So my fourth batch of beer and things did not go well...
First my strike temperature got away from me by 10 degrees. Didn't feel like waiting around so added the grain and just stirred constantly without insulation until my temperature dropped to 153 deg. Wrapped up and continued on.
Seconds my partner in crime (12 year old daughter) ditches me to play at a friends house. She did stick around long enough to stir the 5 pounds of grain into the bag while I poured (BIAB).
Third, my final reading on the mash came in at 168 deg. This was very odd. I stir every 15 minutes and turn the heat on for about 30 seconds just to "re-insulate" the bottom (glass stove top). I thought to myself, oh well, it will be like sparging and that I must've left the heat on too long (153: initial, 151.5: 15 minutes, 151.0: 30 minutes, 150.0: 45 minutes, 168.0: final).
Sparged, pressed/drained and did my 45 minutes boil. That went well.
Fourth, couldn't cool my wort easily. Didn't have enough ice. The ice maker was flipped up (off). Looted as many cold packs as I could find. After messing around with this for way too long, I finally conceded to pitch at 78 deg F. I was tired of this by this point. I think this was my biggest mistake. During this time is also where I discovered my thermometer was whack. That probably explains the 168 above. Switched out with the thermometer that I use for truffles,
Poured into the fermenting bucket and pitched my starter and sent to my 64 deg basement.
This was my first shot at harvesting yeast. I reused a Scotch Ale 1728 (OG 1.090 -> FG 1.023). So this is the first of possible "more wrong to come". Either not very viable yeast or not enough of a starter.
Daughter had already named this beer, "Blue Bird." I felt obligated to add something of that nature. I added 100 grams of blue berries pureed with 1/2 cup of water with 5 minutes left in the boil. I am thinking that this might be more wrong to come also. Oh well. I was thinking that this was so little that hopefully it doesn't do much to the taste and is in the spirit of the name only.
Finally, Brewer's_Friend said this should have been 1.052 at 70%. I came in at 1.062. That would be like 90%. Not sure what I screwed up here or if I just really came out that efficient.
2.75 Gallons in the fermenting bucket.
3.75 lbs Golden Promise
1.00 lbs Maris Otter
0.25 lbs Belgian Aromatic
37.65 IBUs of hops (nothing special just using left over stuff)
100 grams of blended fresh blueberries
yeast nutrient and whirlfloc
Washed and harvested Scotch Ale yeast 1728.
First my strike temperature got away from me by 10 degrees. Didn't feel like waiting around so added the grain and just stirred constantly without insulation until my temperature dropped to 153 deg. Wrapped up and continued on.
Seconds my partner in crime (12 year old daughter) ditches me to play at a friends house. She did stick around long enough to stir the 5 pounds of grain into the bag while I poured (BIAB).
Third, my final reading on the mash came in at 168 deg. This was very odd. I stir every 15 minutes and turn the heat on for about 30 seconds just to "re-insulate" the bottom (glass stove top). I thought to myself, oh well, it will be like sparging and that I must've left the heat on too long (153: initial, 151.5: 15 minutes, 151.0: 30 minutes, 150.0: 45 minutes, 168.0: final).
Sparged, pressed/drained and did my 45 minutes boil. That went well.
Fourth, couldn't cool my wort easily. Didn't have enough ice. The ice maker was flipped up (off). Looted as many cold packs as I could find. After messing around with this for way too long, I finally conceded to pitch at 78 deg F. I was tired of this by this point. I think this was my biggest mistake. During this time is also where I discovered my thermometer was whack. That probably explains the 168 above. Switched out with the thermometer that I use for truffles,
Poured into the fermenting bucket and pitched my starter and sent to my 64 deg basement.
This was my first shot at harvesting yeast. I reused a Scotch Ale 1728 (OG 1.090 -> FG 1.023). So this is the first of possible "more wrong to come". Either not very viable yeast or not enough of a starter.
Daughter had already named this beer, "Blue Bird." I felt obligated to add something of that nature. I added 100 grams of blue berries pureed with 1/2 cup of water with 5 minutes left in the boil. I am thinking that this might be more wrong to come also. Oh well. I was thinking that this was so little that hopefully it doesn't do much to the taste and is in the spirit of the name only.
Finally, Brewer's_Friend said this should have been 1.052 at 70%. I came in at 1.062. That would be like 90%. Not sure what I screwed up here or if I just really came out that efficient.
2.75 Gallons in the fermenting bucket.
3.75 lbs Golden Promise
1.00 lbs Maris Otter
0.25 lbs Belgian Aromatic
37.65 IBUs of hops (nothing special just using left over stuff)
100 grams of blended fresh blueberries
yeast nutrient and whirlfloc
Washed and harvested Scotch Ale yeast 1728.
