First All-Grain Batch in the Carboy

[Countrysquire]

OK, first all-grain batch is fermenting along nicely this morning. It seems like everything went well and it was actually easier than I thought, no doubt due to all the good advice that I've read here. Brewed the AHS Anniversary IPA, which is my first attempt at an IPA. The target OG was 1.058 and I hit 1.057, so I guess that is an early sign of success.

I did make a few observations:

• All-grain brewing takes more time than mini-mash.
  
• I had put way too much thought into the fly sparging technique. Like many here have said, it's simple once you actually do it.
  
• I need to get off my butt and build a brew stand.
  
• I need to get off my butt and convert my HLT & BK to electric. Doing this with one small propane burners is slow and a bit of a PITA.
  
• A pump wold be a nice thing...
  
• I have a lot more learning to do.

 

[ArcaneXor]

• All-grain brewing takes more time than mini-mash.

Shouldn't be a very big difference if you do a full-wort boil.

 

[Countrysquire]

The additional time was what it took to heat up the strike water and the sparge itself. It probably seemed like it was taking more time than it actually was because I was watching things like a hawk for the duration.