My First AG Brew

[Nobby Novice]

Last saturday I made my first AG. I put all the grain in the homemade mash tun. Added water 11 litres @ 80degrees. I found it difficult to know when the temperature was smack on 80 degrees and to measure exactly 11 litres. I used a watering can with gradual scale on the side. The scale on my mash tun is now hidden by all the insulation and duck tape around it. I then stirred in the grain, 3 colours for my wadworth 6X clone recipe.
I used the watering can with a fine rose to sparge. This is one improvement to the process I need to improve. This plastic watering can is not very stable with the hot water in it. The rose kept falling off but I percivered until all the hot liquor was through the mash. I used a Jerry can to take the wort. I then had the problem of trying to get the wort from the jerry can into the boiler.I syphoned 3/4 of the contents into the boiler and poured in the rest.
I now have 40 pints of wort fermenting in my fv. What it tastes like or whether it is any good, I shall have to wait and see.
I understand why they are called brew days now. I started at 11.00 am and finished at 5.30pm.
although things could have gone better,I have a good feeling of achievement.
Nobby.

[Dennis King]

Well done, it might seem daunting but it does get easier with experience. Batch sparging might be easier until you get your equipment sorted. Keep at it.

[pswillies]

Sounds like it went pretty well for you.

Managed to muddle through my own first AG at the weekend. Already planning the next!

[far9410]

keep going, i'm going for #ag2 this week, practice makes etc

[pas8280]

Well done nobby it gets easier and more addictive from here on in
Try using a spare FV to move liquids around if you dont have one a B& Q builders bucket (orangeone) is a half decent substitute especially if your only doing 11 litres If you pre heat your mash tun (kettle of boiling water) pour this away after 15mins then add your water @ 73c to the mash tun, mash in the grains to this and you should be prety close to the 66c mash temp.
Also consider batch sparging i find it much simpler than fly sparging but obviously this is personal choice
Paul

[Nobby Novice]

Thanks Pas8280 for the encouragement. I will have a look to see what batch sparging entails. I have a couple of 10 litre fvs which I usually use for Cider. I shall use them to transfer the wort.

[monkeyboy]

congrats on the first one. Afraid it's downhill from here. This is the most addictive hobby...