First All Grain Batch A Success

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jmccauli

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So, I post so little that I might as well be a lurker still, lol, but anyways...wanted to say:

Thanks to everyone on this board (and the DIY board) for the absolute wealth of information available on this site to a budding All-Grainer. My brew day went basically about as smooth I could ask for. Only problems I had:

* Inlet on my DIY ribcage IC leaks under a heavy flow (may switch to a compression fitting, OR try to learn to do simple welding).

* While mixing grain together in my MLT I forgot about my screen (ala Palmer) and beat it up a little. However, pushing the hose back together in the crimped part more or less put it right back the way it was.

* Thought I'd get clever and add 4.5 gal of water for sparge when BeerSmith told me to do 5.33. Not a five gallon batch anymore lol.

And that was all the issues I ran into. First batch is churning up a storm in my 6.5 carboy. Actually had to buy a heating pad because my basement is sitting right around 56 F. I think it would have started, just would have been a longer wait. Anyways, I have about 4.5 ~ 4.8 gallons sitting in the carboy, will probably only get about 4 gallons or so, but still very happy.

Pre-boil gravity was 1.049, post boil was 1.054 with a target of 1.052. Pretty sure this is mostly due to the lower volume. I actually do not have a good way to measure how much volume I had. I was just guesstimating on my volumes, but I also guesstimated an efficiency of around 70% which is what I brewed for and what my grain bill was targeting. I will be figuring out a better way to measure volume before my next batch, but I'm pretty happy with it.

Also included in my first AG is a switch to kegging and a keezer to be purchased (bought the kegging system yesterday from my LHBS, much love to The Brew Hut in Denver...very helpful/friendly bunch of people).

Anyways, thanks again! :mug: Recipe follows (APA):

5lbs Belgian Castle Pale Malt
3lbs Marris Otter
3lbs Vienna
1/4 lb Crystal 40L
0.5 oz Columbus @ 60 min
0.25 oz Columbus @ 15min
0.5 oz Cascade @ 15min
0.25 oz Columbus @ 5min
0.5 oz Cascade @ 5min
1.0oz Cascade dry hop @ 7days
1 pkg White Labs American Ale

Also used some whirlfloc....holy crap I made some clear wort. Seriously, I could not believe how clear it was. It might be a bit cloudy because I ended up getting some break material in the fermentor. Not worried about that at all.
 
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