First AG in the fermenter!

[Captain Damage]

I've been doing partial mashes for the last ten batches. While designing an ordinary bitter recipe I realized I could hit my gravity without adding any extract. While my little apartment and anemic stove don't allow me to do full boils, I figured I could do an all-grain batch with a partial boil. While I realize this is not the preferred way to go about it, it was the logical choice. Is anyone else doing AG partial boils?

While I did hit my gravity, my iodine tests during the mash never came up clear. If I'm 50 minutes into a 60 minute mash and the iodine is still turning black, is there anything I can or should do to achieve better saccharification?

Other than that, everything went well - except for my thermometer dying while I was chilling the wort. Assuming this beer comes out well, I'll surely try AG/PB for low-medium gravity beers in the future.

Ordinary Bitter
OG 1.037
IBU 29.8
ABV (est.) 3.6%

5lbs Maris Otter
8oz Crystal 60L
2oz Victory (had it left over,wanted to use it)
9oz sucrose
1.5oz fuggle aa4% 60 min
1.5oz fuggle aa4% 10 min
Wyeast 1335

Mash at 150F 60 mins

Daniels says bitters can be dry hopped, so I might DH with 1/2oz of EKG.

 

[ArcaneXor]

While I realize this is not the preferred way to go about it, it was the logical choice. Is anyone else doing AG partial boils?

I used to do that all the time before upgrading to a turkey fryer setup. No discernible difference in quality between the two.

 

[Captain Damage]

I was surprised that doing the partial boil didn't seem to affect the color much. The first version of the recipe included an ounce of black malt for color, but I decided to take it out expecting the color to come out darker than what BeerSmith told me, but it looks pretty close to the 6.1 BS predicted. So it'll be on the light end of the spec for the style.

 

[step]

I too am limited by my apartment stove and no patio for a turkey fryer. I have been successfully doing full boil batches by splitting it into two pots and then splitting any other additions (ie. hops) into each pot.

 

[RM-MN]

How far do you live from a public park where you could use the turkey fryer outdoors or maybe in a picnic pavilion? I might try hauling my stuff there and doing the mash and boil instead of struggling with an underpowered kitchen range. Just a thought.

 

[Captain Damage]

Yeah, brewing in the park isn't going to happen. Besides being approached every fifteen seconds by people accusing me of cooking meth (it's that kind of neighborhood), I live on the third floor with no elevator.