Reflections on my Fifth Brew Day

[3 Dawg Night]

Brewed 5 gallons of Zainasheff & Palmer's AG American Amber Ale from Brewing Classic Styles. Five hours from firing the strike water to clean up. Some thoughts:

1) Iodine test indicated full conversion after 60 minute mash.

2) Some brewers swear by Fermcap-S, but it's just not working for me. This is my second brew using it, and those two brews have been my only boil overs. Everything was under control until my bittering addition, and then instant boil over. I hope I didn't lose too much bitterness.

3) This was my first time using a refractometer to measure gravity. Sooooo much easier than the hydrometer.

4) I'm chilling with a 25' SS IC. I was able to go from boiling to about 100 degF in 10-15 minutes. It took another 30 minutes (plus an ice bath) to get down close to fermentation temperature. I think I'm going to have to invest in a submersible pump to recirculate ice water.

5) I'm using a 7 gal Fermonster for the first time. I really like this fermentor. With ~1.75 gal head space, I'm not even going to use a blow-off tube.

6) I use a 24" aluminum ruler to measure kettle volume. I calculated (based on the diameter of my kettle) the height associated with volume in 1 gal increments, but I think something is off in my calculations, and that may be impacting my efficiency calcuations (63% BH this go-around, down from 67% last time). I'm going to re-calibrate my ruler based on actual measurements of known volumes in my kettle.

7) This is my first time using my temperature-controlled mini-fridge fermentation chamber. I am SUPER excited about that!

In all, a good brew day. I'm still looking to improve my efficiency to somewhere north of 70%. I think I'm going to have to invest in a grain mill to get there.

Question: do boil-overs impact BH efficiency? I think the answer is yes, because you're losing some of your fermentable sugars.

 

[day_trippr]

Answer: you'd need one hella big boilover to measure the loss on your refractometer

Cheers!

 

[RM-MN]

1) Iodine test indicated full conversion after 60 minute mash.

Did you put the iodine in a drop of wort or on a small scoop of grain? The wort should always show full conversion, the grain probably not based on...

(63% BH this go-around, down from 67% last time).

With full conversion you should have had higher BH unless you left a lot of wort in the kettle as a whirlpool.

In all, a good brew day. I'm still looking to improve my efficiency to somewhere north of 70%. I think I'm going to have to invest in a grain mill to get there.

I think so too. Varying OG is often happening with LHBS milling. If you don't control the mill you don't control the efficiency.

 

[seatazzz]

1. Did that a couple times, couldn't get an accurate reading, just use refractometer now.
2. A spray bottle with water, and constant vigilance, will help you avoid boilovers. Just spray a fine mist on the top of the boil for a few minutes (your hand WILL cramp up, switch many times) and boilover avoided. You can also try ramping down the gas a bit once boil starts.
3. Refractometers are the shiznit.
4. Depending on where you are, you might want to try no-chill; I've done it a few times before I got my plate chiller, and as long as you're careful to keep nasties out, it works.
5. They are AWESOME. I have two and they get constant use.
6. If you can't afford a sight glass, what you're doing will work; just get an accurate way to measure 1/2-1 gallon (I used a milk jug for my 12g kettle) and mark appropriately. I used my dremel tool to etch markings on the inside of the kettle.
7. You will be AMAZED at the difference in your beer. And I do mean AMAZED, in all caps and bold and every way to emphasize. And being able to cold crash without moving the fermenter.

 

[AJinJacksonville]

Referencing #2: what size kettle are you using?

 

[Calder]

#2: I boil 4.25 to 4.5 gallons in a 5 gallon kettle on my stove, and never had a boil-over, or even had one that I had to take action for in the past 10 years I've been using Fermcap. Works for me.

I can get a healthy boil on my stove, but it takes time to get there, I am just about at the limit that my stove can boil. If you have a propane burner with lots of power, that could be a difference between our experiences.

 

[AJinJacksonville]

That's playing with fire Calder! Hahaha. Just joshing. Is that all-grain or extract or both? I get pretty spirited 6.5 gallons that want to foam up in my 15G keg kettle that I have to knock down. I'd be too nervous to do that inside (although I used to do it with a six gallon kettle on my stovetop when I did extract brewing.

 

[3 Dawg Night]

Did you put the iodine in a drop of wort or on a small scoop of grain? The wort should always show full conversion, the grain probably not based on...

