that you need your strike temp to be 170F and not 163F. Better be hotter than colder. You can add cold water to bring it down a bit if you need to.

 

[Walker]

I'm coming up with 166*F for the strike water temp factoring in that his tun is preheated.

Really, the temp is going to depend on his specific equipment. Everyone's gear is a little different.

 

[nilo]

OK. I have my formula adjusted with a constant to correct my mashtun heat loss.
Without that, it comes out at 164F, so you are right and he's fine.
Also, I think he selected a good style to start OG. Any minor defect in flavor or off-flavors will not be perceptable.

 

[jprag]

I would suggest you turn the heat on for a while while stirring and then shut it off when you get back to the temp you want.

Note that if you are stirring the mash, then the recirculation you are doing is not going to accomplish what the vorlauf is supposed to accomplish. The point of vorlaufing is to let the grain bed settle and act as a filter so that the wort coming out of the MLT is clear and free of grain particles.

If you are stirring the mash, you are going to prevent that filter bed of grain from forming and you will continue to get grain particles out of the MLT.

My point is: You'll still need to vorlauf before going to the kettle. Stop stirring at some point and keep recirculating until the wort is clear, then drain to the kettle.



.

Thanks walker So, anyways since im going to go on/off with heater, then i should anyways do vorlauf at the end

 

[jprag]

I'm coming up with 166*F for the strike water temp factoring in that his tun is preheated.

Really, the temp is going to depend on his specific equipment. Everyone's gear is a little different.

Whats te equation?? I see online hundres of automatic calculators, but no equiations...
Temp. here is from 80-85...so around 165, I should be fine???

 

[jprag]

I don't know how powerful your burner is, but if you stop sparging with 6 gallons of wort in the kettle, you'll might have less than 5 gallons at the end of the boil. You can always top off with water near the end of the boil if you think you have boiled off too much.

Should I shoot then for 6.5?? I'm planning on boiling for an hour...

 

[Walker]

Thanks walker So, anyways since im going to go on/off with heater, then i should anyways do vorlauf at the end

It's not the on/off with the heat that will make you need a vorlauf. It's the stirring that you said you will be doing. You will have to let the grain bed settle (no more stirring) and recirculate a little while before finally going to the kettle.

Whats te equation?? I see online hundres of automatic calculators, but no equiations...
Temp. here is from 80-85...so around 165, I should be fine???

I have my own spreadsheet to calculate this stuff for me, based on my equipment. I think you will be fine with 165*F. If the mash is too hot, add some ice or cold water. If the mash is too cold, keep some boiling wanter handy to dump in.

Should I shoot then for 6.5?? I'm planning on boiling for an hour...

Again, it depends on your specific equipment. My electric system can boil off damn neart 2 gallons in an hour if I run at full power. My old propane burner would boil off 1 gallon, sometimes less.

I personally think it's best to assume a low boil off. If you end up boiling off more than you had assumed, you can always just add more water. If you assume a large boil off and end up with a smaller boil off, you are going to just be stuck with what you get.

 

[jprag]

OK...so in summary...I leave everything as is...with the following modifications
1)In MLT turn on burner only to raise temp to the desired then turn off.
2) Never stir when vorlauf
3) Temp at 165 is fine for now
4) Use the 6 gallons, if after boiling I have less than the 5..i just add a bit of water

 

[Walker]

:rockin::rockin::rockin:

 

[jprag]

awesome! Thanks1