First all grain day done!

[SourHopHead]

I finally finished off my system and had my first all-grain batch this past weekend. Nothing fancy, but just want to know if there is any info you could share.

8lbs British 2-row
1.5 lbs Roasted Barley
1 lb Carapils
1 lb Crystal 120L
1 lb Flaked Barley
.5 lb Black Patent
1084 Irish Ale

Over estimated water and looked like I didn't lose alot throughout the system. I hope to get a little closer each time. How do I figure my efficiency or is it too early to tell? I think it was pretty low, but I was happy with the OG. Any information would be great.

OG. 1.052

Thanks.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

Congrats on getting that first AG under your belt. Your beer will thank you for going AG. :rockin:

 

[malkore]

I don't know how to calculate efficiency either, but I know there's calculators on google you can use. it mostly takes your grain bill and knows a 'max' gravity that you could hit based on average gravity for all the grain types used, and then just divides by your OG to give you a really good efficiency estimate.

now that you've got a batch behind you, I bet some things make more sense...and I bet you have new questions too

 

[Yooper]

I highly recommend a software program like Promash or Beersmith. Beersmith has a free trial and that's the one I use. When I run your recipe through Beersmith, your efficiency is 59.6 if your og was 1.056 and a 5 gallon batch. If you had a bit more in the primary, your efficiency would be higher.

 

[SourHopHead]

I know we hade more than 5gal when we were done. Think we finished with 6 or 7. I still have to see how much I lose from my kettle and work the numbers on water for next time. I orginally planned for 1qt per gal, but I went more like 1.3qts per gal. So would I want a thicker mash and keep more to the 1qt per gal?

I have a new project to make a counterflow chiller along with a stand to hold the mash and HL tank. I'm sure after a do a couple more i'll have more ???'s but for now i'm just psyched. I'll check out those programs and thanks alot for the help and info.

 

[Lil' Sparky]

Congrats on the first AG. I hope you like black beer. That's one dark recipe!

It doesn't sound like you got great efficiency, but I get crap efficiency on a regular basis. I wish I knew why, but I don't sweat it too much. I second the recommendation for using software. I use to do it by hand, but it's just to easy with Beersmith or the like.

 

[killian]

congrats, on the move to all grain!
I use qbrew to check my efficiency that program puts you at 51%
A 5 gallon batch?.
what was your water ration, mash temp?
batch sparge/ fly sparge?
cooler mash tun, bucket in bucket or a converted keg?
city water or well water?
water treatment or no water treatment?

 

[killian]

sorry I just noticed your last post
6-7 gallons what are you fermenting in?
that would change the numbers for sure.

 

[SourHopHead]

It was for a 5gal batch, but we overestimated the water. Mash temp was ~165 and fly sparged with 175. I use a converted keg, 2 converted coolers and used filtered & softened city water. Fermenting in a 7gal bucket atm.

I never made a stout before and it was the right time to try it out. Beersmith looks real nice. I used a spreadsheet for most of my calculations and this will make it so much easier. Thanks for the recomendation.

I'm sure the more I do the more i'll understand a little at a time.

 

[Yooper]

I mash at around 1.25 quarts per pound of grain, so your 1.3 ratio was fine. The temperature, however, at 165 degrees would be way too hot for the mash. Your sparge temp was ok, though.

To figure efficiency, you really have to know how much wort you ended up with. I usually end up with 5.25 gallons, after much trial and error!

 

[Lil' Sparky]

It was for a 5gal batch, but we overestimated the water. Mash temp was ~165 and fly sparged with 175. I use a converted keg, 2 converted coolers and used filtered & softened city water. Fermenting in a 7gal bucket atm.

I never made a stout before and it was the right time to try it out. Beersmith looks real nice. I used a spreadsheet for most of my calculations and this will make it so much easier. Thanks for the recomendation.

I'm sure the more I do the more i'll understand a little at a time.

Just to clarify... Your mash temp was 165', or your strike temp was 165'? Once you add your strike water and dough in, you don't want your mash over 160'. You usually want your mash at 155 +/- a few degrees depending on what kind of beer you're making. High temps will quickly denature the enzymes and you won't get good starch->sugar conversion.

 

[SourHopHead]

Mash temp was ~165. Guess that was one of the problems. I'll have alot of fun with trial and error. I have to make a few adjustments to the brewstand, another thermometer, and a new lid for the kettle. I am going to make some measurments in the kettle, so I know where I am at.

How critical in fly sparging is to keep the 1 inch of water on top? I was supposed to collect first runnings and run then thru again? Should I preheat my MT?

Thanks this is good stuff!

 

[Lil' Sparky]

How critical in fly sparging is to keep the 1 inch of water on top?

Critical, no. Ideal for fly sparging, yes.

I was supposed to collect first runnings and run then thru again?

Only enough until you get the grain bed to settle and you don't have grain bits in your runoff. Usually we're talking a qt or 2.

Should I preheat my MT?

Most people do. This can take some of the guess work out of your strike temps, regardless of the ambient temperature when you're brewing.

Thanks this is good stuff!

It's all a butt-load of fun.

BTW - Beersmith has the calculators for strike temp built in. It also allows you to enter your equipment details, with a few common setups pre-loaded. I've only had to make fine adjustments based on my setup. I think it's a great brewing software.

 

[SourHopHead]

So which would I choose in the mash profile? I am doing a single infusion I thought.?... Beersmith has alot of good stuff. What does changing the temperatures during the mash cause?

 

[SourHopHead]

Guess i've got alot reading to do. Thanks for all your help.

 

[Lil' Sparky]

So which would I choose in the mash profile? I am doing a single infusion I thought.?... Beersmith has alot of good stuff. What does changing the temperatures during the mash cause?

The temperature of the mash affects which enzymes are primarily active and how the starches are broken down. The higher the temperature, the less fermentable the wort will be and you'll have a more full-bodied beer. The lower the temperature, the wort will be more fermentable and you have less body and mouthfeel. Some of the differences are key to certain styles, but it's also important for you own recipes and the kind of beer you're shooting for.

Sooo.... pick a single infusion (full-/medium-/light-bodied mash schedule) and it'll give you the temp you need for your strike water based on the amount of grains you're using and the water/grain ratio you're shooting for.

Hope that cleared some things up. Cheers

 

[BierMuncher]

1# of Roast and 1/2# of black patent. Going to be a good morning beer.

165 is still below the 170 tannin-critical temp in mashing. You're going to end up with a beer that has a lot of malty mouth feel. Maybe not a bad thing given the style.

Next time, try striking with 165-167 water and figure a 12-14 degree loss in mash. THat puts you closer to the ideal 152-15 range.

Congrats on your first AG.

 

[Mike & John]

I use This Book all the time. Well written, comprehensive, also contains style information.

 

[SourHopHead]

Thats the book I got! Cool. Really nice so far.