I dropped it in wort. From what I've read, it's important to try to keep grain particles out of your sample, because they'll give false positives. My understanding is that the iodine reacts in the presence of starch, but not sugar. Also, isn't the point of the mash to extract starches from the grain, and then to convert those starches to sugars via enzymatic activity? If that's the case, then I think your statement is incorrect regarding the wort always showing full conversion. I'm relatively new to the hobby, though, so I'm open to education and correction!

With full conversion you should have had higher BH unless you left a lot of wort in the kettle as a whirlpool.

I was expecting a higher BH as well. That's why I was surprised (and disappointed) to see it regress from my last brew. I didn't whirlpool; everything in my kettle went into the fermentor, except I filtered out the hop trub by pouring through a strainer.

 

[3 Dawg Night]

2. A spray bottle with water, and constant vigilance, will help you avoid boilovers. Just spray a fine mist on the top of the boil for a few minutes (your hand WILL cramp up, switch many times) and boilover avoided. You can also try ramping down the gas a bit once boil starts.

I was ready with the spray bottle, but the boil just went crazy as soon as the hops hit the wort. I probably could have been a little more aggressive with the spraying, and I could probably taper off the gas a bit for a less vigorous boil.

4. Depending on where you are, you might want to try no-chill; I've done it a few times before I got my plate chiller, and as long as you're careful to keep nasties out, it works.

The joys of brewing in Alabama. My groundwater temp is already 76 degF. How would it work to cool my wort below maybe 100 degF, transfer to my fermentor, and then leave it in my fermentation chamber for a few hours to stabilize at pitching temperature before pitching?

6. If you can't afford a sight glass, what you're doing will work; just get an accurate way to measure 1/2-1 gallon (I used a milk jug for my 12g kettle) and mark appropriately. I used my dremel tool to etch markings on the inside of the kettle.

Would etching stainless steel cause issues?

 

[3 Dawg Night]

Referencing #2: what size kettle are you using?

I was hoping no one would ask this.

I probably shouldn't be complaining about boiling over 7 gallons of wort in an 8 gallon kettle. I'm kicking myself now for not shelling out the few extra bucks for at least 10 gallons.

 

[day_trippr]

It would be a good idea to re-passivate the kettle after mechanical etching.
4% citric acid/water solution by weight using the hottest tap water you have will do it. Follow that with a thorough rinse and air dry...

Cheers!

 

[3 Dawg Night]

If you have a propane burner with lots of power, that could be a difference between our experiences.

Yep, propane. I'm going to dial it back for my next brew.

 

[3 Dawg Night]

By the way, thanks to everyone for the comments, critiques, discussion, and encouragement! This is exactly what I was hoping to get out of this thread!

 

[seatazzz]

The joys of brewing in Alabama. My groundwater temp is already 76 degF. How would it work to cool my wort below maybe 100 degF, transfer to my fermentor, and then leave it in my fermentation chamber for a few hours to stabilize at pitching temperature before pitching?

That would work just fine! As long as the wort is around 100 you should be fine; any hotter than 120 and you risk distorting the plastic. I put boiling hot wort in my old Mr Beer keg thing once...hence, exit Mr Beer keg thing. Morebeer says Fermonsters are okay up to 140 but I wouldn't go that hot.

 

[RM-MN]

I dropped it in wort. From what I've read, it's important to try to keep grain particles out of your sample, because they'll give false positives. My understanding is that the iodine reacts in the presence of starch, but not sugar. Also, isn't the point of the mash to extract starches from the grain, and then to convert those starches to sugars via enzymatic activity? If that's the case, then I think your statement is incorrect regarding the wort always showing full conversion. I'm relatively new to the hobby, though, so I'm open to education and correction!

Not a false positive, that is when it shows a positive when there is nothing to show. I may be wrong but I think that the conversion happens in the grain and the sugars produced are then dissolved into the water to produce wort. I mill my grains super fine (which I can do with BIAB) and the iodine test on the grain shows no starches left. This then is full conversion. You won't get that with grains that are milled at the LHBS and you won't be able to drain the mash tun in a conventional system as the tiny particles will plug up the false bottom or go directly through and end up in the boil kettle.


I was expecting a higher BH as well. That's why I was surprised (and disappointed) to see it regress from my last brew. I didn't whirlpool; everything in my kettle went into the fermentor, except I filtered out the hop trub by pouring through a strainer.

