My First All Grain Batch

[mtmartin2005]

We made our first all grain batch on April 19th. We have already made 3 5 gal extract kits that haven't turned out the best, but are definitely drinkable. After reading that a lot of the extract kits were hit and miss, we decided to go all grain. We used a pale ale recipe that I found online. Bought all the ingredients from our LHBS, and got the guy to crush the grains for us since we don't have one yet. I built a mash tun from a 10 gal water cooler, and it worked great. Our OG ended up at 1.062 @ 72 F with roughly 5.25 gal. We made a yeast starter before the boil was done, following the instructions on the pack. Aerated the wort and stirred in the starter. Within 24 hrs the wort went wild. We had to take out the air lock and put a blow off tube in. The wort stayed withing 68-73 F for the first week. We lost about 0.25 gal of the wort through the blow off tube. This past Saturday we transferred the wort to the secondary and took a gravity reading. Ended up with 1.008. By my calculation we are at 7% alcohol. Tasted what was used to take a gravity reading and it tasted good except it didn't seem like there was enough hop flavor. The recipe called for 0.75 oz of northern brewer for 60 mins, and 0.75 willamette for the last 10 mins. I still have 0.25 oz of each hops that I vacuumed sealed, and was wondering if it would be a good idea to add those to the secondary this sat to help with the hop flavor? This is the first time that we have had such a low FG. Should there be anything to be concerned about? Oh, and the recipe called for a target OG of 1.052. We had over 5 gal after the boil and still at 1.062. How does that happen?

 

[mgortel]

I wouldn't do anything....let it finish. Be patient...hard to tell how it really will taste until it is finished and conditioned.

Your OG is high because you got a higher mash efficiency then the recipe assumed...therefore you extracted more sugars.

List the recipe and exactly what you did...and guys on here will be able to give you more feedback.

 

[rlonardo]

What temperature did you mash at? The lower end of the mash range results in highly fermentable sugars, which could explain the low FG.


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[mtmartin2005]

10.5 lbs 2 row malt
1.5 lbs 60L
0.5 oz black malt 500L
0.75 oz northern brewer 60 min
0.75 oz willamette 10 min

3.5 gal 170 F strike for 156 F mash for 60 min
4 gal 170 F single batch sparge

 

[mtmartin2005]

What temperature did you mash at? The lower end of the mash range results in highly fermentable sugars, which could explain the low FG.


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Mash temperature was 155-156 F. Unless my thermometer is off.

 

[rlonardo]

Also, what yeast did you use?


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[Thetonymartin]

Brew pal says that recipe is closest to being a Biére de Garde...?

 

[mtmartin2005]

Also, what yeast did you use?


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Nottingham Ale Yeast

Brew pal says that recipe is closest to being a Biére de Garde...?

Never heard of it, but did a search came up with this. Very interesting.

Bière de Garde ("beer for keeping") is a strong pale ale or keeping beer traditionally brewed in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.[1] These beers were originally brewed in farmhouses during the winter and spring, to avoid unpredictable problems with the yeast during the summertime. Farmhouse production is now supplemented by commercial production, although most Bière de Garde brewers are small businesses.

Typically, beers of this tradition are of a copper colour or golden colour, and as the name suggests the origins of this style lies in the tradition that it was matured/cellared for a period of time once bottled (and most sealed with a cork), to be consumed later in the year, akin to a Belgian Saison. Most varieties are top-fermented and unfiltered, although bottom-fermented and/or filtered versions exist. Particularly authentic products, using only regional ingredients, are entitled to use the Appellation d'origine contrôlée, "Pas de Calais/Region du Nord.[2]

 

[Thetonymartin]

""Bière de Garde ("beer for keeping") is a strong pale ale...""

I guess it is a "pale ale" of sorts. I've never had one either. My app (Brew Pal) shows it as an exact match for the BJCP style 16D. It is similar to a pale ale except higher OG gravity/ ABV and lower IBU. Your beer did finish at extra low FG, so you probably did mash at lower TEMP. than you think.
If I were you I would check your thermometer. You can check it in boiling water ( should be around 208-212°F depending on altitude), and in an ice bath (32°F).

But, in the end, you will still end up with beer.

 

[hophop]

The black malt will cover a lot of hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. But, in my opinion, the true hop flavor does not appear until it's fully conditioned. Give it time.


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[hophop]

Oops. Saw it was .5 oz. thought it said .5 lbs. never mind my first comment.


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[Thetonymartin]

Oops. Saw it was .5 oz. thought it said .5 lbs. never mind my first comment.


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I saw .5 lb at first too, and had to edit my first comment. Twice.
Cheers