Need help with 2nd AG

[jondavis08]

Ok, so I'm on my 2nd batch of AG(first was a cluster F***) and I want to make sure I'm maximizing my equipment and following a good practice. Let me start with my grain bill for the Belgium IPA I'm brewing:

8 LBS Pilsner(2 Row) Belgium
1.8 lbs Wheat Malt
8 oZ Cara-20
4 OZ Acidulated Malt

My equipment is:

10 Gal HLT Rubermaid Cooler, with a sprage arm
10 Gal Mash turn Home Depot Cooler

I'm having a little trouble setting up my Mash profile on beer Smith. If I was to use this set up above what profile would be a best fit for me. Also according to my grain bill what do you think the right amount of Mash water and strike water should be.

Hope that makes sense and I really appreciate the help!

 

[jondavis08]

Any ideas? Brewing tomorrow

 

[Yooper]

Any ideas? Brewing tomorrow

I'm just not sure I understand the question, but I drink you know.

I'm around all evening, so I'm available. What is it that you need some help with?

 

[jondavis08]

Haha may have even confused myself. Really what I'm looking for is the correct amount of strike water for the recipe/temp and the same for doing fly sparing.

Also Im using beer smith for the first time and trying to set up my profile. I currently have my mash set up as single infusion with medium body. With that my sparge water temp is 202f. That seems high.

Thanks From a Fellow Michigander

 

[Yooper]

I generally use 1.25-1.5 quarts of water per pound of grain in the mash.

So, for your mash, with 10.55 pounds of grain, I'd say to use 13-15 quarts of strike water. If you aren't sure you will hit your mash temp, you could go with the 13 quart amount, and keep 2 quarts of boiling water on hand in case you miss the target mash temp.

The grain should absorb about .125 gallons/pound, so figure 1.3 gallons for absorption.

If you start with 14 quarts (for the ease of my math!) which is 3.5 gallons, and the grain bed absorbs 1.3 gallons, that means 2.2 gallons out of the mash. So you'd need to sparge up to your boil volume, So, figure 4.3 gallons of sparge water if your boil volume is 6.5 gallons.

For Beersmith, there should be an equipment setting for "10 gallon cooler MLT" so choose that one, it's pretty close. And then adjust the amount to whatever your desired boil volume is- 6.5 gallons is a pretty safe bet.

I hope that helps! If not, let me know and I can email you a beersmith file so you can see the equipment setup for a certain recipe.

 

[jondavis08]

Very helpful, thanks for your help!

Brew went well but my OG reading was pretty low. Typically if the OG was low what process could cause this?

 

[Glynn]

low extraction of fermentable sugars from your mash. did you fly sparge like your were planing if so how long did it take. typically when you fly sparge you want to go slowly

 

[jondavis08]

I thought it was slow but could be slower. First time fly sparing but learning! Was a little confused on the temp as well. Beer smith had me sparing at 202 F but I was under the impression that going above 170 would release tannins.