Your mash efficiency is mostly controlled by the quality of the milling. Unless you own the mill, you get the results that are set by someone else.

I was ready with the spray bottle, but the boil just went crazy as soon as the hops hit the wort. I probably could have been a little more aggressive with the spraying, and I could probably taper off the gas a bit for a less vigorous boil.

I watch very closely and turn the heat down as the temperature approaches boil. Then I use a wire whisk to knock down the foam and then wait a bit after the boil starts before adding hops as that seems to start a new bit of foam. Drop them in slowly helps too. Like Calder mentions, I play with fire on the boil-over too. The last few batches I have the boil kettle filled to within half an inch of the top when the boil starts.

Make sure to click to expand on the first quotation. I added commentary in there.

 

[3 Dawg Night]

Not a false positive, that is when it shows a positive when there is nothing to show. I may be wrong but I think that the conversion happens in the grain and the sugars produced are then dissolved into the water to produce wort. I mill my grains super fine (which I can do with BIAB) and the iodine test on the grain shows no starches left. This then is full conversion.

The way I understand it, the iodine reacts with starch to turn black. It's naturally amber-yellow in the absence of starch, so a false positive would be where the iodine turns black when there's no starch present in the mash liquid. My guess is that the grain retains some starches, and any grain particles in the sample may cause the iodine to turn black, even if the actual mash liquid has experienced full conversion (i.e., all the starches in the liquid have been converted into sugars by the enzymatic activity).

I need to do some more research on this subject.

 

[3 Dawg Night]

I was browsing through Bulosophy today, and I came across the claim that using first wort hops instead of a 60-minute bittering addition can "eliminate the volcanic eruption that often occurs when adding the first dose of hops to boiling wort." Anyone have any experience with this? I may try it next time to try to see if it helps avoid a boil-over like today.

 

[The M]

I was just about to suggest you that you could try FWH. I often do my big bittering addition (60min hop addition) with FWH and found it to produce smoother kick to the overall bitterness. I've never experienced boilover, not even back in the days when I used to add 60min hop additions when the boil started. I recommend that you give FWH a go. Might be the technique you prefer even that you didn't get the 10gal kettle

 

[RM-MN]

I was browsing through Bulosophy today, and I came across the claim that using first wort hops instead of a 60-minute bittering addition can "eliminate the volcanic eruption that often occurs when adding the first dose of hops to boiling wort." Anyone have any experience with this? I may try it next time to try to see if it helps avoid a boil-over like today.

I tried first wort hopping. It was the only time I couldn't control the foaming at the start of the boil and caused my only boil over. I now just add the hops slowly and after the boil has started when I have the foam under control. I've begun being adventuresome and now fill my boil pot to within 1/2 inch of the top and still am able to control the foaming by stirring it down with a whisk.

 

[Brewmasher]

Anti foam drops is liquid gold, especially when pushing your equipment to the limit. You can add it to the fermenter to prevent foam overs during fermentation or oxygenation As well. I use the stuff religiously as I often brew indoors. I never have any head retention issues.

 

[3 Dawg Night]

Bottling day update:

I bottled this beer yesterday after 18 days in primary. I started fermentation at 67degF, and once the airlock activity slowed down (~day 4), I gradually (over about 2.5 days) bumped the temperature up to 75degF. I collected an FG sample, and this is my first beer hitting my OG & FG numbers spot on. The sample tasted hella-good! @seatazzz was right about being amazed at the difference solid temperature control makes! I am super-stoked to try this one all carbed-up in a few weeks!

I fully-filled 48 bottles, and I had one partially-filled bottle at the end. I'm still trying to find a good balance between maximizing beer into the bottling bucket and minimizing trub into the bottling bucket.

The Fermonster is awesome! Cleanup was a cinch, because I can reach all the way to the bottom and along the "shoulder" to clean it with PBW and a washcloth. My only problem with the Fermonster is that the lid was a bear to get off. I finally got it, but I'm definitely ordering a lid tool before my next brew day.

I knew it was only a matter of time, but I finally made the mistake of filling a vessel with the valve open. Fortunately, I was just pouring StarSan mixture into my bottling bucket, but I had wet feet before I realized it. One of my Dad's favorite sayings is: "It costs to get a good education." Hopefully my feet will help me to remember to check valves before filling vessels from now on.