First AG completed

[M4car223]

I finally got around to doing my first AG brew. I choose Lil Sparky's Nut Brown as my recipe.

My equipment was the 10 gallon cooler with the stainless braid, 60 qt alumnium pan (preoxidized) and then the standard equipment I used in my partial mash. Oh, I also made/used a copper wort cooler.

I was very nervous going into cleaning and sanitizing and preheating the mash tun. As soon as I got my mash water on the stove I calmed down...then the first problem. My cheap WallyWorld digital thermometer decides to crap out while getting the water to temp. Switched to the long dial thermometer and checked the calibration of it in boiling water while the mash water was still warming. Mash water was at my 169* goal so I dumped the preheat water and put my mash water in, along with grains. No dough balls so I calmed down a bit more. Then second problem. Checked mash temp. Was low, goal was 154* and I was only at 148*. So I boiled a couple quarts of water so try to bring my temp up....got to 150* with it.

I batch sparged , with around 4 equal amounts of sparge water and then started my boil. All went good until a nice gust of wind sent my hydrometer rolling across the table and right onto the floor....time for a refractometer I suppose.

Total time from cleaning and sanitizing to final clean up was about 5.5 hours, which does seem very long, but it also had to do some in our second floor apartment and some outside, so I had a lot of stairs and walking slowing me down.

Brewhouse efficiency was calculated at 73%. With the low mash temps I thought I was going to be very low and it being my first AG with new equipment, I figured I would be lucky to see 60% so I am very pleased.

The batch is now fermenting in a closet at 64* and is already showing vigorous fermentation.

Wasn't as bad as I though, as is a LOT more fun than PM.

Thanks to everybody here who answered my questions along the way and sorry that I rambled a bit with this post.

 

[ncbrewer]

Don't feel bad about the long brew day - my first all-grain was 9 hours.

Congrats.

 

[Happywanderer]

Wow.

I just did my first AG on Saturday. I had similar temp problems and fixed them as you did.

I too want a refractometer now. My hydrometer didn't hit the deck like yours, but the idea of a refractometer has me itching to buy one.

My brew day, start to finish, was 5 hours. Hit efficiency of around 71-72. I too was hoping for 60 at best.

My mistakes were thinking I had 8 gallons in the kettle when I only had 7. So I ended up with 4.5 gallons in the fermenter. Gotta dial that in.

Glad I wasn't the only one that got lucky with efficiencies this weekend.





Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[kh54s10]

For a first shot it sound like it went very well actually. You will be able to trim some time off your brewday as you get used to things, but not that much. My average is about 4.5 hours after about 60 all grain brews.

Be sure you add a post in the broken hydrometer count thread.

Since you got your mash temps up a little and not too far off, I don't think you will notice anything too far from target flavor.

 

[yukonhijack]

Sweet! Good going despite the slight issues. I am back after 3 years and did my second AG (since returning) yesterday. I did a Modus Hoperandi clone, and hit 79% efficiency. I think my increased efficiencies for the last two batches must be attributed to the crush from my LHBS. My first batch is sitting in the secondary dry hopping (turned out to be an 8.7 ABV beer!). Have a keg system that I purchased on Craigslist complete with a Keezer, waiting for my beer to be carbed. Can't wait to get another batch in the pipeline so I can stay flush

Keep us up to date as the beer progresses to glass. I am keeping better notes on my processes and tasting notes this time around.