My first AG

[bramswell]

So, i started at 11.00, grains and hops wieghed fermenter sterilizing along with other bits and bobs.

im doing 100% satisfaction.
started the mash at around 12.00, got the mash at 67.2'c and only droped 1'c over 90 mins. not bad as my mash tun is only an old boots FV with mash and sparge bag and an old sleeping blanket.

had a slight misshap while unrolling the hose ready for chilling, and knocked over a plant stand and smashed 2 pots, cleaned up before SWMBO gets home from work.
batch sparged and collected 31lts into the boiler. miss hap number 2 - dropped the digital thermometer into the HLT while checking sparge water temp. quick shake and got the wifes hair drier on it, seems to have survived fingers crossed.

boil started at 2.30, added the first hops and rolling nicely. keeping an eye on it as this is the first one in my new LHB 33lt boiler.

wondering what to do for the next hour till 15min hops and whirlfloc goes in.

[bramswell]

its going in to the FV, yeast starter made and waiting for the last to run off.

[bramswell]

23lts in the FV, the temp is 24.2'c
is this to warm for the yeast (s04)
should i leave it in the shed to cool a little before pitching.

[Garth]

well done on your first AG Bramswell,

24 is little high, but will ensure a good start, a good temperature for S-04 is about 18-19 so I'd drop it to around this after it's set away

higher temperatures will create a fruity taste which is good in some styles, but not in others, for a clean tasting it should be at the bottom end on the yeasts temperature range.

[bramswell]

it's now pitched at 23'c of to a good start,
tasted nice out of the boiler and quite clear.

went pretty smothly for my first brew apart from the little mishaps.
looking foward to my next.

[Dennis King]

What was your recipe

[Garth]

you've done well and haven't broken or mucked up anything brewing or beer related,

sod the plant pots as long as she didn't catch you

my first AG was a 23 litre stout, only got 15/16 litres in the fv but tasted sooo good

[Horden Hillbilly]

Well done bramswell on your 1st ag. Don't worry about the glitches, it's all part of the fun!

[yashicamat]

Sounds like your first AG brewday was a success! Welcome to the dark side!

I tend to sanitise my FV (s) and do some tidying up during the boil on my brewdays.

[adm]

Nice one bramswell - sounds like it all went well and you had a good day.

What's your plan for the next one then ?

[bramswell]

What was your recipe

a simple one for starters

4.5kg pale malt

75g goldings 90mins
15g goldings 15mins

1/2 whirlfloc 15mins ( i think i read on here somewhere a whole tablet is a bit too much)

[bramswell]

sod the plant pots as long as she didn't catch you

i did confess actually and she said it was good as they needed sorting out....i certainly did that....into about 50 pieces

[bramswell]

What's your plan for the next one then ?

i thing i might do Hogs Back TEA as i am originaly from that area, still trying to find a good Hop garden gold recipe..that is my fav.
but i might try TT landlord, never had it before, found it in my local waitrose,( thought i would celebrate a good day with a beer) its very nice so might go for that, everyone else seems to be doing it.

[yashicamat]

What's your plan for the next one then ?

i thing i might do Hogs Back TEA as i am originaly from that area, still trying to find a good Hop garden gold recipe..that is my fav.
but i might try TT landlord, never had it before, found it in my local waitrose,( thought i would celebrate a good day with a beer) its very nice so might go for that, everyone else seems to be doing it.

TTL is a nice beer indeed. Depending on how hoppy you like your beers, you might want to up your aroma hop additions though. 15g sounds quite a small amount . . .

But that said, don't worry about this beer, it'll taste so fantastic compared with anything you've brewed before, it won't matter!

[bramswell]

after 3 days in the FV the foam on top has died right down to a thin layer,
i ran off a sample and tested it, gravity at this point is 1.020 ( it was 1.045 when it went into the FV) and was still a little cloudy. i think it needs a few more days.

but a great taste as it is, i was only going to have a sip out of the sample but ended up drinking the lot.