06/24/11 Brew Day first time with pump

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bniesen

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Location
Verona
Begining with the set up.
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The full boil (6.5 gal for a net 5gal)
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More boil with a shot of the hop bag. Hop bag sprung a leak and the CFC didn't clog so next time I am going to try not using the bag. I might consider it if doing an IPA though.
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Pump works great and can't wait to get some Silicone hose and quick disconnects soon.
 
Recipe

Honey, I've Creamed the Cow - Cream Ale (6A)

Batch Size 5.000 gal Boil Size 6.000 gal
Boil Time 1.000 hr
OG 1.058 FG 1.015
ABV 5.7% Bitterness 13.8 IBU (Tinseth)
Color 6 SRM (Morey) Calories (per 12 oz.) 192
Fermentables

Total grain: 11.500 lb
Name Type Amount Mashed Late Yield Color
Vienna Malt Grain 16.000 oz Yes No 78% 4 L
Pale Malt (2 Row) US Grain 8.000 lb Yes No 79% 2 L
Honey Malt Grain 8.000 oz Yes No 80% 25 L
Corn, Flaked Grain 16.000 oz Yes No 80% 1 L
Cara-Pils/Dextrine Grain 8.000 oz Yes No 72% 2 L
Barley, Flaked Grain 8.000 oz Yes No 70% 2 L
Hops

Name Alpha Amount Use Time Form IBU
Saaz (USA) 4% 1.000 oz Boil 1.000 hr Pellet 12.6
Saaz (USA) 4% 0.500 oz Boil 5.000 min Pellet 1.3
Yeast

Name Type Form Amount Stage
Wyeast - American Ale Ale Liquid 0.528 cup Primary
Mash

Name Type Amount Temp Target Temp Time
Infusion Infusion 3.594 gal 167.537 F 154.000 F 1.000 hr
Final Batch Sparge Infusion 3.901 gal 201.046 F 175.000 F 15.000 min


I hit all my numbers dead nuts on
 
The Brewer's Corner in my basement.
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Its pretty discheveled at the moment right after a brew session!
 
Looks good!! I just picked up some new stuff including a little giant pump that I will be trying out at my next brewday. How did you go about your mash? DId you recirculate continuously or just crank it on when temp started to fall?

Edit: Ahh, nevermind, I just looked at the pics again and see you mashed in your cooler tun.
 
I was on the fence about the little giant pump, seems like a great pump. Then I was going to wait for the new Chuggers to come out when I noticed a local distillery was getting rid of a march 809 hs pump that was never used for $100. I couldn't pass that up.
 
I was on the fence about the little giant pump, seems like a great pump. Then I was going to wait for the new Chuggers to come out when I noticed a local distillery was getting rid of a march 809 hs pump that was never used for $100. I couldn't pass that up.

That's an awesome deal. I would have jumped on on it as well. I think they are both pretty much the same unless you move up to a larger LG pump than the one I got. The LG might last a little longer from what I've read, but lots of folks have had their march pumps for years with no problems.
 
Update: Still in the primary, still bubbling away and the krausen has risen about another inch since the photo was taken and is now just starting to decrease.

I have ordered a batch of Cam-Lock connections from Bargain Fittings as well as some of their 3/8" silicone hose to replace my vinyl siphon hoses.:rockin:

Next time I visit my LHBS (Wine and Hop Shop) I will have to pick up a SS racking cane because I broke my Auto Siphon cane when I pulled too hard trying to get a stuck vinyl tube off :( . I should have known better and took the time to lube it before pulling too hard. I plan on cutting the broken part a few inches from the gasket and using a small piece of tubing to connect the cut piece to the SS racking tube. I will basically have a SS racking cane fitted for the Auto Siphon.

I also went to SturmanBG, LLC and ordered a pack of their 16 gram CO2 cartridges. I plan on bottling some of this brew in one of the Home Draft Systems (Miller/Coors). The last time I bottled in one of these I thought the CO2 cartridges were leaking as it needed 2 cartridges to dispense all the beer. It appears that these are the guys that make them so I want to see if their cartridges have a wider neck then the ones I get through my LHBS, plus it was cheaper (even with shipping) to order them through their site rather than my LHBS. I noticed on thier site that the tapper they are selling looks identical to the ones that come on the Miller/Coors systems but they priced them out at $42.20 but you can get the entire set up with beer (swill) for under $20 :drunk: WTF is that about??

