I now have brewed many Beers from allGrain to Extract and not bothered with the use of hydrometer/ph paper/tincture of lodine/gravity s.G
all have turned out well BUT NOW is the time TO Learn ,
any help on a good book or info on this would be tops.
hydrometer/ph paper/tincture of lodine/gravity s.G
Personally I have never bothered about the Ph of my water. I doubt I ever will (unless I move to somewhere that has a radically different water supply!)
I never do the Iodine starch test but this is because I batch sparge so the test is useless to me anyway!
In fact the only thing I really do is take my Refractometer/Hydrometer readings.
I use a refractometer during the boil as it automatically adjusts for temperature (you only need a single drop so it cools quickly enough anyway) and the Hydrometer when my wort is in ther fermenter.
Using a hydrometer is really simple. You need a sample tube and a hydrometer.
Draw off a sample (this is where a tap becomes useful on your fermenter) and put the hydrometer in. I give my a twirl to displace as many bubbles as possible. When the hydro has come to rest you look at the value at liquid level. This is your reading.
Reading taken before adding yeast is your OG (Original Gravity) )reading taken when fermentation has completed is your FG (Final Gravity).
I never do the Iodine starch test but this is because I batch sparge so the test is useless to me anyway!
In fact the only thing I really do is take my Refractometer/Hydrometer readings.
I use a refractometer during the boil as it automatically adjusts for temperature (you only need a single drop so it cools quickly enough anyway) and the Hydrometer when my wort is in ther fermenter.
Using a hydrometer is really simple. You need a sample tube and a hydrometer.
Draw off a sample (this is where a tap becomes useful on your fermenter) and put the hydrometer in. I give my a twirl to displace as many bubbles as possible. When the hydro has come to rest you look at the value at liquid level. This is your reading.
Reading taken before adding yeast is your OG (Original Gravity) )reading taken when fermentation has completed is your FG (Final Gravity).
Why is it useless if you batch sparge? An iodine test tells whether the mash has finished converting. It should have nothing to do with your sparge method.PieOPah wrote:P
I never do the Iodine starch test but this is because I batch sparge so the test is useless to me anyway!
I've never done a iodine test either. I just leave my mash for an hour and trust it's done by then....
Well it is possible if you oversparge to extract some fresh starch, but that can be overcome as the enzymes are still active in the kettle until the temperature is hot enough to denature them. It is one advantage of waiting until all the wort is collected before starting to heat to a boil.
Generally the iodine test is used to tell if the mash is complete.
Generally the iodine test is used to tell if the mash is complete.
- Andy
- Virtually comatose but still standing
- Posts: 8716
- Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2005 1:00 pm
- Location: Ash, Surrey
- Contact:
PoP - have a read of the Palmer text on this bit.PieOPah wrote:I thought it was to test that you had finished extracting whilst sparging....
http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter14-5.html
The Conversion check is performed on a sample from the mash to determine when all the starch has been converted and it's "safe" to start runoff/sparge.
As with most others on here I don't bother with an iodine check, a set time determines how long I mash for (90mins or 120mins for my Xmas brew).
Dan!