First AG in about two decades

[fratermus]

Started back with a few extract batches to get some of the old muscle memory back, then ran an AG batch today. Much of it came back to me, but some didn't. Mistakes were made. Innocent enzymes were harmed...

Cranked up some water to preheat the 5gal Igloo MLT. Dumped the 175F water into the MLT and closed it up to sit and wait for the mash water to heat. (Shooting for mash temp of 153 per the recipe.)

Cranked up the mash water to 175. Dumped the preheated water from the MLT. Mashed in. Because I had preheated the MLT then dumped in 175F water I ended up with a mash temp of 160F. Crap! I stirred valiantly hoping I was measuring an unmixed hotspot. No such luck; it was high. Paranoia reigns; did I cook my enzymes into a coma?

Got a pitcher of tap water and dumped some in (not much). Temp dropped a bit, but I was worried rather than relaxed. I dumped in more and mixed. Temps stabilised at 151F. Crap! Overshot substantially.

At this point I decided that a few minutes of high-temp and a long run of low temp conversion might end up with a usable mixture of various-length sugar chains, this mash so I just let it sit at 151F and HAHB. In the future I will let the water in the MLT stabilize to 170F before mashing in.

After 60mins it was still holding at 151F. Did a iodine drop test on a white saucer and got some dark fringe (not scary black, but looked like the conversion wasnt totally complete. So I let it sit another 20mins. Temp dropped to 149F and iodine test showed no more fringe. Hey, maybe this will work after all.

The sparge, brewing, IC chilling to 75F, racking to primary and pitching went fine. Primary in the Johnson-controlled fridge at 65F, already starting to bubble gently about 8hrs later. The OG was quite close to the recipe, and calculates out to a 70% efficiency. I'm surprised it was that high given the jacked up initial mash temp and my general bumbling.

I bought a 50# bag of domestic 2row at the LHBS and look forward to putting it to good use.

 

[Jaybird]

sounds like a great day of brewing to me!!!! welcome back. your mash has missed you!
3 cheers to a job well done!!!
JJ

 

[WBC]

I have not stopped in 36 years. I always put strike water in a few degrees higher with the lid on and wait 5 minutes and stir and check and it usually is very close to strike temp so then stir until it is on and dump in the grains and stir well and put on the lid. Next time you will hit it right on. I'm having a nice cream ale right now and loving it. Welcome back.

 

[BierMuncher]

Welcome back to the fracas.

So.....Reagan was President last time you brewed?

 

[killian]

your initial starch reading may have had some grain husk, the starch test can be tricky.

Im sure your beer will turn out great, welcome back!

 

[fratermus]

Thanks for the feedback.

I really liked the MLT and I do think I'll be able to get accurate mash temps in the future. I was making assumptions about preheating and strike temp that weren't justified, and forgot to measure the real-world evidence. Lesson learned.

The MLT worked really well and held temps stable as long as I didn't have the lid off. I bought the MLT prebuilt off morebeer b/c I am hardware retarded and tend to break things that I try to mod. At least I know my limits.

Muncher: Yes, Reagan 40 was pres during my last AG batch, although it may have been in the start of Bush 41.

Killian: thanks for the feedback on the starch test. I remembered roughtly how to do it but didn't remember what the results should look like. I'll google up some images and see if I can calibrate my eyeballs.


I also did a couple new things this time but did not include them as my post was already long and digressive:

* innoculated 10 agar slants with the liquid yeast culture.
* threw the rest into canned starter wort in an ehrlenmeyer with a stir bar and spun it with one of those $0 PC fan stirplate dealies that are justifiably well-loved on HBT.
* used 6cups of spent grain to make dog biscuits (ok, crumbles) for the dog. The retired racing greyhound approves.

 

[beergears]

... cups of spent grain to make dog biscuits (ok, crumbles) for the dog. The retired racing greyhound approves.

OK, now we want to see pics of the pup...

Brew on!

 

[IrregularPulse]

Interested in these spent grain dog yreats. My pups would be much appreiciative of a recipe.

 

[Wade E]

I too am interested in the spent grains crumbles. I should be doing my 1st AG batch in 2 weeks as I just finished getting and building all my equipment.

 

[blacklab]

Welcome back to the addiction, luckily you've found the correct 12 step program...HBT.

I took off about 15 years between brews as well. Bush the first was prez during the last brew of my first go round.

 

[fratermus]

This is Pin Oak Altus in normal mode (ie, crashed out). A quiet, giant, gentle, silent and strange beast. They make great pets in case anyone is looking. I will spare you the horror stories of the unbelievable numbers that are put down each year after they are no longer profitable. It's really a shame and I'm not the tree-hugging type, either.

Sorry to be a bummer. Anyhoo...

The dog treat recipe is on a couple of forums, and it was something like:
4c spent grains
4c flour
1c peanut butter
1 egg

Bake at 300-something for a half hour, then either let idle in a warm oven or dehydrator until completely dry. We are in a new house (old but new to us) and the ovens aren't calibrate yet, so I think I cooked them too hot. About 50% of it crumbled into a granola-like texture and seems to be completely dry right after the baking. Dog crunched the stuff so energetically that treat shrapnel went flying and I had to sweep up. I think I'll give him the treats outdoors next time.

I might try adding some beef broth or something to loosen up the mix a little next time. It seemed too dry to mix right, even though the grains were still wet and warm from the sparging. There's no way it would have worked with a cookie cutter although the recipe suggested that.


Here's a pic of one of the chunks that held together, with a #6 stopper for comparison.

 

[IrregularPulse]

can't say they LOOK too appetizing but neither does the poop they eat haha. I'll have to try this out. Health wise they are good?

 

[fratermus]

I always put strike water in a few degrees higher with the lid on and wait 5 minutes and stir and check and it usually is very close to strike temp so then stir until it is on and dump in the grains and stir well and put on the lid. Next time you will hit it right on.

You're right.

I put the water in a few degrees over this time with the lid off and let it drift down to strike temp; stirred in the grains and was within 1deg of mash temp. And a slight increase in efficiency.

.

 

[camiller]

Any idea if the spent grain biscuits would be OK for a rabbit? My daughter has a almost two year old English Spot.

 

[fratermus]

Any idea if the spent grain biscuits would be OK for a rabbit? My daughter has a almost two year old English Spot.

It contains an egg or two, and this page suggests rabbits ought not eat eggs.

 

[camiller]

It contains an egg or two, and this page suggests rabbits ought not eat eggs.

Thanks for that link, guess the spent grain will just have to go in the compost.

 

[brrman]

I make these after every brew (without eggs)

 

[fratermus]

I make these after every brew (without eggs)

Those look great.

Can you post the recipe you use? Mine were so crumbly I don't think they would have held together without the egg.

 

[conpewter]

Maybe I should give some of these to my very health/fiber conscious friend, she'd sh*t a brick over them (literally and figuratively!)