I'm Taking the Plunge, Too!

[Rhoobarb]

Well, I have my first AG under my belt! I began at noon and was done by 6:45pm. I took pictures along the way and may link them separately to my webpage in a day or two. It would have gone quicker, but a couple of things happened:

I didn't hit my target mash temperature of 155oF. I heated the water to 160oF and when I put it in the mash tun, it stayed at a constant 145oF So, I decided to let it go for 90 mins. instead of 60 mins. I don't know if that was smart or not, it just seemed like a good idea at the time. At least I know the cooler / mush tun works great at holding a temperature! So, next time, I'll heat the water to ~170 - 175oF.

I had trouble recirculating at first. It turned out that during stirring the manifold I made had come loose from the connecction to the spigot. The spigot had gotten clogged with grain, so I had to dump everything into my boil pot, fix the manifold, then dump it back in. After that, things went fine, but I'm sure that didn't help matters at all! The manifold fix will be easy. I'm also thinking about a stainless steel screen at the bottom in addition to the manifold.

Other than that, things went fine. Once you get past the additional steps of mashing and sparging, the rest is the same as doing an extract batch, only on a bigger scale. Having a couple of homebrews along the way helped, too!

The BarleyCrusher rocks! Dyer, I had to put the cordless drill on the highest torque setting, but it turned The BarleyCrusher handle easily and I never had to change out the battery. It raced through the 10-1/4 lbs. of grain in less than two minutes! And upping the sparge water volume to five gallons as Sudster and Orrelse suggested was a smart move. At the end of the 90 min. boil, I ended up with about 5-1/2 gallons in the primary! The beer has a nice straw golden color. QBrew predicted an OG of 1.056; my OG was 1.050

Thanks to everyone here who offered advice and/or encourgement! I'm glad I did this 'first run' outdoors. I had the garden hose nearby to help during the mini disasters and it gave me room to spread out. It would have been a little tougher to do in the garage. I want to do at least a couple more sessions outdoors before Fall and Winter come, forcing me to the garage.

It was near 90oF outside yesterday and I got plenty of sun. By the time I was done, I was sweaty and pooped! Took a shower, ordered a pizza and was in bed by 10:30pm!

 

[user 574]

I didn't hit my target mash temperature of 155oF. I heated the water to 160oF and when I put it in the mash tun, it stayed at a constant 145oF So, I decided to let it go for 90 mins. instead of 60 mins. I don't know if that was smart or not, it just seemed like a good idea at the time. At least I know the cooler / mush tun works great at holding a temperature! So, next time, I'll heat the water to ~170 - 175oF.

When I went to my AG class he told us how to hit your desired temp. 1st off you have about 5m before you're to let it rest so you got some play time. Basically, have some hotter water (I keep near boiling water ready) and some ice cold water on hand. In your instance you'd add some (1q?) hotter water while stirring and recheck your temp. If your going for a 1.25 ratio add a 1:1 ratio initially and check. If on target add the rest of the strike water or your hotter/colder water. You'd still have plenty of liq with your initial 1:1 as it hasn't absorbed the h20 yet. My two AG's under the belt with this method I've hit exact temps both times.

 

[Sir Sudster]

I didn't hit my target mash temperature of 155oF. I heated the water to 160oF and when I put it in the mash tun, it stayed at a constant 145oF So, I decided to let it go for 90 mins. instead of 60 mins. I don't know if that was smart or not, it just seemed like a good idea at the time. At least I know the cooler / mush tun works great at holding a temperature! So, next time, I'll heat the water to ~170 - 175oF.

Congrats Rhoobarb!

Just remember your strike water temperature will be based on the number of pounds of grain, water to grain ratio(quarts/pounds), grain temp and mash tun temp.

Aint it great!

 

[Rhoobarb]

Congrats Rhoobarb!

Just remember your strike water temperature will be based on the number of pounds of grain, water to grain ratio(quarts/pounds), grain temp and mash tun temp.

Aint it great!

Yes it is! Good point on the strike water temperature being based on the number of pounds of grain. I really should have stated that I would use the same amount of water, but heat it higher, when I do this recipe again.

