10-12l apa

[MrSpaz]

So I'm trying my first all grain tomorrow. Since I still do stove top boiling with my 5 gallon kettle and I want to try a full boil for once, it'll be small batch (about 3.5 gallons when all is said and done). I was able to get a water profile and crunching the numbers through Palmer's Excel Spreadsheet that I got off his website, it says that my water untreated should a bitter beer in the 10-12 L range. BJCP says that's within range, but I see so many recipes nowadays much lighter.

Also, this will be a strange all grain as I don't have a mash tun. The plan is to mash in a cooler, then pour into the kettle with a paint strainer bag to strain the grains. I'm thinking about doing a pour over sparge as well if possible. What do you think my efficiency will be? I'm trying to calculate this in brewtoad and checking the numbers on IBUs and OG.

Let me know what you all think. I could use the advice!

 

[TechyDork]

Take a look at Brew in a Bag. It is a great way to do all grain without having a mash tun. I would put your efficiency low, say 70% maybe lower for your first AG brew, just to be safe. if you get higher gravity reading than expected when you measure your pre-boil you can always adjust your hop schedule for the increased gravity.

**Edit**

I just noticed you have a cooler. If your paint strainer is a bag and is big enough you could mash your grains in the cooler with a standard water to grain ration, 1.25-2.00 qt/lb. Pull the bag and drain the cooler in to your kettle and then add enough water back to the cooler to get your pre boil volume. Put the grain bag back in the cooler and allow the grains to soak again for a few minutes and then pull the bag and add the wort to the kettle and boil away.

 

[MrSpaz]

I've done partial mash BIAB but don't seem to be able to fit enough grains for all grain. I always end up needing 2-3 lbs of extract. So I figured I'd try this!

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[Nightstrife]

Take a look at Brew in a Bag. It is a great way to do all grain without having a mash tun. I would put your efficiency low, say 70% maybe lower for your first AG brew, just to be safe. if you get higher gravity reading than expected when you measure your pre-boil you can always adjust your hop schedule for the increased gravity.

**Edit**

I just noticed you have a cooler. If your paint strainer is a bag and is big enough you could mash your grains in the cooler with a standard water to grain ration, 1.25-2.00 qt/lb. Pull the bag and drain the cooler in to your kettle and then add enough water back to the cooler to get your pre boil volume. Put the grain bag back in the cooler and allow the grains to soak again for a few minutes and then pull the bag and add the wort to the kettle and boil away.

+1 treat your cooler/paint bag just like a tun, and batch sparge to get your full boil volume. I would estimate you grain efficiency at 70 as well till you can better dial in on what you actually will get. I was also told by the veterans to build a grain bill based on 70. Your process lookes like it will be the same as mine except I will be using a bazooka tube in my cooler verses a paint bag.

 

[MrSpaz]

OK cool. Brewtoad is currently at 70% as that was my guess. I'm interested and see how this will go! I just need to the equipment.

Another thing I forgot to ask was to get to about 11 L, I was thinking of using a little Crystal 60 and Crystal 80. Is this normal in an APA?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Nightstrife]

I'm not much of a "style" guy but the APA recipes I've seen some have Cristal. My next brew is on the recipe page it's Yooper's house ale I do believe it's got some Cristal also.
Ultimately go with your gut. It's your beer if you want Cristal or coffee or orange peel go for it. In the words of Bob Ross "you can do anything you want to do. This is your world"

 

[MrSpaz]

Sorry for the noob questions. Been brewing about a year but not a huge amount of experience with all grain. Anyways I know people use crystal 20 or 40 but didn't know if they used darker like 60 and 80. But your right. I'm going to go with my gut. I'm sure it'll be tasty. Thanks!

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