Abbot Ale

[Road Runner]

Fridge is at about 4'c. If I turn it down any more, it starts to freeze stuff.

Yes, I have seen that yeast washing info thanks. I didn't wash mine though. I just scooped up a bottle off slurry into a pot. I initially thought I would be brewing with it in about 3 days from saving the slurry.

But didn't get around to using it untill tonight. So that was about 3 weeks in the fridge.

I hope there'll be enough left to get a good active starter going. I think it would have been a really good starter if my kitchen walls weren't now wearing most off my yeast!!!

DOH!!!

I'm sure Lawrence (Frilly Cuffs) Llewelyn Bowen would have paid good money for the peppered wall effect I've achieved...

[bod]

QUOTE (Road Runner @ Mar 31 2006, 09:21 PM) I'm also supporting our new Scotts member on this forum, Bod, by brewing a Belhaven 80/- clone.

ah, 80 shilling, a great pint!

i'm brewing today aswell, need to make another batch of that ESB recipe i posted.

i'll see if my phone can handle the steam in my small kitchen and try and take some photos.

[Andy]

All done, tiring as usual but some progress on the sparging front!

Initial runoff stopped after about 7 litres, tried blowing back through the tap but no joy so gave the mash a good stir and recirculated a couple of litres. From then on everything went fine, runoff continued and no problems on the sparge.

[Andy]

If I can be @rsed to rig it up again!

[Andy]

DaaB, there was lots of wort still above the grain bed when the runoff stuck. And following a good stir of the mash I was able to take the sparge water level right down to the grain bed level without the mash sticking. I'll just stir up the mash before starting the runoff on subsequent brews now... (unless this one has issues with clarity etc)

[Jim]

My feeling is that you shouldn't leave the grainbed to settle for too long. I find that 5-10 minutes is fine, as long as you recirculate plenty of wort.

Actually, I've just remembered that you're using the mash tun as a sparge vessel, so that the goods are undisturbed for the whole mash time. Maybe this allows the grain to settle down too much?? Although others using the same technique don't seem to have a problem.

Andy, maybe the crush of your grain is the real problem after all.

I always let the wort run off the grains completely before turning on the sparge water these days and I never have a problem. In the past I used to keep the grain bed floating and never had a problem then either.

In fact the only time I ever got stuck mashes (about two or three) it was with a particular brand of grain (I can't remember the make, though! It was too long ago).

[Road Runner]

I used exactly the same technique as Andy yesterday. I had no problems with run off at sparging. I have the same Thermos coolbox & Phils Spiny Sparger, the only difference is in the manifold I use.

I made a manifold from 22mm copper pipe & lots of fine slots cut into the pipe with a Junior Hacksaw, as we've seen in other pics on this forum.

So possibly another cause of the run off probs may be with the stainless braiding manifold you're using Andy?

Or as Jim says, maybe with the grain even. I used Brupaks pre-crushed grain.

Although I may be contacting http://www.scotgrain.co.uk/main_frame.htm that are quite near me here, to see if I can purchase direct from them soon.

[Andy]

QUOTE (Daft as a Brush @ Apr 1 2006, 09:06 PM) Will we be seeing yeast cam again andy ?
Just for you DaaB!

http://mtb.dynalias.net:81

user: jimsforum
no password

[Road Runner]

Looks like time for a skim Andy!

[Andy]

Yup, been out all day and that's what I found when I got home!

[BlightyBrewer]

Looks like something / someone found at the antiques roadshow!!

Is that your Hopback brewery yeast andy?

[Andy]

It's the Hogsback brewery BTW and yes, it's their yeast but I used a batch of slurry from the bottom of my fermenter (from my previous brew).

[Jim]

Andy, you have the most frightening fermentations I've ever seen!!

[BlightyBrewer]

Too true jim! Looks like a bad perm...add a hint of blue, and it's a blue rinse!

Sorry andy, I'm always getting hogsback and hopback brewery mixed up.

[Andy]

QUOTE (jim @ Apr 2 2006, 04:49 PM) Andy, you have the most frightening fermentations I've ever seen!!


there was quite a lot of trub brought up! Just skimmed it as it was in danger of overflowing