First partial mash today

[Beerrific]

I succeeded in completing my first partial mash today.

I started early because the weather man said it would be raining this afternoon. I did not see a single drop, haven't in weeks even though they keep saying it is going to rain. We can put a man on the moon but can't accurately predict the weather.:cross:

I used my bottling bucket wrapped in a blanket and it worked brilliantly dropping only one degree over an hour. I manged to have everything timed well and only burnt myself once (slightly).

I ended up with a lot more boil volume than I was expecting, I think I started with nearly 4.5 gallons. But that was no problem as I am using a turkey fryer. I think my efficiency was pretty good, over 60% at least (I need a new hydrometer).

Took me nearly 30 minutes to cool the wort. Next item on the list is a wort cooler, this bathtub nonsense is getting old fast.

Only problem of the day was when I was trying to siphon through a nylon bag from the boil pot to my car boy my auto-siphon wouldn't seal and get loosing suction (beginning to think it is a POS).

In addition to my first partial mash this was the first time I made a starter for my yeast and during the mash I made 5 gallons of EdWort's apfelwein. I also added all my extract late in the boil, another first.

I am already seeing airlock activity on both (~10 hours).

Thanks too all that made today possible.

 

[HCNate]

60%, thats great! I have often wondered what sort of efficiency I am getting out of my PM system. I built the little 2 gal. cooler that was making the rounds here with the ball valve and the SS braid.

What temps were you mashing at? How many pounds of grain did you mash?

 

[Beerrific]

I mashed at 154 (I was aiming for 152, close enough). I used 5lbs of grain.

Again, I think the efficiency was 60%. My hydrometer reads water as below 1.000 (distilled, temp. corrected). The reading I took was at the mark for about 60% efficiency, so I think it s was higher.

I guess I need to get a new hydrometer.