Black Lab Ale Officially Opens - IPA

[Talisman]

After a failed trial run last Saturday had a re run of the same brew today aiming to get it right. All all went swimmingly well im pleased to say. So i think its official im back up and running.

Started at about 9am. Got up and went straight in the garage. George wasnt to pleased.. he expected to be walked.



Had filled up the HLT the night before to 42 Ltrs.


Making An IPA
Edited: Pics & Recipe removed as requested by Chris.

Id cleaned and sanitzed all the kegs on thurs. Gave them a flush out. And stuck the rest of the gubbings into sterilize


Weighed out all the grains id need ready to mash.




Took 30 mins for the water in the HLT to hit 80*C


Transfered the water and lobbed all the grain in. Temp sat at 67*C. That will do me. Lid on and 90 mins to mess about.



Mash all in and George realises i have time to spare... and comes to remind me its Walkies time... now wheres his ball.


Mash time over, time to start sparging. (brought the HLT back upto 70*C) hit the pump and started draining into the Boiler.




Took a 1st reading of the wort coming out the mash tun.


Then another towards the end after running out of sparge water. (temp 54*C at this stage)


Boil now on (up to boil point so turn one element off) and lobb in the fuggles.


At the end of the boil time turn on the IC. Need to make a CFC to make life easier, but this works well for now)


Wort down to 24*C and reading 1050.. bit more than expected. You can see the lovely cotton wool clinging together now.



Transfer it to the FV, add in the Nottingham Yeast. Job done.


I seem to have a lot less liquid than i expected, just shy of 30 ltrs. Which mean ive lost in the mash/boiled off about 14 ltrs..

Added some cold water to bring the Hydrometer reading to about 1042. Put the lid on and now awaiting the Yeast to do its magic.

Oh and George got another walk then..


Think he is as knackered as me now lol.

Tally

[Talisman]

oh righty ok, done... sorry

[beesley121]

looks like you had a good brew day today mate!!

hope it al ends well

i seee you ferment in stainless stell keg that has the top cut off.can you tell me if you have made a lid to fit on the keg with nd airlocknd if so how and with wht materil were used.

[DarloDave]

Nice set up, but on the run off from the mashtun. is letting it run from a height like that and through the seive not going to cause oxidation? Or can this only happen after the yeast has been pitcheD?

[Jim]

Nice set up, but on the run off from the mashtun. is letting it run from a height like that and through the seive not going to cause oxidation? Or can this only happen after the yeast has been pitcheD?

Oxygen is needed in the wort before pitching the yeast, but once the initial phase of fermentation is over it causes the beer to go off.

There is a school of thought that allowing hot wort to contact the air during mashing/ sparging/ boiling causes hot side airation. Many people (me included) think this is complete bollocks.

[Talisman]

looks like you had a good brew day today mate!!

hope it al ends well

i seee you ferment in stainless stell keg that has the top cut off.can you tell me if you have made a lid to fit on the keg with nd airlocknd if so how and with wht materil were used.

no not made a lid for it from the top of the FV keg from the bit that was cut out.

the lid you see on the mash tun i put over the FV when it has beer in it.

Looks like you have a nice brewery there to show off to your buddies when they come round to sample some.

Could you have collected more wort from the mash to compensate for the evaporation losses ? If you are treating your water you can afford to sparge further, 1008 would be fine (adjusted for temperature).

Thanks Chris, im sure ill have plenty of supping help.

I dont think so to be honest no. i actuall did go futher during the mash, the Hydro got down to about what you said Chris 1008 (again at about 50*C) so guess there was still room for more liquid.
I know im loosing a ltr or two here and there as the pump doesnt force all the water/wort out the pipework. But dont think its that much.
Ill see how it goes. Im doing a BIG brew next week, Old Speckled Hen, as i like it and.... so do my mates who all want some.

[DarloDave]

So all the effort i spent making sure the run off to my boiler happens with as little splashing as possible is pointless? Thats really handy to know for the future!

[softlad]

Looks like a successful days brewing after the hiccups with the first run.

And a lab with a waist. I thought they were all barrel shaped

[Talisman]

Yeah im very pleased with how it went. Still bits here and there to tweak, but at least im making beer again. Still lots on the list of things to do though.

Not alot of fat on this lad, its all the ball chasing he does. His WORLD revolves around his ball.

[subsub]

Nice pics of the brewday T, and nice pics of the dog. I have to put stickers on my equipment so I don't forget to use the right bit

[adm]

Nice pics, good looking wort, great looking brewery and a cracking looking brewday.

Glad this one worked out well! Good work fella.

[jonnyhop]

great photos.

£2.90 for 100g of fuggles seems very cheap to me, is that from your local shop or the interweb?

[Talisman]

thanks all.

yup fuggles from local store.

[mysterio]

Great photos, nice organised and shiny set up. Looks like it went well.

[Kristoff]

great photos.

£2.90 for 100g of fuggles seems very cheap to me, is that from your local shop or the interweb?

I presume they were from here, as they're in Grimsby and the same price
http://www.homebrewcentregy.com/index.html
I've just ordered some, very good value and great service