Jim's Beer Kit

Didn't tap on the mash tun get all bunged up? Or did it act as a filter?

Guy

Fly sparging is more fun, though. You get to use a whizzy rotating brass sprinkler arm. Makes you feel like you're a proper brewery! I've always fly sparged. By keeping the liquor about 2cm above the grain bed you know all the grain is getting constantly rinsed by the hot liquor. No stirring or time...

If you're always doing what you've always done, with the same grain, then changing your sparge temperature won't get you your extra points of gravity. Checking the crush of the grain is a good idea, but you're probably working your way through a sack, so the crush will be the same all the way throug...

About now if there's still no sign of any activity.

I've lost a few brews through waiting too long for yeast activity to start.

Guy

For the last few brews I've used Servomyces yeast nutrient from the Malt Miller. This has given a much faster start and a more vigorous fermentation. It's also given me the first overflows from the FV I've ever had! However, it's also made me notice some interesting yeast behaviour. If the lid's on ...

So is it using Cornies which causes the blandness, or do you think it's something else?

Guy

My mash is stirred loads at the very beginning to ensure the grain is all in contact with the liquor and the temperature is even throughout the mash. Not as easy as you may think! The mash is then left without stirring and fly sparged after 90 minutes. My current and reproducible efficiency is just ...

Hello again JMC

Just googled 'cask hop filter' and found somewhere near me which sells them.

The nuts should be easily found at my local builders' merchants.

Thanks again for the idea.

Guy

Absolute genius!

Do you have a spare one I can buy from you (with a 22mm pipe nut, whatever that is!), or can you tell me where to buy one, please?

Thanks.

Guy

From the last two brews, my pre-boil gravity was 1048 rising to 1054 after 90 minutes, and 1042 to 1045 on another brew. Given these numbers, is it possible to calculate how much water was evaporated? Yes, but only as a percentage. 48/54 * 100 = 89%, you've lost 11% (100 - 89) of your pre -boil vol...

Thanks, understand now.

Seems an SS tube or a rice ball is the way forward.

Either should sit nicely in the keg.

Guy

Thanks Dave.

Don't fancy leaving the ale in the FV for so long. Even if I did though, wouldn't the hops block the siphon tube when transferring from the FV?

Guy

How do you do it? My usual brewing method is to rack straight into the KK from the FV about 4-7 days after pitching the yeast. Depends on how fast the primary fermentation has been. Dry hopping is done by using, for example, 20g of East Kent Goldings. I grind the hops to a powder in a coffee grinder...

You may want to try out the water analysis by Murphy's.

It gave me a different result from the Brupaks information. Using the suggested values and method from the Murphy's analysis has improved the taste of my beers and has brought all the flavours out much better.

Guy

I always stir whatever I'm sampling very vigorously with a huge long handled plastic spoon before using a disposable plastic pipette to take a sample. I also always suck up and expel the liquid three times from the pipette before dropping the liquid onto the plate of the refractometer.

Guy