New Brewer- 2nd Brew Today, 1/21/12

[JeffoC6]

Brewing my 2nd brew today. An Everyday IPA 1-Gallon kit from BBS.

I mashed in at 160 and my plan was to mash at 1 hr at 150 degrees for the IPA. I had the hardest time trying to keep the temp at 150. I used one of those digital thermometers that you put inside of meat to test the temp. Last time I used a regular thermometer and it took forever to try and get readings. The digital thermometer was nice, but I noticed that some of my readings were 150, and some were 139!?! WTF?

Then I'd stir everything and the temps went down to about 145, but in other areas, it was 155! It was a very frustrating experience. I realize that mash temps are very important, so here are 2 questions for you...

1- What will these fluctuations ultimately do to my IPA?
2- What can I do next time to make sure this doesn't happen? How can one part of my mashing pot be 155 and the other part be 142?

Very frustrated...

 

[RandomBeerGuy]

What do you mash in?

 

[JeffoC6]

I mash in this:

 

[RandomBeerGuy]

With a lid? I take it your doing partial mashes? If your doing AG in that little pot. You would need to keep it as air tight as possible. Try having your stove on the lowest setting and see how hot it gets. Maybe you will be able to keep heat if your lowest setting stays around 156F.

 

[JeffoC6]

With a lid? I take it your doing partial mashes? If your doing AG in that little pot. You would need to keep it as air tight as possible. Try having your stove on the lowest setting and see how hot it gets. Maybe you will be able to keep heat if your lowest setting stays around 156F.

I do all grain and don't use a lid. I fill that pot up with 2-2.5 quarts of water, heat it to 160, and then add my grain. For this batch (IPA) I tried to mash at 150, but like I said in my original post, I was all over the map with my mashing temps. Is my pot too small? Is it too big? Why would certain areas read in the low 140's and other areas read as 153, 154, and even higher?

 

[beerman0001]

how much grain did you use? strike temp seems low.

 

[JeffoC6]

how much grain did you use? strike temp seems low.

The bag that came with the kit didn't say. It's a Brooklyn Brew Shop 1 Gallon kit. If I were to venture a guess, I'd say 3 pounds? Maybe more?

 

[chickypad]

I would suggest insulating better. So after stirring really well and getting everything equalized put on a lid and wrap in some towels. Or as someone suggested, if you have an oven that goes low enough put it in there. A small batch like that wouldn't have much thermal mass and I imagine would lose heat pretty quick sitting there without a lid on.

 

[brewser7]

I used a digital meat thermometer on my first extract batch and it worked fine at first then later it would jump from 160 to 190 in seconds without me changing the burner temp.. I think it's because the probe wasn't designed to be submerged in water and it got screwed up once I did. This may not be your problem, but it was mine.

 

[beerman0001]

My gf is starting to brew their stuff from their book. What I did for her was pre heat the oven then put the pot in there for an hour. You do need a lid.

 

[JeffoC6]

I'm still not really understanding what I should be doing here. Oven? Wrapping towels around it? Would anyone mind giving me some detailed instructions on how to achieve a consistent mash temp? I'm looking to brew again next Saturday and would like to make sure I've got a solution to this problem. Thank you all for your suggestions, I just need a bit more detail and "how to" process outlined.

 

[JeffoC6]

Check out the fermentation (about 21 hours in) on my IPA. Love this hobby!

 

[chickypad]

I'm still not really understanding what I should be doing here. Oven? Wrapping towels around it? Would anyone mind giving me some detailed instructions on how to achieve a consistent mash temp? I'm looking to brew again next Saturday and would like to make sure I've got a solution to this problem. Thank you all for your suggestions, I just need a bit more detail and "how to" process outlined.

Let me see if I can help. Here is what I suggest.
1) Preheat your water in your pot. Sounds like you calculated 160* strike - that does sound a little low. There are online calcuators you can use like Green Bay Rackers--Mash Calculators. It's not a bad idea to overshoot a little here - meaning aim a degree or two high.
2) Add your grain and stir really well for about 5 minutes. This is where it helps to have it a little warmer to start because you will lose a little heat stirring. You need to let the whole thing equilibrate - this is key.
3) Once you hit your target temp with no hot/cold spots, you are going to insulate it and leave it alone. Continuing to stir and check temps is only going to cause you to lose heat.
4) To insulate either A: put on a tight lid and wrap the hole pot with towels, or B: put a lid on and stick the pot in the oven. If your oven goes down to like 160 you can just leave it running. If not, preheat it to its lowest setting then turn it off before you put the pot in.

