Recent content by ChaunceyB

Mash water for that last brew was 5.17 gallons. I pulled the bag and let it drip until the wort was not streaming out then I put the bag in a colander and let it drip until it wouldn't drip no more. (less than half a qt) and dumped that all back into the kettle before the boil. Didn't get a pic...

That was my initial thought too but the grain bill for this brew is right in line with all the other brews I've done. I try to keep around the 1.060 or lower mark for all of my brews. High ABV and my drinking style don't mix well at all. So the grain bills are around 7 - 7.5 #'s.

I wish I would have thought to get a pic of the crush. Might be helpful huh? The softener I have uses either potassium (which is whats in there right now) or salt (which I've never put in there)

Water is defiantly soft. I've used a dial and digital thermometer and both register 152. I pull the top off every 30 min or so to stir and poke stuff around to make sure everything is going well and the temp hasn't fallen off to much. The 2 row is the same ol stuff I normally use.

I do have a whole house water softener. All the grains from the LBHS were all mixed and milled at the same time. All my pale stuff hits the mark every time without even trying. Would it help I wonder if I were to double crush the darker stuff?

Soooo.....I'll admit I'm new to the brew scene. I've done pale ale and smash beers just fine but I just cant seem to get a handle on these darker stouts and porters. I brew 3 gallon BIAB and just cant seem to hit the recipes OG for nothing. Current recipe I'm trying to work with is 6.5# 2...