Friggin' Bees!

Netflyer · Nov 8, 2009

So today I did my first partial Mash, the weather outside was perfect - 70 degrees, no wind. I used my grill's hotplate and a 3 gallon pot for my masher. It was only a partial mash so I only had about 2.25lbs of grain, 1# maris otter and 1.25 40L crystal, anyhow I have two questions.

1. The temp in my mash tun varied throughout the layers, I was supposed to hold 158 and my top layer was about 152, my bottom layer was about 162 - oh, I should mention I used the deathbrewer method, the entire mash was in a grainbag suspended in the mash pot so there was just a slight space below the grainbag that was just wort... it was hotter than the grain.. Is this ok??

2. All friggin' day I was attacked by yellow jackets and honey bees. Well.. I batted one down into the wort... It was just at the hot break so I didn't find it until about 1/2 through the boil ;p... I know bugs are just protein but do you think the bee will poison my batch? Just one yellow jacket boiled... Hope not!

Thanks!

pilotdane · Nov 8, 2009

While brewing today a bee got caught in my glass of my home brew Rauchbier. I did not know he was there until I felt the movement on my lips. I picked him out of the beer and squeezed really hard trying to extract any brew he might have consumed.

I think your temperature difference is one problem with mashing inside a bag. It is hard to still the grain to insure even temperatures. I tried a couple that way and switched to mashing in a Rubbermaid cooler so I can really stir things up. I think your beer will be fine. You profile may be slightly off but it will still be good beer.

Netflyer · Nov 8, 2009

Wow, good catch. I had to force a buddy of mine who was not as talented and got the sting on the tongue to take a benedril last year when that happened. I brew outside most of the time and these past few weeks they have been really bad.

Do you think the layer of 162ish may have released tannins? I can deal with a mediocre conversion but tannins ... I'd rather not deal with them.

Sorry to be such a grain newbie...

Today I Christened a new kettle, did my first full boil, did my first partial mash, used a nylon grain bag, and have my fermenter in a swamp cooler. Five new things .. look what this forum has done to me? I'm outside of my comfort zone!

david_42 · Nov 9, 2009

I've had several yellow jackets in my wort over the years. Seems to be much worse in the Fall. Doesn't seem to hurt anything, just my peace of mind.

jjp36 · Nov 9, 2009

Netflyer said:
Do you think the layer of 162ish may have released tannins?

It shouldn't. I've mashed beers at 160 before with no ill effects. Not to mention you want to get the grain bed up to about 168 when sparging. You shouldn't have any problem with tannins.

Effington · Nov 9, 2009

And I got that moth in my wort after brewing this weekend. Stupid moths.

Hmm, this beer should have a nice mothy texture on my palate.

As someone mentioned, at least moths aren't venomous like bees and hornets and since they don't seem to hurt anything, I should be good. Except, of course, my peace of mind as well.