Hunky Dory 21/10/2007

[delboy]

A no point in a brew day do I lift wort or water anywhere near boiling, nor do I have a pumped system. After 2 very nasty reported accidents on the forum (including 1 hospitalization), if anyone is lifting hot wort/water, it's worth reviewing their brewing process.

Wise words, at one point today i was lifting nearly 7 gallons of liquid at about 80 C, i wasn't happy doing it and next time for the sake of an extra 15 mins or so i'll not be doing it that way.

I hate the nanny state so I shouldn't be preaching but I cringe everytime I hear anyone mention that they even lift that sort of weight, especially when it's full of hot water. It doesn't even have to take any longer.
fwiw If you are batch sparging, try running the first batch off into a fermenter, and lift that to the counter top, empty the boiler/hlt into the mash tun and then you can fill the boiler with it sat below the counter top on a work mate or chair for the boil.
btw when lifting 7 gals in a bucket, particularly one of those 10gsl ones puts a hell of a strain on your back, the trouble is you only realise how much when it's too late though

I actually bail in my liquor from the boiler sat on the ground to the mash tun using a 1.5 Litre jug.
Its after the mash when im sparging that probs arose yesterday, i emptied the mash tun into the boiler sat on the ground, switched on the elements to stop further conversion and meanwhile ran-off the second batch sparge into the boiler, giving me nearly 7 gallons of wort probably at about 80 C. Thats what i then lifted up on to the hob (so as to use the extracter).
I reckon what i need to do is to run-off into the boiler on the ground, lift it up when it contains only about 3 odd gallons in the 60s, and then switch on the elements.
Run-off the second batch into a seperate container and bail into the boiler with the 1.5 L jug until there is only a few litres of the wort which i would lift up and pour in.
That would save me getting scalded and be much less likely to do my back in.

[Aleman]

I'll second Daab, Really try and avoid lifting hot liquids, I've been there and done it myself, but switched to a pumped system for two reasons - A chronic Back problem as a result of rowing and a subsequent motorcycle accident, and an accident with a plastic boiler, resulting in 3rd degree scalds, not funny when you have a 2YO running about! (I got burned she was indoors!) The result was me swearing that I would NEVER (and yes Daab I am shouting this time!) brew in plastic again

[Vossy1]

For my last 2 brews I have allowed the cold break into my FV and I have noticed a definate difference in the time it takes the SG to be reached...
For example, both used S04 which would see off a 1050 in roughly 3 days, however today I've tested Hunky Dory and it's at 1020, when I would expect it to be nearer 1010
Fermentation temps have been at the normal 18-20 deg, so the only difference has been the CB getting through.
Even though the gravity is still high the yeast head has collapsed.

Anyway, the trial jar sample is in front of me and early results suggest it to be very promissing. The amber malt has contributed a massive and at the moment,dominating, biscuity presence to the brew...rich T biscuits or hob nobs, if I were pushed for a simile..mmmmm...very nice

[oblivious]

no lifting gallons of near boiling wort from one place to another

A no point in a brew day do I lift wort or water anywhere near boiling, nor do I have a pumped system. After 2 very nasty reported accidents on the forum (including 1 hospitalization), if anyone is lifting hot wort/water, it's worth reviewing their brewing process.

12 liters of boiling water reals does hurt

[Vossy1]

I've got my first stuck ferment
1020 last Wednesday after 3 days fermenting, still at 1018 now
Going to rouse and re-pitch shortly and pray it gets going again, hopefully the alcohol already present won't knock the new yeast into touch

[Vossy1]

Thanks DaaB

I roused and re-pitched last night and there appears to be activity once again evident by a thin layer of yeast head...we'll see

[Vossy1]

In 2 days the beers dropped another 3 points to 1015.

This has to be the laziest S04 I've ever come across ...10 days and counting to get to FG

[Dan]

I cant believe i didnt see this thread last week!
great day BTW vossy
sorry to hear the fermentaion is a little stuck. when i get my CFC up and running ill test that theory for you. I always thought beers with break fermented quite strongly.

edit:
perhaps the amber malt is leaving a higher FG what proportion did you use?

[Vossy1]

perhaps the amber malt is leaving a higher FG what proportion did you use?

Almost 10%.

I roused the yeast the other day and it was like nothing I've ever experienced before. The cold break had settled and compacted to such an extent that it was like glue. I used an open ended tube, pushed it into the settled cold break and lifted a perfect cored sample out of the fv . It was about 15mm thick.

I think I should have waited for the cold break to settle a little before pitching the yeast. I think the settling cb has dragged the yeast out of suspension and glued it to the bottom of the fv.

Live and learn