1st AG brew for 3 years - SMaSH Apollo IPA

[bigdave]

Started my 1st AG for about 3 years at 6:30am on Sunday. All went well apart from the 'double checking' my liquor figures, meaning that I only collected 16ltrs instead of the 20 I expected. Oh and issues with my hop stopper blocking!

No pics pre mash as it was pitch black and tbh, I was too busy trying to remember everything!

HLT

Hop additions

All wrapped up

Boil hops

first runnings

Spent

Hot break

Leaky IC (fortunately leaking outside the boiler!)

Hop stopper got blocked, very quickly. some work is needed!!

WOOHOO spot on!!

S**T!

Soo.... Before next brew I need to revisit my hop stopper design and see if I can fix the leaky IC. The short fall in wort is one I've solved already, I'd calculated my losses slightly too low but had deducted my entire losses (including hops & trub) from my mash losses so didnt collect enough wort pre-boil. Good news is that it's fermenting away perfectly and smells amazing!

 

[Good Ed]

looks good Dave, just like riding a bike :)

 

[joe1002]

Looks good. Welcome back to brewing :

 

[jonnymorris]

Congrats.

A couple of break questions if I may... 1. how far into the boil did the hot break occur and 2. why a 3-year break from brewing?

 

[bigdave]

Thanks.

3 year break because..... I brewed, put everything away for the summer, got evicted from our house, didn't have time or space to brew so sold my AG setup (70odd bottles, keg, 100ltr boiler, 30ltr mash tun etc..). Started brewing kits again 12 months ago, they didn't do it for me and by pure chance I had opportunity of a new slightly more slimline AG setup for very little money and here I am. :)

I found that the hot break happens on this kit abut 3-5 min into the boil but I know that varies depending on the delivery of heat (my last kit wouldn't break until almost 15 min into the boil).

 

[bigdave]

Dry hopped this today with 70g of Apollo in a hop sock (weighted down).

I think a little bit of break material might have crept through the hop stopper post boil! lol

 

[bigdave]

This has been in a keg for just over a week now (cold conditioning since Saturday) and I had a little taster last night and its a beautiful drop!! can't wait for it to properly condition!! :)

 

[fbsf]

Nice one BigDave - I've just done a cascade SMaSH, and it's already looking like a damn good pint - like you it's been conditioning for a week or so, so not long before the first decent taste!

 

[carl_saint]

I'm gonna do a SMaSH with Mosaic hops so interesting to see that yours are turning out great!