And I will! I had a couple of sips of the sample I took at OG. It is bitter - maybe even harsh. But I just bottled a Red that had the same bitterness at OG. I tasted it at bottling time and was great even before carbonation!

I just posted a pictorial update of my first brew day yesterday. Click here to view it!

 

[SwAMi75]

Well, my strike temp was 175 and I mashed at 160. Your experience was just opposite of mine, but hey, it's done!

Today was supposed to be my second AG batch, but I wound up putting up a singset all day, so it didn't happen.

Congrats, man!

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

Congrats Rhoobarb!

Just remember your strike water temperature will be based on the number of pounds of grain, water to grain ratio(quarts/pounds), grain temp and mash tun temp.

Aint it great!

rhoobarb, i go by a calculation i got from an article by Ray Daniels (wrote Designing Great Beers) on All About Beer's web page (http://www.allaboutbeer.com/homebrew/water.html). It has been working great for me, and I 've been getting 5.5 g in my primary (each system will vary some). My sparge times usualy run between 75 - 90 minutes w/ the amounts of water used. you'll want to be careful of over sparging also. it'll lend to undesirable off flavors in the brew. Most people I know use 1.33 quarts of water per pound of grain for mash water, at about 170 degrees. they sparge for 90 minutes or until the run-off reaches a ph of 5.8.

the resulting mash temp is dependent on the style of brew your making. stouts have higher mash temps, for more body, or lower strike temp for less body for say, a Kolsch or Pilz . it may be so that the temp is relevant to the # of grains, but i've never heard or read that before if so, i'd like some info on that.........always looking for more info

 

[cygnus128]

it may be so that the temp is relevant to the # of grains, but i've never heard or read that before if so, i'd like some info on that.........always looking for more info

if you think about it (granted i am not an ag brewer...yet) both the quantity AND temperature of the grains being added should make a different in the temperature needed for strike water. the situation is analogous to adding a hot coal or cold ice pack to the strike water. the combination of the two components causes the warmer to give some of its heat to the cooler until the two reach equilibrium. the more heat or larger volume of the warmer substance (relative to the volume of the cooler) the higher the equilibrium temp. will be.

 

[Born Brewing Co.]

Nice job!!! Cool pics on your webpage

 

[Sir Sudster]

.. it may be so that the temp is relevant to the # of grains, but i've never heard or read that before if so, i'd like some info on that.........always looking for more info

The best advise I can give is for you to get a copy Of ProMash. It has all the strike water calculations. You enter in the grain to water ratio you want and the strike temp you are trying to achieve and it will tell you the rest. Since I
bought it I have hit volumes exactly where I want them. I am almost there with strike temps. But the weather keeps changing

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

i've been using ProMash for a while, but don't use the water calculations part. i'm sure it works great though.... just my habit i guess? i'll give it a whirl on my next batch!

 

[Rhoobarb]

rhoobarb, i go by a calculation i got from an article by Ray Daniels (wrote Designing Great Beers) on All About Beer's web page (http://www.allaboutbeer.com/homebrew/water.html). ...

Thanks for the link! That's really helpful. I printed the page out and will put in in my 'brew bible'. Thanks everybody!

 

[Rhoobarb]

Well, I just racked this 1st AG to secondary. It will have a nice, fourteen day rest there before bottling. The OG was 1.050 and the SG right now is 1.006 - ~6.1% ABV!. The initial harsh flavor that I attributed to the hops has mellowed a bit. But now there is just a bit of an alcohol 'bite'. All in all, I think this will turn out very nice!

I'm an affirmed AG'er from here on out! In fact, ORRELSE was kind enough to share the AG version of his Lake Walk Pale Ale recipe and that is what I wil be brewing this Saturday!

Thanks to everyone. And if I can do it, so can you!

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

it's a good feeling hu rhoobarb? i went to my HBC meeting last night, and it's cool when people appreciate the efforts we put into brewing our beers. it's feels even better when they come back and ask for more!


i'm getting my new keg tier sytsem built by our club blacksmith, and got a chance to look at one last night. man, are they SWEEEETTTTT! http://groups.msn.com/gthc
check our web page for pics of the systems..........

