Deathbrewers Stove top Method questions

[duridsr4fite]

So i am trying my first AG today, and have been experiencing some difficulties. First, I missed my first temp. Luckily, I was trying to do an acid rest, but my temp only dropped 5 deg when I added grains, so i let it sit for 10, then heated up the mash to a52-ish. However, no matter how much i stirred, and stirred, and stirred, I have varying temps in the pot, by as much as a ten degree swing. Right now, I am at as close to 152 as I think I am going to get, but some spots are getting near 160, and some are near 145. Will it be ok, and I will get conversion throughout the whole pot? WHat should I do? Or do I need to RDWHAHB?

 

[snailsongs]

Yes, RDWHAHB, and put the lid on there and let the heat settle.....if you're at 145 and 160 that should even out to about the right spot. Just put the lid on and let it even out,check it in 20 minutes....your beer will turn out fine.

 

[duridsr4fite]

Thanks. Also, I wasn't able to fit all of the grains in the mash, I am about 2.5 lbs short. Luckily, I adjusted my bill for 60% efficiency, so i should have enough for a 5.5 gal batch. Can i add a bit of DME to boost fermentables? Necessary?

 

[snailsongs]

you can, depending on what you're going for, but I'd hold off until you can take a reading and see where your at first. you can always take a small sample of the boiling wort, cool it down enough so that it doesn't melt your hydrometer jar, take a reading (you can use this to adjust for temp), and then decide......probably what I'd do. If you decide you want to add the extract, just do it in the last 5 minutes of the boil.

 

[duridsr4fite]

How about adding the rest of the grains to the pre boil, like specialty malt in an extract brew?

 

[bgough]

I wasn't able to fit all of the grains in the mash, I am about 2.5 lbs short.

How much grain did you use?
How big are your pots?

And yes, you can add DME to boost fermentables. I had to do this the first time I used Beathbrewer's stovetop method because I didnt get good conversion because of some mistakes I made.

 

[duridsr4fite]

recipe bumped up for 60% efficiency was 12.5 lbs. I think I got about 9.5-10 lbs in 3 gal of strike water. I have been mashing now for about 90 minutes. How sweet should the liquor taste? a drop of idophor isn't changing color, but ii know thats a bit unreliable.

 

[snailsongs]

It should taste like sugar water, basically.

 

[duridsr4fite]

NAILED MY OG! TO THE T! I'll take luck over skill every time!