Very frustrating 3rd and 4th brews! How to recover?

[Takeshi_pilis]

You are making progress, but I would caution you to try to simplify a little more in your early stages here. No sense in rushing to complicated recipes and process until you are making great beer. Great beer IS made with simple processes!

Things to check:

1) Thermometer. Is it accurate?
2) Mash Temps. Are you really at the right temps for the entire time?
3) Volume Losses. Keep track of what you start with and how much gets lost at every step. Put that in the software then check if you actually need more water to begin with. Which might lead to needing more grain to hit your gravity target. This is dialing in your System and is more important than anything at this point.
4) Mash Step Times. You are a beginner but I will share with you an advanced technique - do not use mash times but rather stay in your rests based upon gravity readings. What does this mean? Well, your last brew had one mash step and mashout, so you would stay in that one rest until you reached your preboil gravity. Makes sense right? Why exit at 60 minutes and leave some gravity behind when you could mash for longer and get to your target? After 60 minutes, take a reading and then take a reading every 10 minutes until you are at your target. Then go to mashout. Mash times are just for convenience in explaining to new brewers and an educated guess for 'most malts & systems'. Take the guessing away and take control of your brew day.

I have two. One has longer needle one shorter. Might I be efing up in mashing too high temp? For example. Short needle measures about 8cm deep. Long one like 15cm. The temp in diferent depths is diferent. If the shorter gives 67 the deeper temp is like 69 or sooo. But the grain floats on top in the bag. So thats that. Not sure about this part.

I do 60min mashes. I set timer 4 times in 15min periods to monitor temperature (and heat up ofc if the temp drops) and give everything a big swirl with the spoon.

Yea I will do the ruler method that guys sugested. Sounds prety easy and should give me more data.

Damn this sounds reasonable. I will try tro split diferent “techniques” (sparge, extended mash) for diferent brew days. To see whats giving me the best efic and feels most suitable for my system in all aspects.

 

[bike2brew]

Similar struggle here. This last brew I paid attention to water volume and grain ratio to get good numbers for estimating efficiency @ 59%. Once I plugged that number into the brewers friend recipe builder all of my numbers lined up as predicted. I'm now able to change my grain crush and evaluate for an effect. Another great opportunity to apply the scientific method to a problem and another small step on path to perfection and consistency.

 

[doug293cz]

4) Mash Step Times. You are a beginner but I will share with you an advanced technique - do not use mash times but rather stay in your rests based upon gravity readings. What does this mean? Well, your last brew had one mash step and mashout, so you would stay in that one rest until you reached your preboil gravity. Makes sense right? Why exit at 60 minutes and leave some gravity behind when you could mash for longer and get to your target? After 60 minutes, take a reading and then take a reading every 10 minutes until you are at your target. Then go to mashout. Mash times are just for convenience in explaining to new brewers and an educated guess for 'most malts & systems'. Take the guessing away and take control of your brew day.

This is the way everyone should be mashing if they are trying to maximize efficiency, at least until they know how long their mash really needs to be for their crush, system, process, and grains used.

Brew on

 

[AlexKay]

You can do this with a battery and q-tip dipped in acid.

Or, use a ruler to measure the height of the wort. In my 5Gal kettle 1mm is roughly equal to 1.7oz. Much more accurate than 1L gradations etched in the side.

No need for acid! Salt water will do the trick. Use a 9V battery for the simplest set-up. Connect one terminal to the pot (or whatever you’re etching), and the other to a length of stripped wire. Wrap the wire around the q-tip a few times, dunk it in the salt water, and use like a paintbrush. Masking tape will help keep sharp lines. (If nothing happens, switch the leads.)

This will etch (remove metal), but not create a highly visible line. To blacken stainless you can do the same thing, but use a 9-volt AC power supply. Most of the little wall-wart plug-in transformers you get with commercial electronics are DC, but if you look (especially with electronic components suppliers) you can find the AC ones. Of course, never get your AC straight from the wall; a transformer is absolutely necessary.

 

[Takeshi_pilis]

No need for acid! Salt water will do the trick. Use a 9V battery for the simplest set-up. Connect one terminal to the pot (or whatever you’re etching), and the other to a length of stripped wire. Wrap the wire around the q-tip a few times, dunk it in the salt water, and use like a paintbrush. Masking tape will help keep sharp lines. (If nothing happens, switch the leads.)

This will etch (remove metal), but not create a highly visible line. To blacken stainless you can do the same thing, but use a 9-volt AC power supply. Most of the little wall-wart plug-in transformers you get with commercial electronics are DC, but if you look (especially with electronic components suppliers) you can find the AC ones. Of course, never get your AC straight from the wall; a transformer is absolutely necessary.

Sounds like “Braking bad” scenario Ill try measuring tape option

 

[JAReeves]

Im using brewfather app and have some recipes saved.

Probably I will try asking guys at the LHBS to mill the grains finer.

Damn Im a bit lost. The more I try to figure out the more I feel like I dont understand..

For future brews I will try finer mill setting or reduce the water content by a littler or two..

My LHBS guy was willing to double-crush for me, then eventually solid me an Evil Twin so I could do it myself.

Sorry, I didn't see that later you already talked to them about this. Ignore me.

 

[amber-ale]

Again, you don’t mention you’re enjoying the hobby or making something that tastes good. Just the pressure to be perfect.
There is no “have too”. Beer making is part precision and science and part artistry.

If you are 5 points different than the theoretical gravity, pour yourself a home made beer and congratulate yourself on a job well done.
Don’t stress
(But do squeeze and sparge)

Enjoy drinking what you have already made.