I used to do partial mashes this way (in the oven) and would only lose a degree or two over 60 min. Take good notes about your strike water temp, grain temp, etc then you can dial it in over a few batches. A degree here or there is not going to ruin your beer.

Hope that helps

 

[JeffoC6]

Let me see if I can help. Here is what I suggest.
1) Preheat your water in your pot. Sounds like you calculated 160* strike - that does sound a little low. There are online calcuators you can use like Green Bay Rackers--Mash Calculators. It's not a bad idea to overshoot a little here - meaning aim a degree or two high.
2) Add your grain and stir really well for about 5 minutes. This is where it helps to have it a little warmer to start because you will lose a little heat stirring. You need to let the whole thing equilibrate - this is key.
3) Once you hit your target temp with no hot/cold spots, you are going to insulate it and leave it alone. Continuing to stir and check temps is only going to cause you to lose heat.
4) To insulate either A: put on a tight lid and wrap the hole pot with towels, or B: put a lid on and stick the pot in the oven. If your oven goes down to like 160 you can just leave it running. If not, preheat it to its lowest setting then turn it off before you put the pot in.

I used to do partial mashes this way (in the oven) and would only lose a degree or two over 60 min. Take good notes about your strike water temp, grain temp, etc then you can dial it in over a few batches. A degree here or there is not going to ruin your beer.

Hope that helps

Some questions per your suggestions:

1) So when I made my IPA yesterday and wanted to mash at 150*, are you saying that the 160* strike that I used was too low? What would you have heated your water up to? I always preheat my water in the pot. I added 2.5 gallons and heated it to 160*, then added my grains.

2) So add grains and stir really well for about 5 minutes

3) After stirring really well and hitting my 150* temp (checking in several places throughout the pot), put on my lid and wrap in towels and just leave on the counter top?

 

[djfriesen]

When I did that Everyday IPA kit, I swear the instructions said to heat the mash water to 170°. Perhaps I'm misremembering. In my experience, monitoring temps is an exercize in futility at this scale. Check your instructions again, and then compare them to the temps and volumes a mash calculator would give you. In addition to the one linked above, this is a great resource. If they differ significantly, I would trust the mash calculator. I have used it for the last 4-5 brews I've done, and it has hit every time.

The other thing I do is, once the grain has been mixed, I put the lid on the pot, take the pot off of the heating element, and wrap it in a fleece blanket on an unused stovetop burner. I usually leave the BBS kit's thermometer sticking out between the pot and the lid, and sticking out a gap in the blanket. But once I have mixed it and confirmed the initial temp is where I want it, I don't really worry about any subsequent readings. This mainly comes from the confidence I have in that mash calculator. I know that The numbers will be close, so I don't worry about hot and cool spots so much. I have yet to be off of the expected FG reading by more than 2 or 3 points, so I'm pretty confident I'm not mashing too high for the sugars I want.

In regards to you questions:

1) Likely not much. If parts were too hot, you made a higher percentage of unfermentable sugars. However, your cooler spots made for a higher fermentable-sugar content, so they'll likely even out. Worst case scenario, you got more unfermentable sugars than you wanted and your beer will have a little more body than intended and have slightly less ABV.

2) Other than making sure your volumes and temps are correct, mixing well, insulating your mash pot, and not opening it every 10 minutes, there isn't much you can do. But, if you do all those things, I can say with some confidence that you won't have any major problems. If you are having trouble, you can do what was suggested about using the oven. Preheat it to the lowest setting it will go (mine is 175°), turn it off as you finish stirring the grain in, and put your mash pot in there for the hour, you shouldn't lose any temp at all. If anything, it might go up a degree or two.

 

[chickypad]

Some questions per your suggestions:

1) So when I made my IPA yesterday and wanted to mash at 150*, are you saying that the 160* strike that I used was too low? What would you have heated your water up to? I always preheat my water in the pot. I added 2.5 gallons and heated it to 160*, then added my grains.

