First AG Question

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timm747

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Hey guys, I'm brewing AG today for the first time. After 7 extract kits I made the jump today. So I'm mashing right now at 152 degrees. I went to my local shop and showed them the DFH 60 Minute Clone recipe. I got all the ingredients and on their recipe printout that they gave me it says:

Saccharification Rest Temp 152 Time: 60
Mash-Out Rest Temp: 165 Time: 20
Sparge Temp 165 Time:60

I'm not sure what these mean. Do I have to sparge for 60 minutes or is that saying sparge AT 60 minutes (which I assume that's what it means since the recipe calls for a 60 minute mash).

Thanks!

Tim
 
Also, how do I calculate burn off (not sure what's its called when the water evaportes) to know how much to bring the batch to?

Thanks!

T
 
I think that is telling you to do a 60 min fly sparge. Were you planning to do fly sparge or batch sparge?
 
Mash @ 152 for 60 minutes. The next step is optional in my opinion. It's called a Mash out and it involves add very hot (boiling) water to the mash to raise the temp of the mash to 165. Last you want to sparge with the 165 water. If your batch sparging you don't have to wait 60 minutes...or 5 for that mater. Add the water and stir than drain.

As far as the boil off....every system is different. Depends on the pot, burner and how vigorous the boil. In hind site it would have been smart to do a dry run by boiling water for 60 minutes in your pot to determine the boil off for your system.
 
Also, how do I calculate burn off (not sure what's its called when the water evaportes) to know how much to bring the batch to?

Thanks!

T

I think you mean boil off? What size batch are you doing? How are you boiling it? I boil off 1.5 gallon with my system over a 60 min boil.
 
Thanks for the answers!

I'm doing a 5 gallon batch. Yeah, the smart thing to do would have been to do a dry run with the boil to determine the boil off. I'm using one of those enamel/steel crab stainless crab steaming pots to do the boil on an electric stove. What happens if I put in 6 gallons and end up with 4.5 or 5.5 after the boil? Can I add water like you do for extract or do you just stay with the final amount? If its over I assume if I try to boil more off then the hop flavors will be effected.

Tim
 
...and I "think" I'm doing a batch sparge. I'm going to do the 165 degree water split in 2 pours into the tun.

(have to go lookup the difference between fly and batch).

:)

Tim
 
Adding water as in an extract brew won't hurt it. Just do your calculations so you know how much to add to hit your gravity.
 
so if I understand this correctly, your going to try to boil 6 gallons of wort on an electric stove. . . I hope that works for you. I know that most people have a heard time boiling more than 3 gallons on an electric stove, that is why most who do AG have burners. There are a rare few who have found other ways to boil that large amount of water, but I don't think I've ever read of anyone boiling 6 full gallons on an electric stove top without having a heat stick, but IDK hopefully it works for you. Also, sounds like your batch sparging. and if you do come up short after the boil you can top up, in theory the amount of sugar in the wort doesn't change when boiling, just the concentration, so that should work just fine.
 
Ugghh, I didn't know that I might not be able to do this on an electric stove. I hope this doesn't turn into a $40 mistake...
 
just break it up into two 3 gallon boil sessions. . . a pain in the arse but at least you won't have wasted the money.
 
I've got it at 200 degrees with 6 gallons so I might be ok. I have it straddled over 2 burners to get more heat involved.
 
awesome! glad to hear about the success and sorry if I induced any panic. you'll have to keep us informed on how it turns out.
 
Thanks for the info, it's all a learning process. :)

Can I cool in 2 batches or could that infect the first batch that has already cooled and been put in the primary? This 7 gallon kettle doesn't fit in my sink and I don't have a wort chiller yet.

I know, another thing I should have thought about but didn't until everything was going...

Tim
 
I wouldn't worry much about it. doesn't sound like you have much of an alternative right now anyways. Just be careful transferring boiling hot wort.
 
Will do, thanks for all the info. Gonna run out tomorrow and get a Wort Chiller. I tried to build one last week but couldn't find all the parts at HD...

Thanks again!

T
 
That OG I posted was before the boil. Is that correct or should the OG be after the boil? It came in at 1.60 after the boil and cool down.
 
The recipes OG should be the post boil reading, but it's a good idea to take both readings. How did your gravity drop during the boil? It should go up, not down. Is the 1.060 reading after adding some top off water or is that a typo or something?
 
so if I understand this correctly, your going to try to boil 6 gallons of wort on an electric stove. . . I hope that works for you. I know that most people have a heard time boiling more than 3 gallons on an electric stove, that is why most who do AG have burners. There are a rare few who have found other ways to boil that large amount of water, but I don't think I've ever read of anyone boiling 6 full gallons on an electric stove top without having a heat stick, but IDK hopefully it works for you. Also, sounds like your batch sparging. and if you do come up short after the boil you can top up, in theory the amount of sugar in the wort doesn't change when boiling, just the concentration, so that should work just fine.


I boil 7-8 gallons of wort just fine on my electric stove but, I have my kettle insulated some. It can be done and my stove sucks BTW.
 
Today I racked the beer to my secondary and I'm dry hopping during this phase. The Hydrometer read 1.020 today and the FG in the recipe from what I remember states 1.018 or 1.017 so I got pretty close. I'm putting some things in place to not have the issues I had during the last batch. Wort Chiller, Propane cooker...

Thanks for your help!

T
 
I boil eight gallons+ on my stovetop regularly, and it hits a SERIOUS boil. I'm glad the wife insisted we get the biggest, baddest electric stove possible when the old one went tits up. :)

Today I racked the beer to my secondary and I'm dry hopping during this phase. The Hydrometer read 1.020 today and the FG in the recipe from what I remember states 1.018 or 1.017 so I got pretty close. I'm putting some things in place to not have the issues I had during the last batch. Wort Chiller, Propane cooker...

After just a week in primary I would strongly recommend at least a couple weeks in secondary for this one to finish up. I've brewed the same recipe, and found that my very last bottle (about two months out) was by FAR the best that I drank, out of four bombers and the rest in a keg.
 
I'm going out of town for a couple weeks so I'll keep it in the secondary until probably mid June.

Is it safe to keep in the secondary for that long?

Thanks.

Tim
 
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