1st AG and it's all your fault! Thanks

[Mauri]

Well, after reading hundreds of posts about how great AG brews are compared to kits, I finally got my act together and brewed my first AG today.
I'd like to thank you all because this forum is a real gold mine. Without the incredible amount of info available here, I don't think I would have ever been able to even begin to contemplate this.

Anyway, I used a fermenter, with a nice duvet as mash tun and I built a boiler with a Young's 6g fermenter and kettle element.
I went for a simple recipe, a bitter with challenger and EKG hops (whether 'best' or not I would not be able to say,as I've been living in the UK since 2000 but I still haven't understood what's the difference between stock and best)

Now I'm waiting for it to cool before taking the OG reading, which hopefully won't be too different from what I am expecting (1.048)

Cheers
Mauri

[MikeG]

Congratulations, Mauri.

I have a couple of questions:

1 Did you sparge and, if so, how did you do it?
2 How are you cooling it?

I ask because there is much on this forum about the need to sparge, ideally with a spinny. Then, after boiling with the hops, to cool it very quickly.

I know of someone who sparges with a jug and then leaves it to cool overnight. He seems to produce a good clear brew.

I look forward to hearing how you first AG tastes and looks.

I'm asking because I want to do my first AG soon, probably after christmas; I'm still vicariously gaining experience.

cheers,
Mike.

[Mauri]

Cheers Mike,
yes I did sparge. I used a Ritchie's mashing and sparging bag and batch sparged.
As for cooling, I didn't have money for a wort chiller right now, so a bathful of cold water had to do. I am cheap!

[prolix]

Mauri well done mate hope you enjoyed because it will be nothing compared to 4 weeks hence when you drink it!

[Dennis King]

Nice one another addict to the dark side. You say your not from the uk. where are you from.

[Mauri]

Italy. I moved to Cornwall 8 and a half years ago

[Horden Hillbilly]

Well done Mauri.

[pantsmachine]

As for cooling, I didn't have money for a wort chiller right now, so a bathful of cold water had to do. I am cheap!

That's exactly how i used to do it Remember, its not being cheap its being practical! Congratulations but where are the photo's?

[Damfoose]

Nice job Mauri and welcome to the darker side of brewing im sure you will enjoy your brew even if it is a little cloudy as it is one you made from scratch and they allways seem to taste better

As for your little queery to the Stock and Best to be honest the only diffrence I have noticed is usually the price and where you get what ever it is from , As it is usually just a name for something and it gives shops / Pubs an excuse to charge more for something.

[coatesg]

Brill - good job! Lots of new AG brewers on here recently

[Mauri]

Thanks guys, good to know I'm not the only one who can't identify any difference between stock/best apart from the price.

I'm afraid no piccies, as the camera's memory card is full at the moment (you know, 6 months old daughter looks a lot cuter than the boiling wort ).

The OG was 1.044, a little lower than the 1.048 I was expecting from the Beer Engine calculation, but I'm not too bothered. Also, I'm afraid that it may be a little cloudy, especially because cooling it down in the bath took a few hours. But again I am not too bothered, as long as it tastes good, and I will invest in a wort chiller soon.

Now off to check recipes for the next brew mild or IPA?

[coatesg]

Now off to check recipes for the next brew mild or IPA?

A mild would be ready for Christmas if you brew in the next week or so

Alternatively, brew a really strong hoppy IPA and have it for next Christmas/Summer/Easter