AG#1 Phoenix Bitter - a return to AG brewing

[Piscator]

Okay, so it's not "the" Phoenix bitter from the Phoenix brewery but the name seemed to fit my return to AG after a 2 year break - mainly enforced by not having the space or right kit following a traumatic house move.

First brew is with all new kit so a few unknowns in there...
so with this in mind I have kept this one simple. (there's another to come next week which will be a little more complicated)

4.0 kg. Maris Otter Pale Malt
0.2 kg. Crystal Malt
20 g. Northdown boiled 60 min.
25 g. Northdown boiled 20 min.
50 g. First Gold at "flame out"
Yeast : Safale S-04

The grain bill (courtesy of Barleybottom) ready for the morning.



See you all tomorrow bright and early

[Jim]

Hope all goes well. It's looks a simple but sound recipe.

[Dennis King]

Happy brewing

[Piscator]

Hope all goes well. It's looks a simple but sound recipe.

Yep - I'm bound to be a bit rusty so simple is the word of the day.

The kids are normally awake by 07:00 and my wife is due to go out shopping by 09:00, so I should have the sparge water on warming up fairly early. Happy days

[Piscator]

Mashing by 07:15 this morning with my eldest son as assistant brewer.

Lessons so far:

1) Had a little trouble getting the temperature right at strike - settled out at 64°C and needed a bit of a top up from the kettle to get it right in the end (even after pre-heating the MT) Will strike at a little higher temp next time. Note to self - allow for this when working out sparge volume.

2) At 45 mins the temperature had only dropped 0.3°C - insulation is working well

3) "Stir it in well" to a six year old means coat the walls and all surrounding objects with vigorous thrashing of the spoon

[Piscator]

All sparged and in the boiler now

Further lessons:

1) Life will be much quicker and easier if I make up an HLT

2) I much prefer batch sparging for it's simplicity

3) All that time spent on the mash tun manifold with the hacksaw was well worth it for a trouble free run off and nice clear wort.

[Jim]

Looking good so far!

[Piscator]

Thanks Jim, We're having fun so far.

Hot break secured:


First hops in:


Smells superb - I do like Northdown

[Piscator]

Phew, all finished and yeast pitched OG was 1045

I make my efficiency around 75%.

Immersion cooler worked a treat dropping the temperature from 94°C to 32°C in just 13 minutes and to pitching temperature in 26 minutes.

I'm very pleased with the clarity of the wort but the hops were thirsty and my final batch is a little smaller than planned. Not a problem as long as it tastes good.

One minor hiccup - the hose feeding the cooler sprang a pinhole leak and showered the sterilised FV about halfway through cooling meaning it needed to be re-rinsed

Late hops and cooler in:


Running off into the FV:


The wort - nice and shiny


Better go and clean up now before my wife gets home.

Cheers
Steve

[StrangeBrew]

Nice one Steve, it's always good to see a brewday with some good photos!

[Vossy1]

Welcome back P

Nice shiny kit and a nice brew day thread

[Piscator]

Thanks guys.

The fermentation looks promising with a healthy 1.5 inches of fluffy krausen on it this morning and not too much trub.

I've been struggling to decide whether to bottle or barrel - but I have a sneaking suspicion that whatever I do, it won't hang around for very long

Oh well, better get the next one on soon

[Vossy1]

I've been struggling to decide whether to bottle or barrel - but I have a sneaking suspicion that whatever I do, it won't hang around for very long

...straws in the fv anyone