fivetide wrote:Great stuff. Keep it nice and warm - it's damn cold out there
It'll taste fantastic. When's the next one?
Its on the worktop in the pantry at the moment - the room seems to hold at around 18oC so I hope that should be alright for now. Controlling FV temps is project for the near future when I've sorted my techniques for the 'basics'; I've alreadt got a few bits and pieces squirrelled away out of sight in the loft
I was hoping to have another go next weekend, but in a moment of weakness I agreed to decorate the living room before Christmas. Mission Control went and booked the carpet fitters for the 4th December so I think I'll be painting instead
Northern Brewer wrote:
You appear to have had a good hot break there! I get something similar, but only since I moved to using Whirfloc. Did you use any copper finings?
I'd also be interested to know what salt levels you finally settled on.
I didn't use any finings; I do have a couple of freebies that Hop&Grape sent when I bought an element from them, but I had completely forgotten about them (until I read your question 5 minutes ago)
. Had I remembered I would have used one, but perhaps that wouldn't actually have been necessary. My "Big Beer Textbooks" bang on about water treatment and the importance of Ca ions - in the mash, for forming a good break and for clearing the yeast. Granted, they are aimed at students and pros, not amateur muppets like me, but I still set out to at least try and get that side of things right! I must say that I'm quite chuffed with the results. It was a bit disconcerting see to the boiler over half 'full' of gunk, but it seemed to settle out and compact to give a bed 2 inches thick. Not much seemed to come out into the FV either, despite the Hopstopper arrangement come off and wedging itself beenath the element during the boil.
Needs some work I think.
I sorted out my calcs to allow for the salts being hydrated
, but toned down the ion concs a little bit anyway. I'll post them up tonight with the rest of the brewday pics.
One question (of many, but the others can wait): How long should it take for the Nottingham yeast to kick in? This may be the perenial worry of new AG brewers? This morning (6:30ish) there wasn't much sign of life: just a covering of largeish bubbles on the surface (pitched at around 11pm last night at around 18oC).
