chrisedjohn
Active Member
Just brewed a 6 gal batch last night using all base malt (8 lb of 2-row and 2 lb of 6-row). This is my second all-grain attempt. It's experiemental - I'd like to know the flavor that comes from just the base malt (1.050 OG) and moderate hopping (30 IBU). The wort is much darker than I anticipated (it being all base malt and all). My guess is that this could be from all the extra aggitation the mash gets since I'm mashing in a big pot on the stove and mixing it quite frequently (churning it ever 5-10 minutes or so). I did not notice anything caramelized or charred on the bottom at all. I started and 120 and slowly brought it up to a low saccrification rest at 145 for 90 minutes before moving it up slowly again to 160, then sparging with a spray arm.
When I stopped sparging after about 2 gal, the SG at about 1.010, the color was light yellow - what I expected. But everything mixed together, the first running made it very brown/amber. I did recirculate the first gallon or so of runnings to clear it out - though it wasn't anything near "clear" just clearer than it started. Lots of what I'm guessing are protein chunks/bits that are in the boil (after that long and those temps, I can't imagine I still have starch?
Now in a carboy. Small bubbles this morning already. An inch or so of crud on the bottom. Still fairly dark in color. Anybody know what could make it so dark with only all-grain base malt? Color from the hulls?
When I stopped sparging after about 2 gal, the SG at about 1.010, the color was light yellow - what I expected. But everything mixed together, the first running made it very brown/amber. I did recirculate the first gallon or so of runnings to clear it out - though it wasn't anything near "clear" just clearer than it started. Lots of what I'm guessing are protein chunks/bits that are in the boil (after that long and those temps, I can't imagine I still have starch?
Now in a carboy. Small bubbles this morning already. An inch or so of crud on the bottom. Still fairly dark in color. Anybody know what could make it so dark with only all-grain base malt? Color from the hulls?