First AG (Not Quite!)

Hops_and_Dreams · Nov 21, 2015

Well, I had everything in place to go for my first AG today, but it didn't quite go to plan.

I heated my 20ltr of strike water to 75c and added the grain to the pot. I thought it went down to 65c, which was about right, but I guess I should have let it settle and recheck it a few mins later as when I went to stir it about 35 mins later, it had dropped to 58c. I'd insulated the pot with a few layers of bubble wrap, but in hindsight I don't think I put enough on the top. I added 2ltr of boiling water, but it only went up to 60c. I made the mistake of thinking it would be OK.

From then on, things went OK, but little did I know the damage had already been done!

Recipe as follows:

Galaxy IPA
20ltr
Target OG 1054
IBU 57

4250g Maris Otter
800g Munich Type 1
250g Carapils

10g Galaxy FWH
20g Galaxy 20min
20g Galaxy 10min
25g Galaxy 5min
75g Galaxy 0min
75g Galaxy 7 day dry hop

1tsp Irish Moss 15min

11.5g US-05 rehydrated and pitched at 20c

I actually hit a pathetic 1036 and half considered leaving it, but thought it would probably be too bitter. Fortunately I had 1kg beer enhancer, so I lobbed that in and got it up to 1048.

I've learnt my lesson for next time and will attempt to insulate the pot better! Hopefully it will still turn out OK, but kicking myself for making the schoolboy errors.

clibit · Nov 21, 2015

It will work out fine, good move with the beer enhancer.

My feeling is that it is unlikely to have lost 7C in 35 minutes, I've lost less than that in an hour with no insulation, and less beer. So I think your 65C reading must've been wrong. Which may be down to:

- not using the thermometer correctly
- Faulty thermometer
- very uneven temperature in the mash, which is possible.

I may be wrong but I feel it's likely to have been less than 65 at the start - hence the low conversion. If it had started at 65 you would've got better conversion and a higher OG, cos most of the conversion happens in the first ten minutes.

Hops_and_Dreams · Nov 21, 2015

Thanks for the advice Clibit.

It was definitely 75 at the start as the thermometer on the pot and the spirit thermometer both agreed. In fairness I didn't check the one on the pot after I added the grain and I might have been a bit slap dash in reading the 65c on the spirit one. I didn't think the grain would affect the temp that much?

I even thought I was being clever by standing the pot on the polystyrene that it came with to stop it loosing heat through the floor!

TartanSpecial · Nov 21, 2015

where did you store the grain before the mash? I bring mine into the brewing room (kitchen wiht underfloor heating) which is at a steady 20-21 C all the time 24 hrs beforehand so I know it'll be up to temp such that 75 stike will end up and 66-67. It was pretty cold last night so storage in a non heated room could mean it was cold ???. You did the best recovery job you could under the circumstances.

Hops_and_Dreams · Nov 21, 2015

I can't even use that as an excuse as it was in the house. I've done plenty of partial mashes without any problem, so the massive temp drop has really surprised me. I know I made sure that it was 75c as it was the first time I had used this pot and I wanted to check the accuracy of the thermometer on the pot against the spirit one.

It's fair to say I'm quite annoyed with myself.

clibit · Nov 21, 2015

If you take a while to mix the grain in you can lose quite a lot of heat, I've dropped lower than intended a few times and had to raise the temp after mixing the grain in. I reckon you were lower than 65.

TartanSpecial · Nov 21, 2015

the room which I store my grain in , which is heated in the day/evening, double glazed and cavity wall insulation, was only 16 C this morning.

Hops_and_Dreams · Nov 21, 2015

I think you're right Clibit. I did take my time in mixing the grain in to avoid clumps.

Will pay more attention and have some emergency boiling water to hand next time!

stevej · Nov 21, 2015

Sorry to hear your first AG didnt go to plan, good rescue job though Hops! dont let it put you off it gets way easier:thumb:

Hops_and_Dreams · Nov 21, 2015

Cheers Steve. Don't worry, I like beer too much to let it put me off!

clibit · Nov 21, 2015

It'll still turn out good. :thumb:

Hops_and_Dreams · Nov 22, 2015

I can take some positives/lessons from it though! 28ltr of water in total gave me about 18.5 in the FV, so I know roughly what I need to do next time to get 20ltr without topping up, bubble wrap is more of a faff than I expected and probably didn't help, so I'll just use a duvet in future, my electric pot gets up to temperature quicker than my smaller pot on the gas stove, dunk sparging seems to be more effective (although I can only base this on wort colour rather than actual figures on this one!) and most importantly, check your temps properly!

clibit · Nov 22, 2015

You can take some beer from it too.

TartanSpecial · Nov 22, 2015

I found switching to digital thermometers a godsend for brewday... so quick and easy to check all areas of the mash for even temperature.

Hops_and_Dreams · Nov 22, 2015

I did buy a digital one off of eBay, but it's **** and takes longer than the spirit one to settle on a temp.

Hops_and_Dreams · Nov 23, 2015

I think this brew is cursed. Got home from work and the boiler has packed up, meaning the house was a touch chilly! Brew was still at 18c so wrapped it in bubble wrap. Will check the temp in the morning and if it's dropped more I'll stick it on the heat pad. Don't really like using it as it tends to heat it up too much, although not used it when the ambient temp has been so low before.

clibit · Nov 24, 2015

18C is ok, worry not.

Hops_and_Dreams · Nov 24, 2015

18c is OK, it's the 4c in the house I'm worried about (Ok maybe a little exaggerated, but it's bloody cold!).

Covrich · Nov 24, 2015

Tbf I think a lot of us struggle with efficiency when we start.. Getting a thermometer you can trust is pretty important.. I also make sure my mash it stirred well to even up the water

My brew pot has a dial one built in and I think its really good but I also have a digital one..
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00H96QFK2/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

For some reason thats 19.99 now.. I bought it for 8 quid :-?

Hops_and_Dreams · Nov 28, 2015

Down to 1008 today, so chucked the dry hops in. Wasn't overly bitter so all will be well I think.

First AG (Not Quite!)

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