First all Grain batch completed!

[RyGuy77]

I just finished my first all grain brew day, and boy did I feel unorganized. It was probably because I was just all over the place with the new gear, but I think it was a success. Here is my recipe.

10lbs Maris Otter
8oz Crystal 120
4oz Crystal 40
4oz Crystal 60
2oz Roasted Barley
1oz EKG leaf (5.9% AA) @60 min
1 whirlfloc Tab @15min

My mash target was 153° but I came in a touch low at 151.5° not too bad for a first timer. I mashed with 4 gal, and sparged with 5 gal @ 175°. I got about 7.5 gal into the kettle at 1.046 and boiled for 60 min down to about 6 gal. I cooled and moved between 5-5.5 gal into the fermentor at 1.052. I just pitched my yeast at 72° and it is in the kegerator with a temp controller set to 65°. All in all it was a great day, and I want to thank everyone here for the knowledge I gained! Now I play the waiting game,

 

[Morrey]

Congrats! I remember when I went from my kitchen (extract) to my outside brewcave for my first AG batch. I was all thumbs and was totally lost. Now it is second nature and well orchestrated. Its takes a few brews and you'll be back in the groove!!

 

[BilboBrewin]

Grats! Honestly being 1.5° off on your first all-grain brew day is awesome Hitting temps gets easier with time but is never exact - I aim to hit or slightly overshoot, as if I overshoot a degree I can just stir longer!

 

[skraeling]

I was 4* off my last one lol. In my defense though it was under 40* outside, was off that much even preheating the tun lol.. oh weather you cruel cruel *****. nothing a little panic boiling of water on my stove didnt fix haha.

 

[RM-MN]

I just finished my first all grain brew day, and boy did I feel unorganized. It was probably because I was just all over the place with the new gear, but I think it was a success. Here is my recipe.

10lbs Maris Otter
8oz Crystal 120
4oz Crystal 40
4oz Crystal 60
2oz Roasted Barley
1oz EKG leaf (5.9% AA) @60 min
1 whirlfloc Tab @15min

My mash target was 153° but I came in a touch low at 151.5° not too bad for a first timer. I mashed with 4 gal, and sparged with 5 gal @ 175°. I got about 7.5 gal into the kettle at 1.046 and boiled for 60 min down to about 6 gal. I cooled and moved between 5-5.5 gal into the fermentor at 1.052. I just pitched my yeast at 72° and it is in the kegerator with a temp controller set to 65°. All in all it was a great day, and I want to thank everyone here for the knowledge I gained! Now I play the waiting game,

I'm sorry that you spilled that much. I'll bet it was rough to clean up. Next time be more careful and get it all into the fermenter.

I dump all the wort into the fermenter. It doesn't hurt a bit for flavor and I get that much more beer into bottles. It all compacts down when fementation is done and I rack the beer above it.

Anything you leave behind is total waste and should be considered alcohol abuse.

 

[RyGuy77]

I'm sorry that you spilled that much. I'll bet it was rough to clean up. Next time be more careful and get it all into the fermenter.

I dump all the wort into the fermenter. It doesn't hurt a bit for flavor and I get that much more beer into bottles. It all compacts down when fementation is done and I rack the beer above it.

Anything you leave behind is total waste and should be considered alcohol abuse.

It was more from shrinkage, the leaf hops, and my kettle leaving about a quarter gallon behind under the dip tube. Believe me I don't like wasting it haha.

 

[skraeling]

It was more from shrinkage,

Tis always a problem in cold weather.

 

[Redlantern]

Tis always a problem in cold weather.

I was in the pool!!!!

 

[RM-MN]

It was more from shrinkage, the leaf hops, and my kettle leaving about a quarter gallon behind under the dip tube. Believe me I don't like wasting it haha.

At that point could you not have picked up the kettle and just dumped it?

 

[RyGuy77]

At that point could you not have picked up the kettle and just dumped it?

Not with all the leaf hops. They wouldn't fit through a funnel into the carboy. That would only get me like a cup or two more liquid anyway not a huge deal in my book.

 

[jan_b19]

I remember my first AG brew. It was quite an adventure. Messed up mash timing completely because i was brewing on a small electric fire... and more stuff like that. Now it's better tho. I decided to upgrade my equipment, got myself a cheap electric mash tun. Now I even step mash without any problems.

 

[Jaxmickey]

Great job! My 1st AG batch ended up being stout soda.

 

[WestMichBrewer]

My mash target was 153° but I came in a touch low at 151.5° not too bad for a first timer.

Very good for a first shot!
To dial it in, try to fix a couple of the variables to get this initial mash temp right without adjustments.
For instance, make sure your grains are at a consistent temp every time and that you are shooting for the same mash thickness. (I use room temp ~70 and 1.25 qt/lb).
I settled into needing my strike water 14 degrees higher than my mash-in temp and its always close enough, maybe +/- 0.5 degrees.