First full mash underway

[Jerry Cornelius]

Finally got around to making first full mash brew. Thanks to everyone who has answered my questions on here.
I've been building the kit for weeks now, and thought I'd better just get on with it!

The recipe is a simple Caroline's Ale (Andy's recipe I think). 5 kg Marris Otter, 100 g Goldings added at start of boil.

Hops & Grain 1.jpg (53.31 KiB) Viewed 1321 times

Treated the water with CRS using Chris's excellent advice. Added 1 tsp Gypsum and a crushed Campden tablet.

Set it on to heat the mash liquor. Doughed in at 75 deg C, the mash was at 65 deg C.

Doughed in 2.jpg (61.78 KiB) Viewed 1321 times

Started about 10:45 AM. Wrapped up the mash tun at 12:00.

MT wrapped up.jpg (45.07 KiB) Viewed 1321 times

Had one little cock-up, I only filled the boiler with the pre-boil volume. Then when I was working out how much to drain for the mash-tun, I realised I didn't have enough water for both sparges - (I'm going to batch sparge), added the the 6 missing litres add a little shot of CRS.

Time to relax until the sparge begins. With a cuppa, don't think I need a fuddled head until this is in the fermenter

[Tequilla6]

Just wanted to say congrats on your first AG Brew, If you are as proud as I was when I finally tasted a pint of my first AG then your in for a real treat

A nice simple recipe that will turn out great I'm sure. Keep us informed and show us a pint once it's finished.

[WishboneBrewery]

is it in the FV yet?
How's it going, hope its going good

[tomU]

100g of goldings will give you about 60IBUs of bitterness assuming the goldings are 5%AA. Thats pretty damn bitter... You may need to leave this one to mellow out for a while.

[Jerry Cornelius]

Thanks Chaps! Had a great day, no disasters, a couple of things went wrong, but nothing to worry about

The chiller didn't reach all the way into the wort cocked up that measurement then! The input to the chiller came off twice and sprayed water around the garage (not in the beer, luckily). And because I put the boiler onto those blue crates the bottom bulged out and now it won't sit on the level, but I can sort that out before the next brew.

I ended up with a litre less than I'd aimed for (22 L), but I don't mind. Having properly calibrated all my bins, I found that I'd actually been making a couple of litres less than I'd thought with my kits, which probably explains their effect on my head.

The OG was spot on (ish) aimed for 1.052 got 1.051 - good enough for me

OG.jpg (40.49 KiB) Viewed 1231 times

Here's a few more piccys...
1. Empty mash tun (well not empty, full of wet grains)

Empty mash tun.jpg (69.88 KiB) Viewed 1231 times

2. Hops added to the boil.

Hops Added.jpg (28.56 KiB) Viewed 1231 times

I can't add anymore pics, I'll do another reply...

[Jerry Cornelius]

A few more pics...

1. Chiller in

Chiller in.jpg (39.1 KiB) Viewed 1226 times

2. Filling the FV

Filling FV.jpg (40.78 KiB) Viewed 1226 times

3. The end. FV in the temp controlled fridge.

Tucked away.jpg (45.33 KiB) Viewed 1226 times

So far, so good (I hope. Just go to wait for the beer to be ready).

[WishboneBrewery]

Excellent, I must get a nice clear glass trial jar.
I went to buy some 10mm copper yesterday but the blooming plumbers merchant only had 6 meters left! So I won't be chilling down my wort on Saturday with a new IC! How long is your IC and how long did it take to cool?

[Jerry Cornelius]

Thanks pdtnc,

I used 10m. It took just over an hour to get to 28 deg C - probably because all the coils worn't in the wort .

By the time I'd filled the FV it was down to 25 deg C.

Glass trial jars are good - especially as they use them in the test-houses at work...

[WishboneBrewery]

Free Glass jars are even better!

[lukesharpe]

Nice work. Looks like that will be a good'un.