MetalMan2004
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2013
- Messages
- 90
- Reaction score
- 8
Well I brewed my first 5 gallon batch today and it went all right. It is a Belgian wit mixed grain kit I got from the local store. I have been doing 1 gallon Brooklyn Brew reicpes for almost 2 years, so the grain mashing was not bad. It was the first time I have ever used the wort in a bag though.
The two problems I ran into were both cooling problems. I greatly underestimated the amount of ice I would need to get the wort chilled. After adding cold water to the 5 gallon mark and using all the ice I had for a cold bath, I was still at 95 degrees. I had to go to the store for ice. Here in Houston the tap water comes out at 85, so that didn't help either.
The fermenter is now in my son of a fermentation chamber, but it is clear that I need to seal it up better. I can't get down past the low 70's. It got it in the low 60's before adding the fermenter, but I guess the yeast are generating too much heat.
Over all, things were pretty easy aside from my cooling problems. Maybe 1 or 2 more partial grain recipes and I'm moving on to all grain!
The two problems I ran into were both cooling problems. I greatly underestimated the amount of ice I would need to get the wort chilled. After adding cold water to the 5 gallon mark and using all the ice I had for a cold bath, I was still at 95 degrees. I had to go to the store for ice. Here in Houston the tap water comes out at 85, so that didn't help either.
The fermenter is now in my son of a fermentation chamber, but it is clear that I need to seal it up better. I can't get down past the low 70's. It got it in the low 60's before adding the fermenter, but I guess the yeast are generating too much heat.
Over all, things were pretty easy aside from my cooling problems. Maybe 1 or 2 more partial grain recipes and I'm moving on to all grain!
