first all grain

[THEDIETZ]

so i just built my mash tun....I bought a 35qt pot and wort chiller which i am still waiting for to arrive in the mail. I want to be ready for my first all grain mash though. i have been reading up on it and want to make sure I am right on a few things. First.....I want to make sure I am correct.....will I use the mash tun with all the grains and use a strike temp of approx 150 degrees? From what i read I after draining that wort I will use 170 degrees sparge water to get the rest of the wort from the grains. I am hoping on my first batch to make a light golden ale. If anyone has a good recipe let me know. I am excited to leave the extract world and enter all grain. is this a good website to figure out strike and sparge water??? Mash and Sparge Water Calculator ::: Brew365 - Homebrewing Recipes and Articles ...please any help and explaination would be great!!! I won't be brewing for a week and a half but I want a good game plan before I enter this!!!!!

 

[eriktlupus]

first the site is a reccomended one on here i believe(try out a brewing program like Beersmith or Promash). for a first AG try https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/bee-cave-brewery-haus-pale-ale-31793/a really simple light ale. the mash temp will depend on how fermentable you want your beer higher temps=less fermentable lower=more. dont forget to preheat a cooler mashtun.

 

[THEDIETZ]

i've built the cooler mashtun.....i just need to make sure I am correct on the rest of the process....with extract i had a hard time brewing a light ale....that is my goal i think the first time

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

THEDIETZ - The strike water temp depends on your amount of grain, your grains temp, and expected heat lose from the MLT. Brewing software is the best answer, or online calculators.
Try Green Bay Rackers--Mash Calculators

Pre-heat the MLT.
As a rule of thumb - usually strike water would be 10-12 F higher than your desired rest temp. IE, target 150F, use 162F strike water.
Palmers How to brew online book is a good source, I keep going back to it.
How to Brew - By John Palmer
Hope this helps.

 

[Diablotastic]

Depends on the recipe I guess...For my system I've been adding about 175 degree water...letting it sit with the lid down for about 10mins to pre heat. Then at about 167 I start doughing in a little grain then stir....little more grain then stir etc etc. After the grains are all in and stirred well...I'll let it sit with the lid down again for a few to equalize and by then I'm pretty close to my mash temp wich was 154 for my last batch

Just finished my 4th all grain and I'm still starting to develop my technique

 

[Mustangj]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/bee-cave-brewery-haus-pale-ale-31793/

X2

The best recipe to start out with.

 

[Bobby_M]

Oooooo.. another chance to pimp my all grain primer!

 

[bob1852]

Oooooo.. another chance to pimp my all grain primer!

Well, if you didn't pimp it - I certainly would have!

Read it. Twice.

 

[Saccharomyces]

Read it. Twice.

And then re-read it again. Read it until you dream about it.

Other than that I suggest lots of practice. Best way to learn and improve your process is to brew like a mad man.

 

[Bobby_M]

I totally agree not to overthink it. You'll eventually get info paralysis if you read too much before trying it. I think my high level method makes it easy to compensate for volume problems along the way. IOW, physically measuring your first runnings is a lot easier than trying to anticipate them.

 

[THEDIETZ]

thanks for all the help on this...my pot and wort chiller should arrive within a week...i am hoping to try my first batch next wednesday!!! I will let you know how it goes!