Eskimo Spy
Well-Known Member
Okay, I'm getting ready to do my first AG brew very soon. To prepare, I've read and re-read this site, John Palmer's book, HB for Dummies, watched the Basic Brewing video, and then wrote down my step-by-step process. Please give it a look, and let me know if I've missed anything obvious. Thanks!
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Equipment
Mash/Lauter Tun – I plan to use a round 10-gallon cooler with a ball valve and a stainless steel braid.
Large Brew Pot – I will be using a 10-gallon stainless steel pot to do my boils for 5-gallon batches.
Propane Burner
Chiller – I will be using an immersion chiller.
Water Volume
I want a boil volume of 7 gallons.
There will be .1 to .2 gallons water lost per lb. of grain, and I figure at least .5 gallons lost to dead space in the MLT. That means I need roughly 8.5 to 9 gallons of water to get to a target of 7 gallons for my boil, of which roughly 1.8 gallons will boil off, leaving me with 5.2 gallons once the boil is done.
Step-by Step All Grain Brewing
Mash - Infusion
• My target for my first AG batch is a mash temp of ~ 150°F.
• I will use 1 quart of water per pound of grain.
• I will use BeerSmith to determine my strike water temperature.
1. Preheat my MLT for 10 minutes
2. Empty the MLT, pour in strike water.
3. Check the temperature
4. Slowly add in the base malts then the specialty grains, stirring while adding to avoid dough balls
5. Check temperature again to see if I’m near (+- 2°F ) my target temperature.
6. If not, add cool or hot water to get to within +- 2°F of target.
7. If it is within my range, close the lid on the MLT and wait 60 minutes.
8. Check for conversion. -- *Okay, question; How do I know when the conversion is complete? How can I check this?*
Lautering – Vorlauf
1. Open the ball valve slowly, letting it run into glass container.
2. Watch for husks and material, closing the ball valve after about 3-4 cups has run out.
3. Return the liquid to the MLT, pouring along the side to avoid disturbing the grain bed.
4. Repeat 1-3 until you don’t see husks and other material in the hose.
5. Once clear, rack into your brew pot slowly.
6. Put the brew pot on the propane burner.
How to Determine the Volume of Sparge Water
• Calculate how much water you’ve put into the mash, then subtract .1 gallon per pound of grain
• Subtract whatever water will be left in the dead space of the bottom of the MLT
(~ .5 gallons)
• Subtract this number from volume you want to boil (7 gallons)
This will be your sparge volume.
Sparging – Batch
1. Heat my sparge water to 170°F.
2. Make sure the spigot is closed!
3. Pour in the sparge water. At this point, I am not worried about disturbing the grain bed, as I’m going to make a new one now.
4. Wait for things to settle.
5. Vorlauf again, until clear, same steps as before.
6. Rack to brew pot once clear.
From this point, proceed as I normally would with an extract batch.
----------
Equipment
Mash/Lauter Tun – I plan to use a round 10-gallon cooler with a ball valve and a stainless steel braid.
Large Brew Pot – I will be using a 10-gallon stainless steel pot to do my boils for 5-gallon batches.
Propane Burner
Chiller – I will be using an immersion chiller.
Water Volume
I want a boil volume of 7 gallons.
There will be .1 to .2 gallons water lost per lb. of grain, and I figure at least .5 gallons lost to dead space in the MLT. That means I need roughly 8.5 to 9 gallons of water to get to a target of 7 gallons for my boil, of which roughly 1.8 gallons will boil off, leaving me with 5.2 gallons once the boil is done.
Step-by Step All Grain Brewing
Mash - Infusion
• My target for my first AG batch is a mash temp of ~ 150°F.
• I will use 1 quart of water per pound of grain.
• I will use BeerSmith to determine my strike water temperature.
1. Preheat my MLT for 10 minutes
2. Empty the MLT, pour in strike water.
3. Check the temperature
4. Slowly add in the base malts then the specialty grains, stirring while adding to avoid dough balls
5. Check temperature again to see if I’m near (+- 2°F ) my target temperature.
6. If not, add cool or hot water to get to within +- 2°F of target.
7. If it is within my range, close the lid on the MLT and wait 60 minutes.
8. Check for conversion. -- *Okay, question; How do I know when the conversion is complete? How can I check this?*
Lautering – Vorlauf
1. Open the ball valve slowly, letting it run into glass container.
2. Watch for husks and material, closing the ball valve after about 3-4 cups has run out.
3. Return the liquid to the MLT, pouring along the side to avoid disturbing the grain bed.
4. Repeat 1-3 until you don’t see husks and other material in the hose.
5. Once clear, rack into your brew pot slowly.
6. Put the brew pot on the propane burner.
How to Determine the Volume of Sparge Water
• Calculate how much water you’ve put into the mash, then subtract .1 gallon per pound of grain
• Subtract whatever water will be left in the dead space of the bottom of the MLT
(~ .5 gallons)
• Subtract this number from volume you want to boil (7 gallons)
This will be your sparge volume.
Sparging – Batch
1. Heat my sparge water to 170°F.
2. Make sure the spigot is closed!
3. Pour in the sparge water. At this point, I am not worried about disturbing the grain bed, as I’m going to make a new one now.
4. Wait for things to settle.
5. Vorlauf again, until clear, same steps as before.
6. Rack to brew pot once clear.
From this point, proceed as I normally would with an extract batch.