First big beer first 5g all grain

[XxBeer-ThirtyxX]

I just built a 52g MLT out of a xtreme Coleman. I don't know my efficiency yet and am using a 1/2 in stainless steel braid. What efficiency should I use for calculation using a double batch sparging and a dragonsmilk clone recipe. I was thinking 70%.

 

[TrubDog]

70% is a good average.

 

[SilverZero]

70% is a good baseline until you know better, I'd bet you'll be getting more than that if you are mashing a bit thinner with the extra room (1.5qts/lb) and sparging with 190F water, stirring once or twice during the mash, and any other tricks you can pick up.

 

[XxBeer-ThirtyxX]

Off to a great start Wyeast 1056 yeast pack exploded on smack. What a mess. At least it ended up all over my buddy.

 

[Ramitt]

I just built a 52g MLT.

52 gallon? That is huge. :cross: I am sure you meant quart, but I did a serious double take

 

[cheezydemon3]

........wierd title, considering no recipe or even description of the brew.


What was the question???

Sorry! But you say that you are going big on your first AG and then no details.

 

[MichaelsBrewing]

I just built a 52g MLT out of a xtreme Coleman. I don't know my efficiency yet and am using a 1/2 in stainless steel braid. What efficiency should I use for calculation using a double batch sparging and a dragonsmilk clone recipe. I was thinking 70%.

I also use the same cooler for a MLT with a stainless braid and batch sparge. My efficiency never goes above 65%. Perhaps due to all the extra space. I have done 90 min rests and sparged super slow and still not over 65%. Please post what you get on your clone.

Cheers!

 

[XxBeer-ThirtyxX]

So this is my recipe.

Milky Stout - American Stout (13E)
Brewer Tom Gagen
Date 02/17/2012
Batch Size 5.089 gal Boil Size 6.400 gal
Boil Time 90.000 min Efficiency 70%
OG 1.084 FG 1.021
ABV 8.2% Bitterness 33.6 IBU (Tinseth)
Color 28.3 srm (Morey) Calories (per 12 oz.) 278
Fermentables

Total grain: 16.910 lb
Name Type Amount Mashed Late Yield Color
Pale Malt (2 Row) US Grain 13.500 lb Yes No 79% 2.0 srm
Munich Malt Grain 1.500 lb Yes No 80% 9.0 srm
Chocolate Malt (US) Grain 10.560 oz Yes No 60% 350.0 srm
Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L Grain 8.000 oz Yes No 74% 80.0 srm
Caramel/Crystal Malt - 120L Grain 8.000 oz Yes No 72% 120.0 srm
White Wheat Malt Grain 4.000 oz Yes No 86% 2.0 srm
Hops

Name Alpha Amount Use Time Form IBU
Columbus/Tomahawk/Zeus 15.5% 0.750 oz Boil 60.000 min Pellet 31.4
Northern Brewer 9% 0.250 oz Boil 10.000 min Pellet 2.2
Misc

Name Type Use Amount Time
Yeast Nutrient Other Primary 1.000 tsp 0.000 s
Oak Chips Flavor Secondary 1.000 cup 0.000 s
Jim Beam Other Bottling 2.000 oz 0.000 s
Yeast

Name Type Form Amount Stage
Wyeast - American Ale Ale Liquid 0.528 cup Primary



Brewing Notes:
I mashed grainbill in with 6.4 gallons of water at 151F for about 65 minutes. Only stirred 3 times because I was worried about heat loss. First runoff was about 4.25 gallons. I then sparged with 3.25 gallons of 187F water after sitting in the tun for about 10 more minutes. So I had collected 6.5 gallons of wort and it was still draining so I filled my 5 g pot with the additional 1 gallon of runoff. I boiled 2 gallons in the kitchen and 5.5 on the 7.5g turkey fryer. I boiled it down to 5.25 gallons approximately 90minutes. Then chilled both pots in ice baths down to 80 and pitched the yeasts. I was shooting for a 1.083 Original gravity but ended up with 1.076. I neglected to take a pre-boil gravity reading but my first sparge was 1.32. Based on these numbers I think I ran about 64% efficiency on a 17lb grainbill but it's tough to say because I didn't take a preboil reading.

Notes for next time to improve efficiency
1. Slow your flow rate on sparge. I had it fully open
2. Try a second sparge.
3. Add an additivie to sparge to increase efficiency.
4. RDWHAHB

All in all it was a lot of fun and considering this my 3rd batch (1st extract, 2nd BIAB) I am really impressed with the outcome and can't wait to try this one. I am planning on letting this go 21 days in the primary before racking 4/5 of this to the secondary to age with bourbon and oak wood chips for 2 months before I bottle it with lactose and priming sugar.

Time for another beer

 

[XxBeer-ThirtyxX]

I also use the same cooler for a MLT with a stainless braid and batch sparge. My efficiency never goes above 65%. Perhaps due to all the extra space. I have done 90 min rests and sparged super slow and still not over 65%. Please post what you get on your clone.

Cheers!

As I mentioned early I think I was about 64%.

 

[mezhan]

I'd be curious to hear how this brew turned out. Was looking to do a dragonsmilk clone this weekend (all grain) and follow in your foot steps. I was going to double batch sparge to try and hit >1.080. How close to Dragonsmilk did it turn out? (huge fan of the stuff!)

I was wondering if any experienceD brewers (I've only done a few all grain) could comment to what ingredients I might change to try and increase the OG slightly to 1.083 or if maybe the double batch sparge would accomplish that.