First AG batch a go

[Darth Konvel]

I just brewed up my first batch of AG last night, and would like to thank everybody for what I've learned over the course of hanging out here. The mash smelled awesome and I can't wait to try the finished product.

I can't say it went off without a hitch though...
Lup's Lessons Learned:
- AG takes some extra time. I'm never going to try this on a weekday again until I streamline my process. I was up until midnight cleaning up, although that was partially due to newb-messiness syndrome
- Make sure you start off with a decent strike temp or preheat your mash vessel. I came out a little low on my strike temp, and thanks to not having hot water ready to go, ended up doing a quasi multistep mash.
- Use quality equipment. The threads on my plastic spigot stripped, resulting in a spigotless mash / lauter tun Luckily I had just finished my second runnings, but there was still enough water left to make a mess.
- When throwing out your used grain, make sure all components of your vessel are secure. Sifting through wet hot grain trying to find your lautering manifold, while maybe fun, is time consuming and should be avoided.
- Have enough brew on hand for consumption during the above. Most my brews are still down in the basement conditioning. I'll be sure to have some cold conditioning for ready access next time.

All in all, I can't wait to do my next batch - albeit with a little more experience under the belt. Cheers!

 

[Rhoobarb]

Congrats! Nice feeling, ain't it?! Makes you want to start on another ASAP!

Make sure you start off with a decent strike temp or preheat your mash vessel. I came out a little low on my strike temp...

Same here. I think many of us had that same experience. After that, I figured I had a 15 degree difference and now I heat to 15oF above my desired strike temperature and that seems to do the trick.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

I changed my process last batch to: heating my water to 20-25F higher than my strike temp and dumping that into my MLT. This simultaneously heats my MLT and cools the water. By stirring I can reach my strike temp within a few minutes, then stir in my grains without regard to the thermal mass of my MLT as it's already heat soaked. Using ProMash to calculate the striketemp assuming no thermal mass of my MLT I hit my mash temp on the button for the amount of grains I was using.

 

[SwAMi75]

Congrats, Lupus!

I changed my process last batch to: heating my water to 20-25F higher than my strike temp and dumping that into my MLT. This simultaneously heats my MLT and cools the water. By stirring I can reach my strike temp within a few minutes, then stir in my grains without regard to the thermal mass of my MLT as it's already heat soaked. Using ProMash to calculate the striketemp assuming no thermal mass of my MLT I hit my mash temp on the button for the amount of grains I was using.

Great idea!

 

[Darth Konvel]

Good idea, BeeGee. I'll be doing that next time.

 

[cap46]

Great feeling isn't it. I Boil 1 Gallon of water on my stove while I heat up the water on my cooker outside that way if I need to raise the temp. I already have some ready. If I don't need I either just put in the boiling pot to add haet to my sparge water or I put in fridge just incase I need to top off my fermenter.

 

[Dude]

Great!

I think all of us probably have missed a mash temp or 2!!!!

If you take good notes you'll be able to come within a degree or right on every time from now on.

AG is definitely more work but I get SO much satisfaction from brewing beer so naturally. I love it!

BTW....it tastes pretty good too!

 

[gibfried]

Does it taste better? What's the word out there?

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

Does it taste better? What's the word out there?

I know some people will say yes. I brewed a Blue Star Wheat clone using both the extract and the AG directions (two separate batches). A little while later I did another AG batch while a buddy of mine did an extract batch. Other than the extract batches being significantly darker than the AG's, they were all fantastic beers and in a blind taste test, I don't think I could say "this one is AG, this one is extract." Or maybe it's just my lack of taste (ask my wife).

I like AG for several reasons:
1. The greater # of recipes and flexibility due to the permutations of 100's of grains compared to a relatively limited # of extracts available (steeping specialty grains notwithstanding), and the appearance of the final product.
B) I tend to grow my own tomatoes instead of buying them at the grocery store, and roast my own coffee instead of buying it roasted. Probably a genetic defect.
iii. It gives me ~4hrs in the garage to smoke cigars and drink beer relatively unmolested unless the neighbors spot me.

I also feel like more of a big boy when I'm at the LHBS grinding my grains up while someone else is meandering through the extract aisle looking confizzled.

 

[gibfried]

A man after my own heart.