I brewed today!

Ky Common brew day is well underway. Mash is done, here's my rig in action...
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I'm mashing at this point, circulating the wort through a RIMS tube. I'm thinking of moving the pump and RIMS to shorten the tubing length and reduce heat loss.

Here's the boil porn for Craigerrr...
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The induction heater is chugging along at 2400 watts. I took a volume reading at 30 minutes remaining and upped the power to 2800 watts.

Cooling now, temp is down below 120 degrees. Had to dilute the wort, it came in at 1.058, I wanted 1.054. A couple quarts of boiled, dechlorinated water and the gravity was right where I wanted it.

End of the day, oxygenated and pitched...
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So there, first brew day of 2020 in the books.
 

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Smacked me numbers near dead on actually replicated previous brews numbers which I'm stoked about pre 1.040 post 1.046 you beauty and got a transfer in at 16.5c on a near 40c day using Ice bath lower than expected!
All is well all up to the yeast now.
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The gambit.
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judging by the wort shes dark sorry bout the dirty sock...:D
 
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Mine is bubbling away quite happily. I "underpitched" it quite severely, 1 pack of month-old WLP080, but dang, it seems happy at 65 degrees. I'll up it to 68 on Monday to help it dry out just a bit more.
 
Nosybear said:
Mine is bubbling away quite happily. I "underpitched" it quite severely, 1 pack of month-old WLP080, but dang, it seems happy at 65 degrees. I'll up it to 68 on Monday to help it dry out just a bit more.
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Was that an intentional under pitch?
 
Mase said:
Was that an intentional under pitch?
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Yes. I've been building big starters for years. Over the holidays I made an ESB with only a single pack of White Labs yeast and loved what it did with the esters. So I thought I'd drop back on my ale pitch rates and see what happens. The Common is a dark cream ale so the result should be interesting. And it wasn't that radical of an underpitch, a relatively fresh pack of yeast in 6.25 gal of 1.054 wort.
 
I talked to an employee at Imperial Yeast and they said pitch calculators typically make large starters. Not over-pitch, but plenty large. On the other hand, I under pitched a Kentucky Common in 2018 with 1272 and got some diacetyl. But my temp control practices are much better these days.
 
Head First said:
Number 2 of 2020 in the fermenter. American strong ale. 1.110 OG Big for 05 yeast but will baby it along, rock the fermenter, and tell it how important it is to work hard.;)
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We're only 5 days into the new year and you're on brew #2? I'm jealous! :D
I'm on-call next weekend. Still debating whether I tempt fate and brew or play it safe and push brew day off another week. :(
 
BarbarianBrewer said:
We're only 5 days into the new year and you're on brew #2? I'm jealous! :D
I'm on-call next weekend. Still debating whether I tempt fate and brew or play it safe and push brew day off another week. :(
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Gotta get things filled up after fall hunting season and the holidays. Have been dragging out bottles from the cellar to make kegs last. :eek::D
A simple PA with some Exp.Tangerine up prob next weekend
 
I haven't even looked at my gear yet this year. Might do one this weekend though for a friend of my wife.
 
Best bitter in the fermentation fridge cooling down to pitching temp and everything cleaned up. Had a pizza for supper and a couple of beers and now ready to take an early evening nap. Everything went well with the brew. OG was a few points high, but I always welcome the extra alcohol :)
 
BOB357 said:
Best bitter in the fermentation fridge cooling down to pitching temp and everything cleaned up. Had a pizza for supper and a couple of beers and now ready to take an early evening nap. Everything went well with the brew. OG was a few points high, but I always welcome the extra alcohol :)
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Everything in your post sounds like a perfect day!
 
First brew of the year Friday night. Brewed my buddy's favorite my black IPA. which I don't take credit for as I poached the recipe from a member here (AnteK). Just had to mix things up a bit... I delayed the 10 minute addition until flameout, then let it whirlpool for 10 minutes.
 
thunderwagn said:
Everything in your post sounds like a perfect day!
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It was, Thanks!
Woke at 1:15 AM, so aerated & pitched the batch. I like that the Speidel can be capped off and shaken for aeration rather than boiling the stone, aerating and then boiling the stone again. Took 5 minutes instead of an hour.
 
Finally on the board for 2020. :)

I put those Deer Creek Malts to good use today. Made an American Wheat with the Colonial Pils and Pale Wheat, Motueka and Sorachi Ace very late in the boil. Numbers were bulls-eye, now it's up to the yeast. Sitting in the fermenter now. If I don't get any lemon/lime from the hops I'll just cut a slice and add it right to the glass and pretend it's Summer! Just felt good to make a nice, simple beer after a run of Stouts, Porters and IPA's.
 
Herm_brews said:
Just finished brewing my first of the new year, an IPA. My O.G. was 4 points high, but like BOB357, I am OK with that.

I also dry hopped the previous batch with some Simcoe pellets - see how that tickles my taste buds in a few weeks.
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Recon you can't go wrong with Simcoe.
 
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