First batch seems happy

[GParkins]

I did a Christmas eve boil, and was unaware that Mr. Murphy decided to be my brewing partner. Here's a little list of things I did wrong, and things that need to be addressed for the next batch:

1) When sparging, I wasn't sure how to tell when the grains were spent. I convinced myself I could taste the astringency of tannins, so I didn't add the wort from the last 2 ½ gallon batch of sparge water. It caused item (4) below.

2) The boil itself went swimmingly.

3) The diameter of my counterflow chiller is too small for whole hops. What a stinking mess that was!. I had to use compressed air at both ends to clear the crud. Several times. I wound up ditching the cooler and immersing the carboy in an ice water bath to drop the wort temperature. I believe I will convert my counterflow chiller into an immersion chiller.

4) I had to add unprocessed source water (spring water from my local grocery store) to bring the liquid level up in my 6 ½ gallon carboy.

5) I used a Wyeast smack-pack that I whacked about six hours before pitching. When I opened it, it was as tight as a drumhead, and I didn't create a starter, like I've been reading about today... I suspect I am taking counsel of my fears.

Anyway, it looks like all is well, despite my "best" efforts:

 

[aprichman]

Looks great GParkins. Your mistakes are pretty small and sound painless outside of the chiller clogging with hops. I think brewing beer is a lot like playing an instrument or a sport in the sense that a lot of it is just muscle memory. After a few brews everything starts slowing down and falling into rhythm.

Make sure to get a notebook that you use ONLY for brewing. It's nice to have a record of what you are brewing (trust me you will end up forgetting at some point) and also putting the brewing process on paper helps me wrap my head around everything.

Cheers

 

[watermelon83]

I'm slowly discovering that while many things can cause a beer to taste differently then it should, or I expected it should at least, very few things will ruin it.

 

[flars]

Picture perfect and a nice fermentation chamber also.

 

[GParkins]

WRT the counterflow chiller: When it was flowing, I had an output temp of 80-82 F. I was pretty happy with that. I coiled the supply hose in a large cooler and topped it with about 60 lbs. ice, thinking it would help drop the temp faster. I really like the way the setup worked, when it was working. Maybe the right solution is to figure out how to strain the wort before it exits my converted s.s. beer keg boil pot. Perhaps a round mash tun screen and some silicone hose would work better. Any thoughts?

 

[Riot]

Jam a piece of stainless steel or copper wool between your diptube and the bottom of the kettle. Learning how to get a whirlpool to settle is also really useful, I put 5 gallons with 10oz of hops through my CFC yesterday and my pump never even blinked.

 

[Todd820]

Looks like it is bubbling away nicely! Proof positive that making beer is very forgiving. You can screw quite a bit up and still end up with beer! Second the comments on your fermentation chamber. I really need to make me one of those.

 

[kh54s10]

WRT the counterflow chiller: When it was flowing, I had an output temp of 80-82 F. I was pretty happy with that. I coiled the supply hose in a large cooler and topped it with about 60 lbs. ice, thinking it would help drop the temp faster. I really like the way the setup worked, when it was working. Maybe the right solution is to figure out how to strain the wort before it exits my converted s.s. beer keg boil pot. Perhaps a round mash tun screen and some silicone hose would work better. Any thoughts?

Keep looking at ways to use the counterflow chiller. It will not work, without destroying it, as an immersion chiller. There are many ways to filter or block the debris before it enters the chiller. And you must block the hops especially.

Most people who get a counterflow chiller prefer it over immersion chillers.

 

[GParkins]

Keep looking at ways to use the counterflow chiller.

You had to get me started, dintcha?

I've been tossing this problem around for the last several days, and here's what I've come up with...Can you critique the idea?:

Igloo Counterflow Chiller Idea

 

[jbb3]

Congrats on the first batch!

The fact that you're self evaluating your process bodes well for the quality of your beer down the road. Try not to get too wrapped up in the "mistakes" at this point. As others have said, brewing is very forgiving and you'l still end up with beer!

Welcome to the obsession!