The full step by step can be seen on my blog, I'm just having a break then I'll begin editing some photos and update. If you've waded through all this gar then thanks for reading

Can you clarify when you took this sample? If that's the sample that you took after the mash/sparge thenI wouldn't worry, you really want to test the gravity of a sample post-boil (as the boil will concentrate the wort), before pitching the yeast, which you correct for temperature as necessary and make a note of as your OG.stevetk189 wrote: I make the final gravity now it's cooled a bit to be 1023.7 (it's 1022 at 28C) without having a look around I don't know if that's any good or not. My book says 1040![]()
That was taken after I'd topped up to 12.5l (half batch due to the size of my copper - looking back now and the room in the copper even when boiling vigourously I could have done 3/4 batch) with fresh water before pitching the yeast.oz11 wrote:Can you clarify when you took this sample? If that's the sample that you took after the mash/sparge thenI wouldn't worry, you really want to test the gravity of a sample post-boil (as the boil will concentrate the wort), before pitching the yeast, which you correct for temperature as necessary and make a note of as your OG.stevetk189 wrote: I make the final gravity now it's cooled a bit to be 1023.7 (it's 1022 at 28C) without having a look around I don't know if that's any good or not. My book says 1040![]()
All the best!
Thanks for that, I appreciate itoz11 wrote:Gravity: My method to measure the original gravity (OG) (which is the one that really interests us on brew day) is to take a sample as I'm running the cooled wort into the FV. That way the temperature is about right for the hydrometer and I don't need to worry about temperature correction too much. We need to know the OG if we want to calculate the alcohol content when fermentation has finished, at which time you need to measure the gravity again for a final gravity reading (FG).
Cheers!pdtnc wrote:Nice going with the first brewday and even better managing to document it with the camera.
You've now got one of the more rewarding hobbies
TEN DAYS!!!!!!!111!!!!!1!!!!!!fego wrote:Nice post. Bought back familiar memories of a panic stricken first brew day for me.
It'll all prove worth it when you take that first taste which for me is normally 10 days after fermentation has finished.
Or you could invest in a mango chutney boiler. or a thick walled PP bucket.stevetk189 wrote:Cheers!pdtnc wrote:Nice going with the first brewday and even better managing to document it with the camera.
You've now got one of the more rewarding hobbies
It's fermenting away like a good'un today and smells like beer. I guess my mash must have converted at least some of the starch in the malt to sugars
Next time, as I can't afford a shiny, insulated pot for a mash tun I'll fill my mash tun with hot water for half and hour or so (not 1/4 full for ten minutes) and tip it out just before I begin to dough in. I'll get some more insulation around the thing too.
Can't wait for next brewday, I wish I'd bought 3 fermenting bins instead of two.
But first, I need a larger pan to be my copper