First Minimash

[J_P]

Hi All

I decided it was about time I broke my duck and had a go at this grain brewing.

I currently have 2.3kg of Maris Otter sat in our coolbox at around 65-66C with 5 litres of water. This is a double sized Daab mini mash I intend to boil half with EKG's and half with Fuggles as per the instructions.



I forgot to get the crystal malt so I have upped the quantity if Maris Otter to compensate. I am aware that this will produce a really light beer and with any luck it might even turn out like Summer Pale by Acorn which is a real thirst quencher. Here's hoping.

[AT]

good luck

[J_P]

Cheers Folks - I should be in a position to test out my new lauter tun in around 20 or so minutes. I assume the spent grain will be OK in the compost bin?

[retourrbx]

Apparently it's pretty good in a compost bin - that's where mine goes - have a good one

[Wez]

Good luck with it J_P

[J_P]

Have you got or do you know anyone with live stock, cattle/horses/chicken....will eat it. It can go on the compost heap but it can hum a bit. I dig it straight into the garden, it seems to break down in no time.

I have a mate who is a farmer and he buys his in by the ton, from Masham strangley enough, I don't reckon he'll be interested in my puny 2.3kg

I'll take it down the allotments and dig it in there.

I am just preparing the water for the second sparging now whilst running off the first, exciting times.

[Chiltern Brewer]

Hope it goes well after all that "build up" selling AG to you!

BTW I think DaaB's mini mash idea is a great way of introducing novice HB'ers to full mash. The more the merrier I say.

[Mrobs]

Hi
will be following this with interest cos im so tempted to try this myself, would be great to have some pics of your set up.

Cheers
Mrobs

[J_P]

Phew - my first boil is on and the hot break has occurred - I didn't realise that you would be able to see the clumps of protein floating around in the wort . I now know why you AG chaps refer to brewing as your brewDAY!.

I used 2.3kg of pale malt to get 10 litres of sweet wort which equates to 69 available gravity points

2.3 * (300/10) = 69

The finished wort had a SG of 1050 at 44c which equates to 1058 when corrected, meaning I have a mash efficiency of 84%

In true sods law fashion the camera batteries packed up as soon as I got the mash out of the tun so the following grainy pics were taken with my phone camera


Collecting the wort after sparge number 3


gentle rolling boil - I still can't get over how much stuff comes out of solution when the hot break occurs.

Anyhoo I'm off back downstairs to clear up the carnage and weigh out my late copper hops and dig out the Irish moss.

PS: There are some pictures of my half finished lauter tun on theis thread

http://jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5151

[J_P]

I just took a OG reading after the first boil and it came out at a whopping 1077 so I have diluted it back with some boiled and cooled water so it is now a more respectable 1052 right on with the second boil.

[mysterio]

Good stuff JP glad to hear it's going well

It's going to be interesting tasting the Fuggles & Goldings side by side.

[Chiltern Brewer]

Phew - my first boil is on and the hot break has occurred - I didn't realise that you would be able to see the clumps of protein floating around in the wort . I now know why you AG chaps refer to brewing as your brewDAY!.

Welcome to the dark side!

That's why I put my HLT on a timer switch and then start my mash a 5:30-6am, then go back to bed for an hour, start sparging etc... and I can be finished apart from the tidying up by lunch time.

[J_P]

They certainly smell different, the EKGs are more flowery where as the fuggles seem to have a more citrus smell whilst being slightly earthier.

Like you say though the real test will be drinking them

[Wez]

My little un woke at 5am F**king sparrows! so i got on with it then think I had it pitched by 11am.

J_P Welcome to the dark side, don't look back you're better off here

[J_P]

Nice work!

The dark side is certainly an experience! If the beer tastes better than kits then I'm going to stop fence sitting and get myself a boiler.

I reckon it would have been easier if I'd have been able to boil the whole 10l all at once though. It's certainly not as quick as a kit but it didn't take me as long as I'd expected.

Now there is just the question of names