Brewed my first batch yesterday in two years. I definitely forgotten a few things.

Well after a little over a two year hiatus, I am back brewing. It feels better then ever. When I started brewing 3.5 years ago I did a few partial mash brews, then jumped in balls deep, built a rig, and never looked back.

I then had a job that I had to do for a friend that forced me to travel for a few months, then I got rotator cuff surgery, then a baby... So life got in the way of brewing. So yesterday I tried to pick up where I had left off. I bought the dead ringer kit from Northern Brewer for ease of a kit, made a starter two days before, cleaned and sanitized the rig, then went to town. I struck my grains at what temp I remember being good, and ended up hitting the 152* sacch' rest temp. I only had to run two heat cycles to keep it with in a few degrees. Brought it up to 170* for the mash out, and was only able to run off a little over 6 gallons of wort. I forgot how much water the grains soak up.


My PVC hop spider decided to get soft and fall lower and lower into the boil kettle. I was pretty much committed. I was able to rig it safely with some ss tig welding rod, gonna have to explore a new option for that.


Coming to the end of the boil I added my Irish moss, and really forgot its purpose, so with fears of gumming up the chiller I put it in the hop sock. I can research it before my next batch, but... I also added some yeast nutrients. Killed the boil and chilled it, I forgot how efficient these chillers are.
Random Brew shot, you can imagine the rubber neckers driving bye.


Measured the gravity which was spot on, aerated the wort, pitched the yeast, and had the blow off tube bubbling 2.5 hours later.

So I forgot what the Irish moss does, but recall it has something to do with the whirlpool and break. I can't get a good whirlpool going with the low flow barbed camlocks that I am using. Another thing I forgot is wether to aerate the wort before or after I pitch the yeast.
I have noticed there are a few new options out there for containing your hops in the boil kettle, what are people liking the best?
Feels great to be brewing again, I made a starter last night for a imperial ipa I plan on brewing on sunday. Gonna be around more often, and maybe not just as a lurker. I am posting this with the baby video monitor next to the screen, thank god for long naps.
Thanks
Morgan

I'm impressed with your set-up. But if anyone else photographed it in your driveway, expect a visit from Homeland Security!
Thanks for sharing.

What's going on with that vdub in the background? That thing is sweet. Those rubberneckers were probably checking that out. I have had 2 mk3 jettas and currently have a mk4 r32. I wanted something older but I love some vr6.

O... also nice setup.

It looks like you did a great job. Wouldn't use that hop spider again until you figure out why it was melting. How high did you have the burner? Nice rolling boil is all you need.

Whirfloc or irish moss just coagulate proteins to help with hot and cold breaks. For something real hoppy you can just clear after fermentation.

You can aerate at both times. I usually aerate before pitching and then shake the **** out of it after. Everything you did was prefectly fine and should make some fine beer.

Osedax said:

What's going on with that vdub in the background? That thing is sweet. Those rubberneckers were probably checking that out. I have had 2 mk3 jettas and currently have a mk4 r32. I wanted something older but I love some vr6.

O... also nice setup.

It looks like you did a great job. Wouldn't use that hop spider again until you figure out why it was melting. How high did you have the burner? Nice rolling boil is all you need.

Whirfloc or irish moss just coagulate proteins to help with hot and cold breaks. For something real hoppy you can just clear after fermentation.

You can aerate at both times. I usually aerate before pitching and then shake the **** out of it after. Everything you did was prefectly fine and should make some fine beer.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the response.
OT, the GTI was a highly modified 1.8T I built but never got it on the road, when life got in the way of me brewing it also got in the way of my cars. I sold it to a guy that runs a machine shop in town and a small side business that builds cars and parts for VWs, Verdict Motorsport. Since then I picked up a 79 rocco with a g60 in it, and the wife has a new golf R. So I guess I am regressing.

As for my boil, it is quite normal. The steam from the boil just softens the plastic up enough to for the weight of the sack to pull it down. It was cheap home depot PVC so it might even soften at a lower temp then it should.
Thanks Again.
-Morgan

Thats a beautiful rig. Welcome back!

I brewed within one week of bringing home our newborn but every time I brew now, I wonder if it might be the last time for awhile.

macdadmorgan said:

I sold it to a guy that runs a machine shop in town and a small side business that builds cars and parts for VWs, Verdict Motorsport.
-Morgan

Click to expand...

Ha! I bought my shifter bushings from verdict. Great product.

might suggest one of these to replace the pvc part of your hop spider

http://www.homedepot.com/p/100088639?productId=100088639

oh and I really like the rig!