First AG went well, I think

[ruffdeezy]

On my 14th batch, I decided to go all grain. I'm using a 5g rubbermaid drink cooler with false bottom as my MLT.

3g Mash started at 153 and finished off around 150 or so after 60 mins.

Double batched sparged with 2.5 gallons each time, temp of grain was between 168 and 170 during the sparge. Let sit for about 10 mins or so with each sparge.

Boiled about 6.2 gallons or so down to about 5.2 or so.

Gravity reading was 1.044.

I did the AHS American Red Ale recipe. It calls for a gravity reading of 1.053 to start.

The grains are

6 lbs 2 row
3 lbs munich
.5 lbs caramunich
.25 lbs special B

I'm not sure what kind of efficiency that is, but it seems alright to me for the first time

I was surprised at how easy AG is. I actually felt more confident in what I was doing than doing a partial mash or extract recipe. The mash and vorlauf was fun. Took about 4.5 hrs total.

Looking forward to many more AG brews.

 

[chucknut]

one thing i can suggest is to stir your mash at each batch sparge and then vorlauf. loosen up some more of that sugar.

 

[SporkD2]

Thats 63%, how was your grain crush? thats always the first thing that gets people

 

[ruffdeezy]

Grain came crushed, I guess that would be a future purchase to get a mill. Would like to pay of the credit card before I put more stuff on it right now however.

 

[GrizlyGarou]

I'm not sure what kind of efficiency that is, but it seems alright to me for the first time

The way to figure it is the actual gravity (well, points above water, anyway) which would be 44, divided by the total of what's available in the grains.

So, if the 1.053 is max efficiency, you'd be at 80% or so. I'm not sure what the total of the grains is, I just went off what you said the recipe said the OG would be. There's places you can look stuff like that up on-line and plenty of books have the info if you really want to look it up.

I just did my first AG recently, and I only got 75% so you must be doing something right!

 

[Adam78K]

congrats, I'm actually taking the leap to all grain this weekend also, after about 5 extract batches.

 

[ruffdeezy]

I was surprised how smooth it went, I am actually really happy and can't wait to do the next one.