 

[Rhoobarb]

Man, those are some sweet set-ups! Maybe, someday...

Hey, I see John McKissack's name there. If I'm not mistaken, I believe I've seen him posting to rec.crafts.brewing from time to time. Seems he's done pretty well for himself in some recent homebrew competitions!

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

yep, that's the same one. he's only been brewing for 7-8 months too. he went off full blast into it. he and some of the other members have been entering beers and doing pretty good. our club patriarc is Dean Domec. he won National Homebrewer of the Year a couple years ago. lots of brewing knowledge from those guys......
i drop off my kegs today and gonna see what he's got done so far. feel like a kid in a candy store!!!!!

 

[Rhoobarb]

yep, that's the same one. he's only been brewing for 7-8 months too. he went off full blast into it. he and some of the other members have been entering beers and doing pretty good. our club patriarc is Dean Domec. he won National Homebrewer of the Year a couple years ago. lots of brewing knowledge from those guys......
i drop off my kegs today and gonna see what he's got done so far. feel like a kid in a candy store!!!!!

Very cool. Man, I love Houston. If I ever get back there, I'd love to hit St. Arnold's.

My grandparents lived there when I was a kid and my sister and I spent many summers there eating Shipley's Donuts (the best! - blows Krispy Kreme's away, IMHO... and I like Krispy Kreme's). My parents have been living in Richmond for the last 18 years.

They just sold their place and moved to Austin. I was born there and my dad was born and raised there. He went to UT, married Mom, got a job with Amoco and eventually moved us to Chicago.

So now, I'm gonna have to find good Austin-based breweries!

 

[Rhoobarb]

I checked out The Barleycrusher website. Pretty cool, but $109, yikes. I am hoping the grain mill I get on ebay for $20 will do the job, simple hopper and adjustable plate grinder (similar to the one I use at HBS). Let us know how that Barleycrusher works for you, maybe I'll upgrade.

Worth every penny! Is it the most expensive, single brewing-related item I've ever purchased? Yes, hands down. But this thing looks like it will outlast and outlive me! And attaching a standard 3/8" drill to it is ridiculously easy and makes milling an absolute breeze. I can go through 9 lbs. of grain in less than two minutes!

In fact, the act of attaching the drill motor, loading the hopper twice and then detaching the drill motor takes me much longer than the actual milling itself!

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

Very cool. Man, I love Houston. If I ever get back there, I'd love to hit St. Arnold's.

My grandparents lived there when I was a kid and my sister and I spent many summers there eating Shipley's Donuts (the best! - blows Krispy Kreme's away, IMHO... and I like Krispy Kreme's). My parents have been living in Richmond for the last 18 years.

They just sold their place and moved to Austin. I was born there and my dad was born and raised there. He went to UT, married Mom, got a job with Amoco and eventually moved us to Chicago.

So now, I'm gonna have to find good Austin-based breweries!

A T-SIPPER! OH MAN, WE ARE ALL AGGIES @ MY HOUSE!!!

my uncle coached at Texas A&M under Jackie "Hush Money" Sherrill and my brother and ex-wife graduated from there. oh well, i'll let that slide

get a pen 'cause here are the ones i know of in Austin:
Live Oak Brewery (very good beer, only on draft as of now)
North By Northwest (brew-pub, very good beer and food)
Bitter End Bistro and Brewery (good beer, never had food.)
Lovejoys (brew pub, mostly Belgian style brews, not too crazy about 'em)
Independence Brewing Co. (brewery, not too crazy about 'em)
Real Ale Brewing Company Blanco, TX (brewery, awesome beers!)
Fredericksburg Brewery, Fredericksburg, TX (brew pub, good German style brews and food)

there's one or two others, but can't remember them off the top of my head.
Shipley's are PDG! great apple fritters!!!!

we go pretty regular to Austin or that area of the Hill Country. going to Wimberely next weekend for a long weekend. hit some wineries and Real Ale in Blanco while there too. let me know next time, and if we're there, we'll have a brew or two!!

