AG#2 underway!

[RichardG]

Well, another early start for AG#2; this one called Glorious Goldings (might be a clue in the title!). The recipe for this one is nice and simple;

Batch volume 25Ltrs

MO pale malt - 4.5kg
Torrified wheat - 150g

Goldings - 90mins - 5.1AA - 50g
Goldings - 15mins - 5.1AA - 30g
Goldings - 05mins - 5.1AA - 25g
Goldings - dry hop - 5.1AA - 35g

Dry hop will be one week in secondary after initial prime fermentation.

I'll be using Nottingham yeast for this one. Everything is under way so I'll post a full report at the end. The camera seems to be fully functional today, and I've even remembered to take a few pictures so far. Now, if I can just figure out how to post them....

[jimny14]

Looks nice Richard, might have to steal this recipe some day soon once I get my set up sorted. Have fun with your brewday, be interested to see your pics when you've finished.

Cheers James

[WishboneBrewery]

Dry hopped as well eh... Hope its a good one

[RichardG]

Looks nice Richard, might have to steal this recipe some day soon once I get my set up sorted. Have fun with your brewday, be interested to see your pics when you've finished.

Cheers James

Feel free James, I claim no intellectual property rights.

Dry hopped as well eh... Hope its a good one

There's clearly no end to my talent... oh, hold on, that's not right.

[WishboneBrewery]

[Horden Hillbilly]

The camera seems to be fully functional today, and I've even remembered to take a few pictures so far. Now, if I can just figure out how to post them....

Chris did a "how to" here.

[RichardG]

Well, it's all done now; so how did it go? The short answer is, very well. Within that though, there are few 'issues'. More on that anon.

Early start Sunday morning. Up shortly after six to get everything set-up. The grains were weighed out and the liquor prep'd the night before. The recipe is above. Got the mash itself on at 7.20am. I used the same 2.5Ltrs per kilo ratio as before which meant a mash volume of 12Ltrs (rounded up a bit) and aimed for a temp of 66c. After a bit of fiddling I got it to 65.5c, and thought that was close enough. After all, the temp was slightly different at different parts of the MT! 90mins later, and the temp was 65.1c, so that's all fine. First runnings were recirculated and the the MT drained of 7Ltrs. At the lower end of what I'd hoped for, but fine none-the-less. This time, to account for my boilers higher evaporation I was aiming for a boil volume of 33-ish Ltrs. So, batch sparge was to be made up of 2 equal 13Ltr meassures (33 - 7 / 2 = 13), at a temp of 75c. This produced a final boil volume of 34Ltrs, so again, all was fine. Once again I was really pleased with the performance of the MT and manifold. Next time I think I'll follow Chris-x1's batch method with two equal amounts; the first being the initial mash, topped up with the first sparge water, the second being the balance of the boil volume; if I can get it in the MT like that!

So, to the boil. I have to use the boiler as a HLT and hold the recovered wort in a spare FV. I finally drained this all into the boiler, which I then moved up onto the table to begin boiling. Believe me, a boiler with 34Ltrs in it is damned heavy! Anyway, got the boiler switched at 10.20am. There were no issues with the boil. The various hop and protafloc additions went in at the appropriate times, and the boiler itself performed faultlessly. Once the boil was over it was time to let the IC do its thing. This led to the first 'issue'. I have a hop & grape IC I got of flea-bay. It's fine, but it seems to take an age to get the beer down to pitching temp; I must have waited over an hour for it to get below 30c (even had time to go shopping!). Maybe it's too small for the boiler? Anyway, eventually I was satisfied the temp was low enough to drain into the FV. This produced 'issue' number 2. As I mentioned during my AG#1 thread, my boiler seems to have an odd sized tap which I haven't been able to get any pipe to fit. As a hop-stopper I have a large sparging bag which I was going to line the boiler with. However, the first time I forgot, but had no problems. So this time, I didn't bother. Big mistake, as the tap promptly blocked but with hop matter. I ended up having to jug it out before being able to pour the last few liters out. This produced 'issue' number 3. The strainer & sieve combo over the FV kept all the hop material out of the FV, but there was an absolute mass of break material that went in. I really need to find a suitable solution for stopping this going into the FV as I can't believe its doing any good. Maybe a metal pan scourer or some such fixed over the inside end of the tap, or a flexible braided tap connector with the inner stripped out? Not sure, but I'll need to come up with something.

