Home Brew Forum

Hi,

I did my first ever brewday the other day, and decided to go AG right from the start.

I used Jims Bitter recipe and instructions to start but due to a few fundamental misunderstandings on my part it all went a little different in the end.

See I took the reccomended 3.5Kg Pale Malt and 250g Crystal and put them into the biggest pan I could find (which turned out to be 3gal )

I then poured in as much water as I could fit in at 73c (about 2.5gal)

I very carefully maintained the water at 67c for 90 mins.

I sparged using a grain bag a selection of plastic buckets and a small jug using water at 80c from my homemade boiler.

I made the volume up to 5gal (totally forgetting that a load would evaporate during boiling! silly boy!

I boiled it for 90 mins adding the bittering hops at the start and then adding the aroma hops with some irish moss at 15mins to go.

Left for 30 mins to settle and drained off.

Got a OG of 1.047, fermented for 7 days until everything sort of stopped at 1.011 and put into a keg with some priming sugar and some finings.

Am returning from 4 days in Ireland on friday so will see what is what then.

Pics of the carnage to follow.

Tai

good man - hope it turns out good for you. my aim is ag and this gives me heart that having a crack at it will result in somethig drinkable

DISASTER
Returned from Ireland to find that my keg (which was fine 4 days ago) has leaked, guessing its cos its been getting more and more pressurised. My Beer has been reduced to 2 gallons and the rest has soaked my floor

The air turned blue I can tell you !

So, while the remaining beer is comin on nicely and should be nice in a week or 2 (have given tap a good tighten and a smearing of goop to stop the leak) I am planning brew day number 2 for tomorrow as my 16 pints isnt going to last very long.

In the mean-time my house smells a bit extra beery...........

Ahh so you've combined all the 'oops' in one.. including the beer paddling!

Good stuff - I've had a few now (I think three brews) and it does get a little easier.