 

[El Pistolero]

A T-SIPPER! OH MAN, WE ARE ALL AGGIES @ MY HOUSE!!!

we go pretty regular to Austin or that area of the Hill Country. going to Wimberely next weekend for a long weekend. hit some wineries and Real Ale in Blanco while there too. let me know next time, and if we're there, we'll have a brew or two!!

I keep hearing Austin is a nice place and I should go visit there, but isn't everything that puke orange color?

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

I keep hearing Austin is a nice place and I should go visit there, but isn't everything that puke orange color?

WHOOP! (sorry, old rivalries run deep and bitter!) hehehehehehehe......
i like you El Pistolero!
Austin is a cool town with the music, food, landscape, and brews.........

 

[El Pistolero]

Austin is a cool town with the music, food, landscape, and brews.........

Yeh, as much as I hate to admit it, Austin is probably the best place in the country to live. The music scene is comparable to Chicago and the west coast, several of the top ten bbq places within 30 miles, any kind of fishing you want within a half day, pro sports also, beautiful country, and a college town to boot. If only they had a football team

 

[Sir Sudster]

Now them is fightin words... Bubba...go get a rope!

 

[El Pistolero]

Now them is fightin words... Bubba...go get a rope!

Which ones:

1) Puke Orange color
2) If they only had a football team
3) Best place in the country to live

My guess is you're PO'd about #3, cuz you want to keep the population down

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

Yeh, as much as I hate to admit it, Austin is probably the best place in the country to live. The music scene is comparable to Chicago and the west coast, several of the top ten bbq places within 30 miles, any kind of fishing you want within a half day, pro sports also, beautiful country, and a college town to boot. If only they had a football team

all true, all true. the yhave two football teams to watch:1.) Houston Texans and 2.) FIGHT'N TEXAS AGGIES!

 

[Sir Sudster]

Usually I don't mind a bitter taste in my mouth but this hurts fellas

 

[Rhoobarb]

... my uncle coached at Texas A&M under Jackie "Hush Money" Sherrill...

Or as we used to call him (strung together as if all one word) CheatinJackieSherrill? Wow, there's a name I haven't heard in awhile.

Okay, quick Aggie joke: Two Aggies walk out of a bar. Hey, it could happen!

Live Oak Brewery - heard of this place, would love to go there

Bitter End Bistro and Brewery - I have a glass from there that my parents gave me. Never been.

Lovejoys - seen their ads somewhere before. Never been.

All the others are new names to me, although I think you have mentioned Real Ale Brewing Company in Blanco here before.


Beer & apple fritters - what could be better?!

... let me know next time, and if we're there, we'll have a brew or two!!

I'll certainy post a heads up here, since there seemed to be a lot of Texans here!

 

[El Pistolero]

I'll certainy post a heads up here, since there seemed to be a lot of Texans here!

When you come could you stop off in Champaign and pick me up a pie or two from Papa Del's? Thanks...I appreciate it

 

[Sir Sudster]

Lovejoys - seen their ads somewhere before. Never been.

Hey Rhoobard, this is the place to go for some good suds. If your ever in Austin stop by ...they have some really good beers.

The Bitter End is not too bad either but a little hyped.

 

[Rhoobarb]

Well, six weeks after brewing and 16 days after bottling, I had a chilled bottle of this '1st AG'. This ale turned out very, very well. It has a clear, light copper color, nice head and a slightly sweet taste. When I brew it again (and I will), I will likely up the hops just a wee bit.

All in all, I am very happy with this. I can really see the advantages of AG brewing. This is, by far, the smoothest, cleanest, least harsh and most (for lack of any other term) delicate ale I've ever brewed.

I'm glad I went AG, but also glad I waited until my extract brews became very tasty, and I had done my homework. Homework in the form of asking the advice of you wonderful people, reading BYO, reading Palmer's How To Brew, etc.

If I can do it... anyone can!

Cheers!