AG#1 Overlord ESB

[Steve]

I've done a couple of extract brews but this is my first AG. Kept it fairly simple with an extra special bitter from 'Home brew' by Doug Rouxel and Sara Paston-Williams. I won't post the detailed recipe as I haven't requested permission from the authors to share it but the highlights are:

Target SG: 1.053
Target FG: 1.013
Colour (EBC): 37.8
IBU: 40.3
Swapped torrified wheat for wheat malt.
Skipped the small sugar addition.
Adjusted hop amounts for AA%.

Going for kind of Maxi-BIAB approach. I'm not too worried about being exact this time and instead recording what I'm doing and then become more precise once I know the equipment better (until I upgrade).

On to the pics:

Grains weighed out, not gram perfect to the recipe but they'll still make beer. No prizes for guessing what they are.

Aiming to get the temperature right at least so garage temperature grains.

Not bad for a first attempt

Didn't have to worry too much about insulation today. Sat the mash next to the south facing garage door.

Hops weighed out while waiting for the mash. Bad pic, I know.

The boil is on now and thought I'd start my write up.

Mash results: (temp adjusted)
Collected ~14L @ 1.053
Batch sparge ~14L @ 1.025

So I make that 28L @ 1.039 if my crude maths is correct. Looks like I am roughly on target.

45 mins left on the boil...

 

[Papa G]

Good luck with your first AG, :

 

[dennisking]

Good to see another cherry popped. :

 

[joe1002]

Well done :clap:

 

[Steve]

Thanks :thumb:.

Left it overnight to cool and this morning pitched some WLP002. First time I've used a liquid yeast too so really looking forward to seeing how the brew turns out.

SG was at 1.047 and got just over 20L so not good efficiency but that's why I chose a higher ABV brew so that when I ended up under gravity I wouldn't end up with a 3% drink.

 

[Steve]

Bottled this today. Ended up at 1.010 so just shy of 5%. Nice dark and clear sample just needs some carbonation then will be ready to drink.

Had my first ever casualty while bottling which being bottle number 5 of what turned out to be 35 bottles caused great apprehension for the following 30 bottles.

I think somehow I was too high on the bottle with the capper and crushed the rim of the bottle rather than bend the cap in.

 

[graysalchemy]

Welcome to the darkside young Padawan :twisted: :twisted:

 

[PD]

well done on your brew day

 

[the-erl]

Nice brew, well done!

Looking forward to hear how it turns out.

Erl :drink:

 

[Steve]

Decided to crack a bottle of this open tonight. Got another 7 bottles left now. I have to say for my first AG, no temperature controlled ferment and little accuracy with the ingredients it tastes bloody good :drink:. 24 weeks in the bottle and not planning on drinking the rest in a hurry.

 

[abeyptfc]

nice one mate well done, alot of folks first all grains don't last 22 days never mind 22 weeks!