mmonacel
Well-Known Member
Just finished up my first AG this past weekend. Below are my notes from the day so that they may help some others doing the same thing. Apologies for the <code> formatting, but I didn't want to have to go through and reformat everything again.
Code:
○ First AG Notes
§ https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/first-ag-batch-successful-some-questions-though-232335/
§ 6 hours start to finish minus some very minor clean-up of stir spoons, etc. still left
§ Targets and Measurements
§ Mash
□ Pre-boil estimate: 1.053
□ Pre-boil measured: 1.045 (added DME to compensate)
□ 70% efficiency
§ Boil
□ Estimated OG: 1.067
□ Measured OG: 1.064 (didn't boil down enough in the allotted time - .25 gal over target)
§ Process
§ Pre-work the night before was about 3 hours taking my time
□ See "Day before prep" below
§ 8:15
□ Heat up strike water so it's ready for start time
§ 9am - "real start"
□ Get strike water in mash tun
◊ Recipe called for 173 and it dropped 10 degrees which would be too low to mash
◊ Had to reheat water to 191 which when adding grains brought to 160. Stirred down to 152.
§ 9:35
□ Mash at 152 and resting for 60 min
□ Get things organized and set up
§ 10:40
□ Vorlauf and drain to small pot and put on stove covered to keep hot
§ 11am
□ 1st batch sparge with 2.5 gallons @ 180
□ Grain bed brought to 160 for 10 min rest
□ Drain to BK and start heat
§ 11:30
□ 2nd batch sparge with 2.5 gallons @ 180
□ Grain bed brought to 160 (no change?)for 10 min rest
□ Drain to BK and add in first runnings from stove
§ 11:45
□ Measured pre-boil gravity - a little low
□ Added DME to compensate
§ Noon
□ Boil started for 75 min boil
□ Extra 10 min boil done to bring volume down more since it was overshot
§ 1:30
□ Start cooling with chiller
□ Make sure fermenter, etc. santizied
§ 2:00
□ Pitch temp reached
§ Tips that worked
§ Day before prep
□ Pre-milled grain
□ Pre-measured hops / grains
□ Pre-boiled water just in case
□ Pre-measured water in the boil kettle for strike
□ Pre-filtered total water for the day
§ Heat up strike water FIRST thing in the morning
§ Drain tun to pot and put on stove to keep hot until ready for boil kettle
□ This is b/c BK is heating sparge water at the moment...
§ Heat up sparge water immediately after starting mash
□ Overheat by 15-20 degrees and put into bucket with lid to free up boil kettle once ready to drain
□ It's always easier to cool down if needed with stirring or ice then to heat back up
§ Clean up the mash tun and other equipment
§ Used rice hulls and 5.2 - easy draining and no worries about PH
§ Things to do better next time
§ Pre-heat the mash tun
□ Take strike temp and add 10-15 degrees
□ Let sit for a few min and then stir / cool down to strike temp if needed
§ Create more permanent wind screen
§ Stir every 15-20 minutes during the mash to get sugars in solution and to evenly distribute temps
§ Dial in the boil rate
□ Had to crank out the heat half way through and still didn't boil down enough
□ Measure more frequently during the boil to adjust as needed
□ Likely easier err by over-boiling and adding top off water if needed as it takes less time and won't screw up bitterness ratios, etc.
§ Measure out sparge water into separate bucket the night before + 1 gallon just in case
§ Goal of sparge is to get grain bed to 168 - 170
§ Measure final volume by lifting out chiller and before draining to fermenter
§ Create "wash bucket" where hot water not used during the process is kept for easy cleaning
§ Create "washing station" where items can be brought to hip level for easier cleaning / rinsing to save the back
