Completed first all grain over the weekend

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bkwudz

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:ban: Did Biermuncher's Blonde Centennial. While i thought i had planned everything to a T and would bang it out like nothing, i was sadly mistaken and humbled. I had issues with a stuck sparge at first. I suspect the grind from the LHBS was the culprit, i questioned the clerk about it at the time because more than half the bag was flour, but he said that was the way it should be, there is no adjusting the mill. When my barlycrusher gets here that should help that problem.

The next problem i had was with my last addition of sparge water, i put my thermometer too high in my hot water keg ( have since moved it down) so i was reading about 170, but the thing wasn't in the water, so i think i was most likely closer to 190, maybe higher for the last addition of sparge water.

The last problem we estimating the amount of wort i had collected and boiled. While i thought i had more than enough, i only ended up with about 8 gallons when i was shooting for 10. I think i might have boiled too much off, i boiled for an hour, but it was pretty vigorous most of the time, then again i could have started short. This was about 6 hours after i started and i was pretty buzzed. I am adding sight glasses this weekend

I put the carboys in the basement, and realized it was too cold, 55-60 deg., so i moved them upstairs ( wive was thrilled :D) and fermentation kicked off pretty good the last two days and has slowed today.

How many days should i plan on keeping it in primary before i move it to the kegs?
 
Look for it to get to your Final Gravity. I usually give it 7-10 days and then move to secondary to let it clear some more as long as it is near my FG. I usually check it for a couple of days prior to the move to secondary. It could still move down some in the secondary also.
 
You need to shoot for 11-12 gal. of wort then boil off about 1 gal / hr.

I brew early in the morning and don't start drinking until I'm putting the wort into the fermenter. Alcohol, LP gas, scalding hot water and large heavy slippery glass carboys don't mix well. Unless F*** ups and trips to the ER are your thing.

:mug:
 
Sweet! That sounds a lot like my first AG brew day, which was this past weekend with Centennial Blonde, and not enough wort. I can't blame mine on drinking, though. But it was fun, and my fermentation went off well. I think Bier Muncher said he will leave it in the primary for 5 days, but I'll go a week, and sure, check the hydrometer to be sure!
 
I brew early in the morning and don't start drinking until I'm putting the wort into the fermenter. Alcohol, LP gas, scalding hot water and large heavy slippery glass carboys don't mix well. Unless F*** ups and trips to the ER are your thing.

Thats good advice. When I first used my wort chiller I turned it on with nothing connected to the exhaust end and shot steam out for the first 5 seconds. Luckily I heard the noise and dove out of the way. I was buzzed a bit when I did that.
 
Like all questions about moving to secondary - move it when it's done fermenting. It's not a matter of 'how many days' - it's a matter of how much fermentation is done. A week is a guideline, however it will (many times) take 2 or more in the primary before it's actually done.
 
Great abt AG, but I agree with earlier post ... no rdwhahb until flame out...

One time I was pretty buzzed by the end, and after pitching the yeast, I found my packet of hops
 
Great abt AG, but I agree with earlier post ... no rdwhahb until flame out...

One time I was pretty buzzed by the end, and after pitching the yeast, I found my packet of hops

LOL... that is GREAT!!!! I'm still laughing my a$$ off!!

I like to have a brew while I brew... almost seems inspirational to me... but too many brews would certainly muck up my brain functions... don't need any help with that.
 
During the last Maryland Brew Day - we were all sorta finely toasted that we screwed up every recipe. At one point people just walked by the kettle and added a little more of some thing to the pot. There's no way to duplicate any of the recipes we did.

They're still in fermentation, but I bet they'll be great.
 
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