Recent content by mallob9

So I seem to have gotten this issue sorted out. My last batch, which was today, I had a Mash Eff of 81.9% and an overall efficiency of 70.3% which I am STOKED about! I adjusted my thermometer which I'm sure played a role, but I think the biggest factor, and I can say this with pretty scientific...

My thermometer was/is 3* low. I tested it by boiling water and comparing what it should be at my altitude (197.8* F) to what I was reading (195*F). I have one of those brinkmann turkey fryer thermometers. Does anyone know if they can be adjusted? I know some dial thermometers can be. I can't...

Thanks everyone! I just ordered ingredients for 4-5 beers. Hopefully this and more experience will lend itself to better conversions :ban:

Seems like a fun mistake to make! hahaha, I had to top off my fermenter with about a half gallon so I lost a bit to the bottom of the boil kettle, but I have since measured that dead space and hopefully added it correctly in BeerSmith. No one answered my question there about putting the dead...

My measured mash eff was 58.2% my measured efficiency was 55.8%. Right after my last brew i measured deadspace in my boil kettle and made a dipstick so I can know how much is in my HLT and BK at any time. I hadn't thought to see if my thermometer was accurate, i'll give that a try tonight. For...

Rlmiller, I have estimated mash efficiency at the top, and measured efficiency on the right. I can't find where mash efficiency is to select it. I've clicked on 'select fields' but can't find mash efficiency anywhere.

Awsome, thanks guys. jmljr, I thought i responded to you but apparently not, I mashed at 152 which dropped down to 150 over the hour. Yes I stirred after adding the sparge water, and I'm going to use a local brewers mill next time I brew. As I said, I moved and there isn't really a LHBS in my...

Thanks for the reply, I thought the grain bed should get up to 168 in order to stop conversion. I was under the impression that this was important, now i know it isn't haha. I had these crushed at my LHBS. I Have since moved and will no longer be using that store. Next time I get grains I'll...

Hello everyone, I'm sure this question has been answered elsewhere in the forum, but I haven't found a succinct answer. I'm fairly new to AG brewing, my third batch was yesterday. And thus far have had TERRIBLE brewhouse efficiencies (my first was at 60%, not too shabby, my second two...

So I bought the ingredients yesterday. I'm going with the last recipe posted except I added 8.5 oz of coffee malt because my LHBS had it. I figured I'll add less coffee beans to the secondary this way. Brewday is on saturday so i'll check back after it's done. Thanks again everyone! :mug:

wouldn't they have to put that on the bottle of they used it? i read somewhere (pretty sure it was on this site) that if extracts are used it has to be on the bottle. but i agree, that Creme Brulee is ridiculous and seems like it would be impossible to achieve that flavor without extracts. I...

I checked beersmith again and the IBU's came out the same. How did you calculate them? I've removed the caramel and upped the chocolate malt to 1 lb; 10 lbs 1.9 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 70.1 % 1 lbs 4.0 oz Oats, Flaked...

How do breweries like Southern Tier make beers like Choklat? That tastes like you're eating a cake. I'm up in the air about the extract as well, I was thinking the malts could do most of the talking. I was planning to add the caramel at bottling so if it tasted caramelly enough, then I would...

I forgot to take the caramel out, I am going with the extract. As for the IBU's, the way I have it, beersmith is telling me i'm at 30.6. Any ideas as to why you're getting something different? I'll try it again when I get home and see if for some reason I come up with something different...

Didn't mean to post that, I copied the wrong recipe. That's a Belgian Strong Dark Ale I did a few weeks ago. I was thinking of doing whole green coffee beens in the secondary as RonPopeil suggested earlier. I just called a local coffee shop and they said around $6/lb depending on the type. I'm...