So to the end. With the FV tucked away I pitched my yeast; a rehydrated packet of Nottingham. I was initally a little concerned as it hadn't seemed particularly active. For my first AG I used SO4. This had been trying to climb out of its cup by the time I was pitching, but the Nottingham merely produced a milky liquid with a little foam on the top. None-the-less I took that as a sign that it was viable and proceeded. This morning its frothing around fiercely, so must have been fine. This brings me to my final 'issue'. The recipe above, based on an efficiency of 75% was designed to give me an ABV of 4% or so. I took a small sample to check the OG, and was bemused to measure an OG of 1050. Given my final volume of 26Ltrs into the FV that gives me an efficiency of 90% (give or take)! That just can't be right (can it?). I've still got the sample and will check it again tonight; but I have tested the hydro which is reading correctly; I'd let the sample cool right down, so it can't be that. I wonder if its the break material I referred to earlier. My testing sample was full of it, and I wonder if that's giving a false high reading. I've got the sample in the fridge and am hoping that it'll all settle to the bottom so I can test it again to see what sort of reading I get this time. It's all most strange as, if these OG readings (and hence my efficiency) is right, my recipes and hop ratios will all need to be re-jigged accordingly.

Anyway, the camera worked through out and I was able to get plenty of pictures. many thanks to HH for posting the link to the 'how to' thread. When I've figured out what it all means, I'll get the pictures posted. Now, where's that recipe for AG#3....

[lancsSteve]

my boiler seems to have an odd sized tap which I haven't been able to get any pipe to fit. As a hop-stopper I have a large sparging bag which I was going to line the boiler with. However, the first time I forgot, but had no problems. So this time, I didn't bother. Big mistake, as the tap promptly blocked but with hop matter. I ended up having to jug it out before being able to pour the last few liters out. This produced 'issue' number 3.

As it's a stainer have you tried getting some copper tube that's a bit too big, drilling holes in, then squeeze one end togethe with a clamp or vice and cut a little slit or two in other end - then squish together with pliers until you can get it to wedge inside the tap. It doesn't have to screw on but pushing in securely worked well for me...

[RichardG]

Actually, that's a damned good idea! I've got loads of copper pipe sitting around. Why didn't I think of that?

[RichardG]

Well I've checked the sample again, and it's definately reading 1050. What can I be doing wrong? I've just tested the scales; poured 500cl of cold water into a bottle on the scales (scales set to zero after the bottle was placed on them ). My scales reckoned that 500cl weighed in at 499grams. Close enough I think you'd agree. It must be all the break material surely...

[Brotherton Lad]

I don't understand why you're weighing water and checking your scales.
Check your hydrometer in tap water at 20C to see if it reads 1000.
Then check the sample, again at 20C, to get the OG.
A 1050 OG is easily within the realms of possibility with good malt and good efficiency.

[RichardG]

I don't understand why you're weighing water and checking your scales.
Check your hydrometer in tap water at 20C to see if it reads 1000.

I did, and it does.

Then check the sample, again at 20C, to get the OG.

As above, and it still reads 1050.

A 1050 OG is easily within the realms of possibility with good malt and good efficiency.

As you say. I'm beginning to feel the high efficiency may be correct, and not a one-off. I'm going to do another brew before long, and base it on 85% efficiency. be interesting to see how it comes out! If those efficiency figures are correct and consistent, it'll save me a fair chunk on grain.

[Deebee]

thats a good efficiency. Don't complan mate, enjoy.

For the last brews i have had great efficiency and have always put it down to me having bad readings, too much malt etc. I just have to scale the recipe for 80 pluss. it will save me masses of grain.

my issues started when i had a couple of brews with 65 % ... found out it was due to sparging way too fast.

we need pics though

[RichardG]

Well, here are the pictures of AG#2. Next time I'll see if I can make them a little smaller!


Grains all weighed out the night before.


Equipment cleaned and readied.


'Brew house' (aka the garage) all set-up for the days brewing.


Home made manifold. It's work really well so far.


The mash underway, and all tucked up for the next


First wort recovered from the MT. Two sparges to go.

First hops in the boil.


IC in to sterilise.


FV all ready to be tucked away for the first weeks primary fermentation. Look at all that break material. Have to do something about that next time.


The sample taken to measure OG. Again, loads of break material. Wonder if that could give a false high reading.


Oh yeah! Giggity giggity!

[WishboneBrewery]

The Break Material will settle out into a much more compact layer, not worth worrying about it
Good pics