Four Harts Ale

[Brewpastor]

Well I am getting to spent a day at the kettle! Am I lucky or what? I am brewing a pale ale, 20 gallons at about a 1.052. I am 2 hours into it and am about ready to hop. The day is screaming by and the tapped beer is tasting good. I started a bit differnetly today, and went back to an old trick I used to use. I have a huge water heater in my house and so I turned it up last night to "VERY HOT" and started the day with 150 degree water. Since I am on a well I just put it in the HLT and heated it up to 166. I Adjusted the water with some lactic acid and mashed in at a very nice 152. I have mashed for 60 minutes and then sold out to the beer gods and batch sparged. In 15 minutes the wort was in the kettle and looking good. I am now waiting for a good hot break and then I will start adding the hops. All the lines and vessels are cleaned and ready to go. I LOVE BREWING!!! I have some new lids for my fermenters that should seal much easier then my old set-up, so this is a virgin run. I will get back to you in a while.

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

I have mashed for 60 minutes and then sold out to the beer gods and batch sparged.

Another convert! Your immortal soul thanks you.

I wish I was brewing today but it's -23C in my brewery...

 

[Brewpastor]

Move to New Mexico. I will share my brewery.

 

[docbee]

Welcome to the dark side!!!

How long would it take to fly sparge a 20 gal session?

 

[Brewpastor]

Well, the proof is in the OG, so the jury is still out here. But I do like the speed.

 

[texasgeorge]

slightly.

Brewpastor... what is your water like to where you are adding lactic acid? I just got a water profile from my city and the pH here is 7.8. Obviously I need some sort of treatment to get it down.... I was considering lactic acid too but would have no idea how much to add per gallon.

Your guidance please.

 

[clayof2day]

So BP, whats the word? How did the OG come out?

And to George, what you really need to be concerned about is your residual alkalinity, not your original pH. Depending on the mineral content of the water, the natural buffers in your mash may take it right to where it needs to be. Chpt. 15 at www.howtobrew.com really helps out.