Oct 12th Brew

PieOPah · Post by **PieOPah** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 11:40 am

Well, I am about to start today's brew. The wife has gone for the week so I can enjoy this one even more....

Quite basic -

4kg Marris Otter
100g Chocolate
500g Crystal
56g Fuggles (spread over boil)

Well, this was my original grain bill. I have found I only have 3.5kg Marris left.

Would it be worth increasing crystal to 1kg or leave it as is?

With my usual efficiency (55%) I should get 3.3% ABV. I am hoping to improve my efficiency today though!

DRB · Post by **DRB** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 11:50 am

That's a long brew,one week i'll have to try that one on my other half,she might go away for a week

.

Happy Brewing.

PieOPah · Post by **PieOPah** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:21 pm

I decided against the extra crystal and have just made the beer with the grain I originally billed (but 500g short!)

I do have DME and Brewing Sugar but I don't want to use these as it defeats the purpose of AG (in my opinion).

I was mainly making this beer to use up what grain I had left so I could order another 25kg....

A nice low alcohol beer should be good, normally I aim for a minimum of 5%. Nothing wrong with less!!!

Scooby · Post by **Scooby** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 2:04 pm

I agree with DaaB's I think the ALL in all grain is a misnomer, I hadn't even heard of this term untill I joined the Forum.

Sugar is just another adjunct, and the dark sugars can add lushcious flavours.

In his first sentence in his chapter on sugar Dave Line said, 'Sugar can be classed as a malt adjunct'.

bitter_dave · Post by **bitter_dave** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 2:10 pm

I think the term 'all grain' is just used to distinguish it from extract brews which use a small amount of speciality grain to enhance flavour. I've used sugar in more than half of my 'all grain' brews, and if looking through wheelers brew your own real ale it would seem sugar is common in British brewing.

PieOPah · Post by **PieOPah** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 3:39 pm

I'm not saying I wouldn't use sugar in a brew - I have used sugar. It is a personal preference not to use it, especially just to increase the gravity.

My boil is now underway and from the grav readings I have taken so far it looks like I should get a decent efficiency (compared to usual!) I may even get 40 pints out of the batch rather than the 35 I was shooting for. We'll see though, not getting my hopes up this time.

Boil is rolling so will be putting my first addition hops in quite soon

Pics will follow at end of day!

PieOPah · Post by **PieOPah** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 4:54 pm

The boil is finished and is now cooling.

I have taken a gravity reading of 1.040

If I manage to get 40 pints this means I have an efficiency of 74.63%
If I manage to get 35 pints this means I have an efficiency of 65.30%

Obviously I won't be able to work out my efficiency till I know my final volume. Regardless, I have done better than any of my previous brews by a landslide.

It has been a great stress free day. All that remains is the dreaded cleaning up

Scooby · Post by **Scooby** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 4:59 pm

Cleaning up

don't you just hate it

You must be over the moon POP, well done

Post by **Andy** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 5:03 pm

I take it you mean Nov 12th ?

PieOPah · Post by **PieOPah** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 6:15 pm

Yeah, I mean Nov 12th

Well, the brew day is over. I have collected about 37 pints which is fantastic. My OG is 1.038 which gives me an efficiency of 65.58%. I am made up with this as it is such an improvement on my usual efficiency. I thin I have finally got it cracked

I guess the next beer will be proof.

I've got a ton of pics but for some reason I can't FTP them up to my site. I'll get on it soon though.

oxford brewer · Post by **oxford brewer** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 6:53 pm

Sounds like your doing well there PoP.
I have only just managed to figure out how to upload pictures to the forum

Perhaps you have time to do another brew before the wife is home

PieOPah · Post by **PieOPah** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 7:26 pm

oxford brewer wrote:Perhaps you have time to do another brew before the wife is home

Out of grain, hops and yeast so need to wait until pay day before I can replenish the supplies. Also, she will be gone again for 2 weeks soon. Basically she is on a course for work. I should be able to get another brew in while she is away. Will definately keep me well in stock for a while.

Horden Hillbilly · Post by **Horden Hillbilly** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 7:50 pm

Nice one PoP, I have just had a sucessful days brewing myself.

PieOPah · Post by **PieOPah** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 7:54 pm

DaaB wrote:

Congratulations on the increased efficiency...do you know what you did differently?

Yeah, I took into account the loss from the Hops & Trub. Also, Rather than aiming to collect 40 Pints, I aimed for 35 Pints. I think part of my problem is that my boiler can't hold enough. The extra couple of pints I get is a bonus (or will just be accounted for in the loss to the yeast slurry!)

[Photobucket it is - Thanks]

PieOPah · Post by **PieOPah** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 8:00 pm

The Grain

Water Temp

Mash Temp

Put to Sleep

Just starting to Boil

Rolling Boil

Spare Wort

Spare Wort brought to Boil

Cooling

Collecting

Finished

Jim's Beer Kit

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Oct 12th Brew

Oct 12th Brew