first ag, lovin it...

[bmorris1]

Just did my first ag batch today in a converted cooler I did myself. I ended up doing an ESB that I figured would go over well with family and friends.

Here is my best guess at the ingreds:



Amount Item Type % or IBU
8.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 85.74 %
0.50 lb Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 5.36 %
0.25 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 2.68 %
0.25 lb Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 2.68 %
1.66 oz Galena [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 80.1 IBU
1.00 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] (15 min) Hops 8.3 IBU
0.50 oz Galena [13.00 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops -
0.33 lb Brown Sugar, Dark (50.0 SRM) Sugar 3.54 %


I ended up with an og of 1.05, right on target, got 5.25 gals in the fermentor.

My only problem was my electronic thermometer bottomed out at about 77 degrees so I undercooled my wort, but I think I'll be ok.


I couldn't be happier. But.... How do you all keep all the gunk out of the fermentor? I tried whirlpooling, but didn't get a good break. And since I overcooled, I tried to siphon instead of pouring, but I got all the troob.... oh
well....

 

[heinz57]

Gunk in the fermenter isn't such a bad thing.

How long did you let it rest when you did the whirlpool? I usually let mine sit for at least 20 minutes before I attempt to siphon anything off. I find if I do it any sooner I don't get a nice center cone.

 

[bmorris1]

ok it was pretty short... since I ended up cooling down to about 55-60 degrees (depending on the thermo). Probably only 5-10 minutes...

Either way, I just grabbed a hydro sample after it sat in the fermentor for a few hours and it was nice and clean, and 1.05, so I guess I did ok...

after looking at beersmith, everything that happened today, like just barely undershooting my strike temp due to the grain temp, and originally undershooting my sparge volume, all was ok, comparing the "correct" values in beersmith....


I really can't believe how much more fun it was to do an all grain batch. I am definitely an do it yourselfer, and a bit more of an experimentor than just pour in the ingredients and boil (not that there is anything wrong with that). This was just a lot of fun...

 

[heinz57]

I usually stir it until I get the total volume of liquid moving pretty well, put the top on, forget about it, and then clean anything dirty. Usually by the time I've cleaned everything I've used or will use, it's been about 20 minutes and it's time to siphon. I find it's a lot easier to wait out a full 20 minutes when I don't have idle time.

Sounds like you had a great brew day. Congrats.

 

[bmorris1]

It certainly was great, compared to all the things I've been preparing myself for... The one thing I learned, was I need a trustworthy analog thermometer... my MLT only loses 1 degree per hour... so that was good... my burner and pot handled everything great, and my homemade chiller worked great, brought it down from boiling to about 55 degrees in 25 minutes (outside in 40 degrees F, in NJ). Just need to get a more accurate thermometor. Hopefully fermentation will take off shortly. I've got the bucket up in the house coming up to about 66 degrees slowly... I'm hoping to see activity by tomorrow, but I'm not nervous. That's what the homebrewed Brown ale and IPA is for...

 

[nosmatt]

what is a nice "center cone" ??????

 

[BrianP]

what is a nice "center cone" ??????

It's the result of performing a whirlpool. The spent hop sludge and cold break form a nice cone in the bottom of the kettle. You siphon from the side of the kettle, leaving most of this debris behind in the kettle. It's OK if some gets into the fermenter.


And for the OP, congrats on your first AG. Mine was also an ESB.

 

[bmorris1]

Thanks... Can't wait to try this one (in about a month and a half )

 

[944play]

I ended up doing an ESB that I figured would go over well with family and friends.

Your friends have palates of steel. I get a BU:GU ratio of 1.9 from your recipe (using Rager).

 

[bmorris1]

944play,
I only took a stab at creating the recipe in Beersmith, since it was a prepared recipe from my lhbs... I'm also not all that well versed in the program all that well. The wort was not all that hoppy when I tasted my hydro sample, so it should be pretty darn tasty in a few weeks!

Can't wait to brew again. I feel like it all went too well.....