I'll post with the results and of course when I get my "bling" for my set up.
 
Took a sample reading to see where I was at fermentation wise. 1.006 at 68 degrees. Tastes pretty for a cream ale. There is a very slight plastic taste in the first couple of tastes but quickly goes away. Any ideas what it could be from? The only thing I can think of is either an off flavor from the mash tun (plastic cooler) or leaching/infection from my vinyl tubes (from chiller to fermenter). I am replacing all my vinyl with silicone by my next brew day. Or it could be that the beer is just way too young/yeast not fully settled?
I plan on bottling this weekend.

My cleaning regiment is after brewing consists of hot water flush everything and cycle Star-San through all tubes and hoses. Then on next Brew day the CFC and high temp hoses get the boiling water pumped through for a few minutes and I cycle Star-San through everything that is not for high temps.

quick question: Is Star-San alright to cycle through a copper CFC??
 
All right! Here is what I got for upgrades to my brewery thanks to the silicone tubing and cam-locks from Bargain Fittings.com. I can't say enough about BargainFittings.com's customer service, they sent the wrong size tubing, I notified the mistake and within a week was shipped the proper size tubing. I also had a bad threaded cam-lock fitting and they replaced it as well. Now with the proper tubing, I can put sight guages on my keggle (soon to be keggles) and get rid of my vinyl siphon tubing; which I needed to do before I bottle this weekend!

Pic of my set up, just the important peices and not that bench it sits on. The upgraded parts are the silicone tubing (from tygon) and the cam-locks and 1/2" elbow wth 5/8" barb ends.
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The following are pics of the mash tun I built with the helpful knowledge from this forum. Thanks people!!! :mug:
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I was in my local Home Depot and saw they had the 10 gal round coolers on sale for $40. Last year I was looking for these from the same store and they didn't carry them. I was upset but realized that I have the option to do bigger beers now anyways.
 
Inside of my Keggle

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Inside of my 8 gal kettle, soon to become by bottling kettle unless I do 10 gallon batches.

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I realize that I now have more pictures of my brewery on-line than that of all three of my kids on-line.
 
Next two project are sight tubes for the keggles and an electrical box with a switch for the pump.
 
Well, I picked up a new SS Racking cane and so far love it. I cut the Auto Siphon cane a few inches from the gasket and used a short piece (maybe 2") and spliced it on to the SS racking cane. I noticed that I couldn't get a siphon going when I fiddled with it and noticed that the Auto Siphon gasket doesn't like to be right up against the check valve. When I backed the spliced racking cane out about 1/2" from the check valve I was getting a good solid flow.
I spent some time last night measuring liquid levels and marking them on all my carboys. Tonight I am taking home my keggle :ban: that has just been welded up for me and either tonight or tomorrow I will be putting on the sight tubes and marking those up as well. My next chore will be to figure out my system losses, how much fluid will be left behind from draining/siphoning and whats left in the pump and transfer lines.
fun fun fun
 
Looks like you are building a real nice setup here. That copper work in your mash tun quite impressive.
 
Thanks brewit2it. Where I work, we have a metal shop, I used their band saw to cut the notches. I left the peices that run across un-soldered so it would be easier taking it apart for cleaning if it ever needs it. This was my second project that required copper sweating, the first was my CFC. I acquired my copper sweating skills just so I could do these projects.
Cheers :mug:
 
Most recent upgrades: I marked up all my carboys with gallon indicators using blue painters tape (not worth taking pictures). If/when the tape starts to peel off I'll do something nicer/more permanent.

My new keggle with sight tube:
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Sight Tube close ups:
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45 degree angle dip tube:
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Here it is after 2 1/2 weeks bottling. Under carbed if you ask me, maybe wait longer next time.
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