Odds on to be a winner and a sure fire favourite
8500g pale malt
440g crystal malt
180g munich malt
50g challenger 90min
22 fuggle 90min
22g golding 90min
28g fuggle 10min
30g fuggle steeped at 80c
43l 43OG 33IBU 13EBU
I filled the HLT with 70l treated with 70ml CRS the night before, I have a thermostat set to 85c so switch on first thing have cuppa and walk the dog, by the time I'm back it's in the 70's so gravity fill the tun and circulate back to the HLT which is still heating, this starts to preheat the tun. When the temp is about 80c I switch off the element, check the sight tube to make sure I have the correct volume in the tun, then transfer the return pipe to the tun and circulate round that until the temp is 73-74c I measure the temp for this via a thermowell on the pump inlet.
I added 2tsp gypsum to the grain and doughed in with my new paddle, it worked a treat so time making it was worthwhile.
After checking the ph, 5.3
and temp, 66.4c I floated a 50mm cellotex disc on the mash followed by some packing bags and put the lid on.
After 90 mins there was no reading below 66c anywhere in the mash. thorough pre heating and good insulation, particularly above the mash are the key imo.
I added the top up at about 82c, stired and circulated for 5mins or so. I have a 3way valve so with 1/2 a turn I changed from circulating the tun to under letting to the kettle.
I got the boil underway and followed the same procedure for the 2nd batch.
About 25mins from the end of boil I dumped in the IC and switched on the pump and began a slow circulation, soon after in went the protafloc
10 min addition stirred in.
90mins are up so on goes the IC, shortly followed by the steeping hops.
When cooled I remove the chiller and turn off the pump then let stand tor 30mins. I have to use two fermenters, I remove the return pipe switch on the pump and aerate the wort by slashing it around, I'm good at that
I made a 2l starter (hope its enough) 1l in each fermenter. Its Brewlab Yorkshire 2. I made a 50ml starter from the slant and stepped it to 400ml then 2l with 24-36hrs between each stage. Looks like it's a top fermenter
Just had a look and one is going, the other will be in the morning, I hope
Cheers.
