just got a new all grain set up...now what????

[stephenhawking]

i just finished my new all grain set up

-ten gallon igloo hot water tank
-ten gallon igloo mash tun
-fifteen gallon stainless steel kettle
what should i do to prepare for my first brew day on my new set up?
thanks in advance friends

 

[Bonch]

Do a practice run without ingredients and see how well you can raise and lower temperatures in each vessel. Get a feel how things respond and how you can manipulate your control. Enjoy some time outside with your significant other and drink a homebrew while practicing. You will be cussing when you do it if you dont practice. So make use of the time while waiting to get a feel for you system.

 

[marcycaulkins]

When mashing, always have boiling water and cold water on hand to adjust your mash temp.

And don't worry, relax, and have a homebrew.

 

[sudbuster]

i just finished my new all grain set up

-ten gallon igloo hot water tank
-ten gallon igloo mash tun
-fifteen gallon stainless steel kettle
what should i do to prepare for my first brew day on my new set up?
thanks in advance friends

Well, sonny, you have an unusual system. For someone that procured the name of America's most reviered scientists, I would expect better. You have a 5 gal system with no way of adjusting sparge temperature. Suggestion: 15 gal ss HLT, either electric or propane. That way you could do 10 gal batches...

 

[KevinW]

Do a practice run without ingredients and see how well you can raise and lower temperatures in each vessel. Get a feel how things respond and how you can manipulate your control. Enjoy some time outside with your significant other and drink a homebrew while practicing. You will be cussing when you do it if you dont practice. So make use of the time while waiting to get a feel for you system.

+++1 on this!

Also, look for a clone recipe of your favorite beer (if you can find one) so once you get to brewing you will have some form of reference!
I did a lot of reading "How to Brew" and online plus several videos on Youtube!

Watch your temps, your times, your sanitation and 3 weeks in primary 3 weeks in bottle then enjoy!

This of course is just some of my thoughts!

Good luck and welcom to the obsession

 

[Marsdude]

You have a 5 gal system with no way of adjusting sparge temperature. Suggestion: 15 gal ss HLT, either electric or propane. That way you could do 10 gal batches...

OK, I am very new at AG with just one batch under my belt so help me understand why you indicated this is just a 5 gal system? It seems to me that the limiting factor here is the 10 gal HLT, but couldn't you just add more water to the HLT to heat up for sparge during the mashing?

 

[rico567]

I never practiced when going AG.....but OTOH......may be a good idea.

What I had going for me were:

1. I brewed extract for 18 months; while it is different from AG, it allows for learning many elements of brewing like cleaning, sanitation, temperature control, etc.

2. I assisted at an AG brew session conducted by my son as the master brewer. This enabled me to see the utility in things like propane burners, refractometers, etc.

3. I read Palmer's sections on AG brewing. Three times.

Yeah, I still hit my OG on my first batch a bit low, but a little weak beer is a cheap lesson. Did the same thing when I put together a mill and started crushing my own; dialed in the crush, and things have been smooth sailing since.