2) So add grains and stir really well for about 5 minutes

3) After stirring really well and hitting my 150* temp (checking in several places throughout the pot), put on my lid and wrap in towels and just leave on the counter top?

1) It depends on your grain to water ratio and the temp of the grain to start with. Use one of the calculators that we have given you the links to. By the way, at the average mash thickness of 1.25 qt/lb your 2.5 gallons would be for about 8 lbs of grain. I don't think you have that much for a 1 gallon batch. Most folks pick something between 1-2 qts per lb of grain.

2) and 3) correct, or use the oven option that we have described.

 

[wmarkw]

Build a 5 gal MLT

 

[JeffoC6]

So my IPA has been in my primary now for about 28 hours. Man, what a vigorous fermentation! I've had to replace the blow-off tube twice so far, as the krauzen had lept up into it and stopped the bubbling in my StarSan solution. After replacing the first time, I let it go, but checked a few hours later and the hose was starting to get all crudded up again, but the StarSan was still bubbling. Just for piece of mind, I replaced that hose with a new hose again.

What happens if this goes down while I'm at work? I realize there's no way to combat this really, and just let nature take it's course, but how will I be able to go to bed tonight with the thought of another tube getting stopped up? What do you guys do?

 

[JeffoC6]

Anyone have any advise on my post above? Just looking to have piece of mind before I hit the sack tonight...Thanks

 

[GallonJugs]

Hey Jeff, I had the same kit as you, and I've put this in one of your previous threads, but I guess you didn't see it: The BBS kit has great ingredients, but really really terrible instructions. They give a lot of really bad advice, and you'd do well to ignore some of it.

In the kit they say to mash with the pot uncovered, this is truly baffling since the aim of the game is to keep a steady temperature. They also say to measure the temperature and stir every 10 mins, again, this is bad advice. When you add the grains, give it a really good stir, check the temperature, and when you get to the desired temperature, put the lid on and insulate the pot with what ever you have, a blanket towel or in a warm oven (but not on unless your oven can go as low as 150 degrees.

As far as the crazy krausen goes, well, we're doing 1 gallon batches, with not very much headspace, so unfortunately there's not much place for the blow off to go. A warmer fermentation will probably be more vigorous, but from the picture, it doesn't seem like that's the problem.

 

[JeffoC6]

Hey Jeff, I had the same kit as you, and I've put this in one of your previous threads, but I guess you didn't see it: The BBS kit has great ingredients, but really really terrible instructions. They give a lot of really bad advice, and you'd do well to ignore some of it.

In the kit they say to mash with the pot uncovered, this is truly baffling since the aim of the game is to keep a steady temperature. They also say to measure the temperature and stir every 10 mins, again, this is bad advice. When you add the grains, give it a really good stir, check the temperature, and when you get to the desired temperature, put the lid on and insulate the pot with what ever you have, a blanket towel or in a warm oven (but not on unless your oven can go as low as 150 degrees.

As far as the crazy krausen goes, well, we're doing 1 gallon batches, with not very much headspace, so unfortunately there's not much place for the blow off to go. A warmer fermentation will probably be more vigorous, but from the picture, it doesn't seem like that's the problem.

I'm going to follow the procedure you outlined above next time, GJ's. Do you literally hit your temp, turn off the heat, put on the lid, wrap in towels and put it in a warm oven (off, but warmed) and then just forget about it for the entire hour?

 

[Hang Glider]

as you gain interest in the hobby and do larger batches, you might consider what many of us do: mash in converted coolers (ice chest: coleman, igloo...). They hold the heat well. You'll need some sort of false bottom or mesh manifold connected to the drain to keep the grains separate from the wort as you drain.

 

[chickypad]

I'm going to follow the procedure you outlined above next time, GJ's. Do you literally hit your temp, turn off the heat, put on the lid, wrap in towels and put it in a warm oven (off, but warmed) and then just forget about it for the entire hour?

