I brewed today!

Josh Hughes said:
Took me a bit t get it down. I have a vent in the laundry room I sat it on to finish up. I also added 1.5 gallons of cold water from the refrigerator. I cheated.
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You add water to the cooled wort? Never would have thought of that, how do you know how much to add? How does it effect gravity?
 
Vallka said:
You add water to the cooled wort? Never would have thought of that, how do you know how much to add? How does it effect gravity?
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Normally, that's exactly HOW to get it to target volume, temperature, and gravity. How much or how little COLD water you need depends on what you hit first, temperature or gravity. I use ice because it lets me use less to get the temperature down. Then, I use bottled water to get target volume, or target gravity, which ever comes first. I normally hit gravity numbers if I do 5.5 gallon targets. I sample at 4.5 and 5.0 gallons to make sure I don't overshoot and make the beer weak. Rarely do I have weak beer, but sometimes, it comes out a lot less dry than anticipated or desired. (High FG).
 
Vallka said:
You add water to the cooled wort? Never would have thought of that, how do you know how much to add? How does it effect gravity?
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I leave out a specific amount and it usually works out. I chill as much as ground water will allow then add my refrigerated water. I do check the measurements on the fermenter and tilt. Sometimes I add more than the amount I have in the refrigerator set aside for it and sometimes a little less. I got the top off down well enough with my batch size I’m usually real close. Yesterday I needed an extra quart to hit my gravity.
My efficiency has been higher the last few batches, I attribute it to using propane, step mash, and using pilsner. With the exception of a mild These were all German lagers.
 
Cragunitas 1064 OG (1058 expected).
Mash and xfer to fermenter pics.
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On the first and last days of August I brewed. Just finishing up with a smooth brew day, with my second attempt at Summer Saison. This has been inoculated with yeast slurry from the previous batch, harvested just 3 weeks ago, so plenty fresh. Also started a primitive cider a few days ago, seemed slow to start with an old partial packet of S-04. Dumped a little cider yeast yesterday and saw more activity. Since I still had a few drops of saison slurry, dropped that in and it’s off to the races!
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Minbari said:
Had to stir it constantly for 75 minutes to get it to temp. 7 gallon pot with 6.5 gallons in it sucks, lol.

I hope it turns out. 1.095 gravity. Imperial stout aged in a bourbon barrel.

View attachment 26482
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I think you spilled something there:D

That sounds amazing so you got a barrel you'll need a bit to fill that?
 
Trialben said:
I think you spilled something there:D

That sounds amazing so you got a barrel you'll need a bit to fill that?
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should have seen it at the end. was 1" from the top. took me an hour just to get the bag out and drained, lol. ended up being 1.120 SG. gonna be a big one!

I actually found a site that sells freshly drained barrels that they run through a wood chipper and then package in N2. so it will get aged in a keg, but with barrel staves to give the barrel aged flavor. we will see how it works.
 
Minbari said:
should have seen it at the end. was 1" from the top. took me an hour just to get the bag out and drained, lol. ended up being 1.120 SG. gonna be a big one!

I actually found a site that sells freshly drained barrels that they run through a wood chipper and then package in N2. so it will get aged in a keg, but with barrel staves to give the barrel aged flavor. we will see how it works.
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Oooh! Save us a bottle...
 
Minbari said:
should have seen it at the end. was 1" from the top. took me an hour just to get the bag out and drained, lol. ended up being 1.120 SG. gonna be a big one!

I actually found a site that sells freshly drained barrels that they run through a wood chipper and then package in N2. so it will get aged in a keg, but with barrel staves to give the barrel aged flavor. we will see how it works.
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1.12?? Holy shit. Just a tad big.I'm still trying to get my head around getting the bag out with that little room. I use a kettle twice that size for 5 gallon batches. I have done a couple of 6 row recipes and damn near reached the top of mine during the hot break, but never draining the bag.
That Blickmann with a lot of protein will make one hell of a hot break though.
 
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Sandy Feet said:
1.12?? Holy shit. Just a tad big.I'm still trying to get my head around getting the bag out with that little room. I use a kettle twice that size for 5 gallon batches. I have done a couple of 6 row recipes and damn near reached the top of mine during the hot break, but never draining the bag.
That Blickmann with a lot of protein will make one hell of a hot break though.
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never used 6row. I usually do a protien rest , so much of the hot break doesnt occur with 2row.

definitely was a challenge. toughest part was the mash thickness. thickest mash I have done, I think. getting it to drain for the recirc to keep temp was a bitch, literally constantly stirred for 75 minutes, lol. only way to keep it from getting stuck.
 
Minbari said:
never used 6row. I usually do a protien rest , so much of the hot break doesnt occur with 2row.

definitely was a challenge. toughest part was the mash thickness. thickest mash I have done, I think. getting it to drain for the recirc to keep temp was a bitch, literally constantly stirred for 75 minutes, lol. only way to keep it from getting stuck.
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I hope it turns out. I never thought of using 6 row until Deadwords made the Pre Pro that I really liked. My dark larger is a 6 row/2row combonation, and every week it gets better and better. I think the lager/ porter combination with the flaked corn and Crystal hops is a winner.
I was trying to make a lower alcohol Tripping Animals No Mames Dark with this one and managed to do exactly what I wanted.
 
Minbari said:
should have seen it at the end. was 1" from the top. took me an hour just to get the bag out and drained, lol. ended up being 1.120 SG. gonna be a big one!

I actually found a site that sells freshly drained barrels that they run through a wood chipper and then package in N2. so it will get aged in a keg, but with barrel staves to give the barrel aged flavor. we will see how it works.
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Ah right OK I was thinking gee man your gunna have to increase your volume :p!

Cool yeah I don't see why that won't work you just gotta get the amount right thinking a barrel has a lot of oak contact with the beer so to speak.

1.120 OMG your NOT messing Around .

Hey quick question did you use the exogenous Amylase Enzymes in the mash by any chance?

Now tell me about the yeast that's gunna take on this beast?

It's got some work ahead of it:)
 
Trialben said:
Ah right OK I was thinking gee man your gunna have to increase your volume :p!

Cool yeah I don't see why that won't work you just gotta get the amount right thinking a barrel has a lot of oak contact with the beer so to speak.

1.120 OMG your NOT messing Around .

Hey quick question did you use the exogenous Amylase Enzymes in the mash by any chance?

Now tell me about the yeast that's gunna take on this beast?

It's got some work ahead of it:)
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You can get 5 gallon toasted barrels too, but they are like $150. This was $18.

I did actually! I use alpha and beta-glucan. I also changed my grain crush from 0.032 to 0.026. so hard to tell which thing helped, but my efficiency went up about 15%. Pretty damn good since i couldn't get my temp above 144F the whole time! Mash was too damn thick to recirc more than a trickle.

Used 1098 British ale yeast says it's tolerant to 11%abv. It's already bubbling :p
 
Minbari said:
You can get 5 gallon toasted barrels too, but they are like $150. This was $18.

I did actually! I use alpha and beta-glucan. I also changed my grain crush from 0.032 to 0.026. so hard to tell which thing helped, but my efficiency went up about 15%. Pretty damn good since i couldn't get my temp above 144F the whole time! Mash was too damn thick to recirc more than a trickle.

Used 1098 British ale yeast says it's tolerant to 11%abv. It's already bubbling :p
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Well considering higher gravity mashes usually drop the efficiency I'd say that's amazing man.

Well I hope the yeast get the job done man;)

Awesome stuff!
 
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