 

[redrocker652002]

Again, you don’t mention you’re enjoying the hobby or making something that tastes good. Just the pressure to be perfect.
There is no “have too”. Beer making is part precision and science and part artistry.

If you are 5 points different than the theoretical gravity, pour yourself a home made beer and congratulate yourself on a job well done.
Don’t stress
(But do squeeze and sparge)

Enjoy drinking what you have already made.

Ding Ding Ding. Amber-Ale for the win!!!!!!!! I don't think I could have said that any better. Being a guy who used to sweat the little stuff, I finally said, I am making beer and that is what I am getting. To me, the Brew day is one of solitude, music of my choice and a few beers to keep me company. No Honey do's no crap that has to be done. I focus on the beer and the fun of being able to make something I can enjoy. Please, just have fun with it and if you are 5 points off, so be it. Taste of the end product is what we are all going for, and if you are liking it, then you are doing it right. Rock On!!!!!!!!

 

[Takeshi_pilis]

Again, you don’t mention you’re enjoying the hobby or making something that tastes good. Just the pressure to be perfect.
There is no “have too”. Beer making is part precision and science and part artistry.

If you are 5 points different than the theoretical gravity, pour yourself a home made beer and congratulate yourself on a job well done.
Don’t stress
(But do squeeze and sparge)

Enjoy drinking what you have already made.

Good observation, haha!

I do love this hobby and I am proud of the beer I make!

P.S. It tastes gooood

 

[bobtheUKbrewer2]

my way -start with 32 litres water, add half a crushed campden tablet, stir well, leave 30 minutes, add AMS, leave 30 minutes , fit BIAB to FV,heat to 72 deg C, add 9 lb PM, 1.5 lb light crystal, .75 lb torrified wheat, heat to 68 deg C, insulate, wait for 1 hour, drain, boil 15 mins with no hops then add hops for 15,10,5 and 2mins, cool naturally for 2 hours then use water bath to cool to 21 deg C, pitch hydrated SO4 yeast to final 22 litre volume. Leave 5 to 7 days, then bottle. No idea what efficiency is. OG 11 brix and FG 5.6 brix. Start drinking after 7 days. Ice cubes in glass if ambient temp is above 15 deg c, or chill in fridge 2 hours (requires pre-planning and memory and legs)

 

[redrocker652002]

Good observation, haha!

I do love this hobby and I am proud of the beer I make!

P.S. It tastes gooood View attachment 852669View attachment 852670

If it tastes good and you like it, then I would say you have been successful. Looks good to me. Rock On!!!!!!!!

 

[redrocker652002]

my way -start with 32 litres water, add half a crushed campden tablet, stir well, leave 30 minutes, add AMS, leave 30 minutes , fit BIAB to FV,heat to 72 deg C, add 9 lb PM, 1.5 lb light crystal, .75 lb torrified wheat, heat to 68 deg C, insulate, wait for 1 hour, drain, boil 15 mins with no hops then add hops for 15,10,5 and 2mins, cool naturally for 2 hours then use water bath to cool to 21 deg C, pitch hydrated SO4 yeast to final 22 litre volume. Leave 5 to 7 days, then bottle. No idea what efficiency is. OG 11 brix and FG 5.6 brix. Start drinking after 7 days. Ice cubes in glass if ambient temp is above 15 deg c, or chill in fridge 2 hours (requires pre-planning and memory and legs)

I have not tried the cool naturally part yet. I might have to though my next brew day as I am bottling a batch and brewing another to try and reuse the yeast I have in the first batch. This will be a first for me, so we will see. I like your method, looks good to me.

 

[AlexKay]

No need for acid! Salt water will do the trick. Use a 9V battery for the simplest set-up. Connect one terminal to the pot (or whatever you’re etching), and the other to a length of stripped wire. Wrap the wire around the q-tip a few times, dunk it in the salt water, and use like a paintbrush. Masking tape will help keep sharp lines. (If nothing happens, switch the leads.)

This will etch (remove metal), but not create a highly visible line. To blacken stainless you can do the same thing, but use a 9-volt AC power supply. Most of the little wall-wart plug-in transformers you get with commercial electronics are DC, but if you look (especially with electronic components suppliers) you can find the AC ones. Of course, never get your AC straight from the wall; a transformer is absolutely necessary.

Old picture of the tap handles for one of my keezers:

 

[redrocker652002]

Just as a side note, I just finished a Blonde Ale and will be bottling today. My final numbers were: OG est 1.045 actual was 1.043 FG est 1.009 actual 1.005. Early brewing days I would have been a bit disappointed, but today, heck, it is beer and it tasted pretty good with no carb and not very cold. Will I drink it? Heck yea I will. Will I make slight adjustments next time? Maybe, but if it came out ok and I am happy with the flavor, then probably not. Minor differences could mean so much that to me, it isn't worth chasing it for 2 to 4 points. Point being, don't sweat the small stuff.

 

[Jmspears]

Everything from boil off rate, to grain crush, to temp differences during the mash, to different harvests of grain can cause variances in efficiency. You might have two brew days with the only difference being one day you had a vigorous boil while the next you just had a gentle rolling boil and still come out with different gravity readings.

My suggestion, if you want to get as close to perfect as you can, is to brew the same recipe with the same process over and over until you can accurately nail your numbers. Not as exciting as brewing new fun stuff, but you’re more likely to get things dialed in that way.

If you would rather enjoy the creative process, then take the numbers for informational purposes and don’t take them too seriously. If you and the people you share your beer with enjoy it then that is what is important.