Don't put towels in your oven. After you hit temp you're going to EITHER put the lid on and wrap the pot in towels on your stovetop (burner off) OR put the lid on and put it in a warm oven and leave it for the hour. This is exactly what many of us do. GJ's is right, the directions to mash without the lid and stir every 10 minutes is bad advice. This is why your temps were not holding the first time.

 

[JeffoC6]

Thank you!!!!!!!

 

[JeffoC6]

Here comes another question (rather than continuing to start new threads, I'm going to post my brewing questions in my current brewing threads)...

When I brewed this IPA this past Saturday, 1/21/12, it was the first time that I had ever tried using a hydrometer (this is my second brew ever). So the night before, I practiced with some water, and then used this calculator: http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/

On my brew day, I noticed there was absolutely no mention of starting gravity in my instructions from Brooklyn Brew Shop. Once my wort cooled below 70, I put a sanitized turkey baster in and extracted a sample for my hydrometer tube. I put the hydrometer in, spun it, and recorded the gravity. Then I took a temperature reading of the wort and used the calculator (link above) to put in my numbers. My "adjusted value" came out to 1.0526. Again, I had no idea what my starting gravity is/was to be, but I took the reading anyway. However, after I strained my wort into my 1 gallon carboy, I was a little low of the 1 gallon line, and had to add some spring water to get it up to 1 gallon.

So here's my questions:

1) Is my starting gravity 1.0526? Or, did I screw up after I added the water? Should've I taken my starting gravity once the water was in and everything mixed together?

2) Why would my instructions not give me a starting gravity?

3) It's been about 12 days in the primary for my FIRST brew. Fermentation has stopped (to the naked eye). I plan on checking the gravity this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. If my gravity doesn't change on those 3 days, I can bottle, right?

Thanks!

 

[wmarkw]

I'm not using a hydrometer because I'm doing 1 gal batches. I dont want to lose any beer. I know that's a lame excuse as hydrometer readings are a big part of the brewing process. I know there are a lot of experienced brewers on here who don't take readings. I want to one day but maybe when I move up to larger batches.

I would leave your carboy for 3 weeks. Then bottle.

 

[JeffoC6]

I'm not using a hydrometer because I'm doing 1 gal batches. I dont want to lose any beer. I know that's a lame excuse as hydrometer readings are a big part of the brewing process. I know there are a lot of experienced brewers on here who don't take readings. I want to one day but maybe when I move up to larger batches.

I would leave your carboy for 3 weeks. Then bottle.

I'm kind of in the same mindset as you. I'm taking the 3 week in the primary and 3 week in bottles approach. If I do this, I'm assuming a hydrometer reading isn't really even necessary, huh?

 

[Hang Glider]

for the most part, you are correct. Most yeast is viable, and unless you pitch it into 130F wort, you'll be okay. Hydrometers are tools. Some folks use more tools than others. It DOES give you an indication of the amount of alcohol in your final batch if you have both numbers (don't want to encourage friends to share that 6% quite as 'thirstily' as a 4% batch) and it gives you an indication if your process is done or "stuck" which can and does happen once in a while.

So, no, you don't "need" a hydrometer to make beer, but it might be something you learn to appreciate along the way.

 

[chickypad]

So here's my questions:

1) Is my starting gravity 1.0526? Or, did I screw up after I added the water? Should've I taken my starting gravity once the water was in and everything mixed together?

2) Why would my instructions not give me a starting gravity?

3) It's been about 12 days in the primary for my FIRST brew. Fermentation has stopped (to the naked eye). I plan on checking the gravity this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. If my gravity doesn't change on those 3 days, I can bottle, right?

Thanks!

1) Actually this is not a bad way to do it - it's hard to get an accurate gravity reading after topping off with water. You can calculate your final gravity if you know how much spring water you added:
gravity(in ppg) before top off x volume before = gravity(in ppg) after x volume after

so if you had .75 gal before and topped off to get 1 gal you would have:
(52.6 x .75) / 1 = 39 or 1.039 SG

2) Most recipes do give you an OG estimate, but with all grain OG is dependent on your efficiency. If you know your ingredients you can calculate what you would get with 100% efficiency. An average to expect would be something like 70% of that.

3) Using a stable gravity is typically the best way, but I can see you wanting to avoid too many readings on such a small batch. Probably safe after 3 wks.