First PM Failed OG

Tried my first partial mash today....Hit OG of 1.052 on this..

-Steeping 2 Row + 40L in 7.5 qts/water in a stockpot...Had some trouble with temp...Was between 150-160 most of the time.

How did I miss so bad? Still should be very tasty.


HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: The De-Cleater
Author: KR

Brew Method: Partial Mash
Style Name: Imperial IPA
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 7 gallons
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.080
Final Gravity: 1.016
ABV (standard): 8.36%
IBU (tinseth): 188.67
SRM (morey): 8.43

FERMENTABLES:
3.3 lb - Liquid Malt Extract - Pilsen (26.2%)
4 lb - American - Pale 2-Row (31.7%)
3.3 lb - Liquid Malt Extract - Pilsen - (late addition) (26.2%)
1 lb - American - Caramel / Crystal 40L (7.9%)
1 lb - Honey (7.9%)

HOPS:
1 oz - Summit for 60 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 18.5, IBU: 76.45)
1 oz - Summit for 20 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 18.5, IBU: 46.3)
2 oz - Cascade for 15 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 7, IBU: 28.71)
2 oz - Amarillo for 10 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 8.6, IBU: 25.77)
1 oz - Citra for 5 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 13.9, IBU: 11.45)
1 oz - Amarillo for 0 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 8.6)
1 oz - Cascade for 0 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 7)
1 oz - Citra for 0 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 13.9)
2 oz - Amarillo for 14 days, Type: Pellet, Use: Dry Hop (AA 8.6)
2 oz - Citra for 7 days, Type: Pellet, Use: Dry Hop (AA 11)

MASH STEPS:
1) Infusion, Temp: 150 F, Time: 40 min, 4LB 2 row + 1Lb 40L

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
1 each - Whirfloc, Time: 10 min, Type: Fining, Use: Boil

YEAST:
White Labs - San Diego Super Yeast WLP090
Starter: Yes
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 79.5%
Flocculation: Med-High
Optimum Temp: 65 - 68 F
Fermentation Temp: 65 F
Pitch Rate: 0.5 (M cells / ml / deg P)

NOTES:
3. Lbs LME @ 30

Honey @ 0 (flameout).

Well just the honey and LME will get you to about 1.052 in 5 gallons, so something is very wrong. Run through the usual suspects first:

measuring error - temp correction? false reading due to under mixing? (looks like a full boil so I'm thinking with the LME and honey here)
calibration issue - hydrometers, thermometers?
crush
did you mash in a bag, i.e. was the grain fully in contact with the water or was the bag too tight?

How long did you mash for? (Edit - I see now this was 40 min). Certainly sounds like temp could have been an issue, but to get no conversion at all I'd expect that the temp would have to be way off from what you thought.

chickypad said:

Well just the honey and LME will get you to about 1.052 in 5 gallons, so something is very wrong. Run through the usual suspects first:

measuring error - temp correction? false reading due to under mixing? (looks like a full boil so I'm thinking with the LME and honey here)
calibration issue - hydrometers, thermometers?
crush
did you mash in a bag, i.e. was the grain fully in contact with the water or was the bag too tight?

How long did you mash for? (Edit - I see now this was 40 min). Certainly sounds like temp could have been an issue, but to get no conversion at all I'd expect that the temp would have to be way off from what you thought.

Click to expand...

Thanks Chicky....After some thought, here is what I am thinking:

-I put the 5lbs of grain in a grain sock (mistake)...grain was too tight, probably a ton of sugar stuck in there.

-I put grain bag in strainer over kettle, and poured wort over the grain (duh)...so now, what sugar I did have, probably got stuck in my super tight grain bag.

- I did sparge with warm (170) water...But the damage was probably done.


So I learned a lesson! So I will have 5.5 % IPA instead of 8-9%...No biggie.

I use the 5 gallon paint strainer bags for my 2.5 gallon all grain batches, they're good for partial mash too. They fit over the lip of most stockpots, colanders, and also the 3 gallon drink cooler I'm using now, so the grains are loose and you can really stir. You might try batch sparging in 170* water with the bag rather than trying to rinse like a mini fly sparge. I tried both back when I was partial mashing, but I seem to get better effiiciency with the batch sparge on small grain bills.

MrEggSandwich said:

So I learned a lesson! So I will have 5.5 % IPA instead of 8-9%...No biggie.

Click to expand...

true that!