Got a mini-batch going!

[Starderup]

I bottled some yeast I cultured (parallel culturing) last night, and calculated that I would have a little left over after filling six bottles. I also roasted some barley on Sunday, and have been itching to see the different color.
So, I did some calculations on my Pale Ale recipe, and one fifth of the total grain came out to 38.4 ounces. I weighed and crushed the grain, and managed to fit it all into one grain sock.
Did a stovetop mash/sparge, and it went pretty well, I think. The hard part was estimating the amount of hops, but after all, it's beer!!!! I just eyeballed it, and used bullion for both bittering and flavor.
It is a little over a gallon, so I split it into two jugs to allow for enough headspace. This morning, they both have a nice krausen on them. I figure it will fill about two six packs.
I really need to break down and get me a Mr. Beer fermenter, so I can do some small batches when the mood strikes.

 

[tieflyer]

post the recipe?

 

[Starderup]

post the recipe?

The grain bill was as follows:

20 ounces of Briess 2-Row
5.6 ounces of my home roasted Briess 2-Row (light tan color)
6 ounces Weyermann Vienna
6 ounces Caramel 10L

Didn't measure the hops, but it was probably about a tablespoon of Bullion at 60 minutes, and another tablespoon at 5. Also put some Irish Moss in there with 10-15 minutes to go.

Mashed with about 1 gallon of water at 170 degrees, and used cold water to bring it to about 152. Held that for about an hour, and lifted the grain sock and dipped it back in, swirled it around, etc. to soak the grist well. Then sparged with another gallon or so of 170 degree water.
I forgot to measure the OG, because I was drinking beer. It looks like my 5 gallon worts, which have consistently come out 1.059 to 1.060.

Wyeast 1056

Covered with aluminum foil because my stopper/airlock wouldn't stay put.

 

[devilishprune]

When you roast grains, does it affect the diastatic power? I was just wondering if you could do a mash with all home-roasted grains.

 

[Starderup]

I am new to roasting, so I can't answer your question. I only roasted the grain for about 30-45 minutes. It is just a little darker than the plain 2-Row, so I would imagine any reduction in the diastatic power would be minimal.

 

[Starderup]

For anyone who uses plastic buckets exclusively, or put a box over a glass carboy like I did, you need to check out the fermentation process in a 1 gallon jug. After the krausen subsides, the activity between the bottom and top is fascinating. The yeast begins to clump together, but it doesn't just fall to the bottom and lay there. It seems to accumulate C02, and bits break off and rise to the surface. At the same time, other clumps at the surface sink, and you have this mesmerizing ballet of rising and falling particles. A day or two ago, it was very dynamic. Today, the activity is a little more subdued, yet you can still see that it is still very much in motion. Some particles, like a half deflated helium balloon, barely rise or sink, and others are easy to follow. One that was rising got hit by a falling clump, and they both stuck together, and gravity won. I am going to do this again, even if I have to up my boil quantity to make sure I have 2 extra quarts. It is very enlightening.

 

[Starderup]

I just bottled this today.
I just used a MrBeer fermenter as a bottling bucket for the two jugs. It worked super. Not a drip, and it was easy peasy. I was going to try to siphon from the jugs into the MrBeer, but decided it would be ok to just carefully pour off the beer. I am going to wash the yeast and save it, because basically, I made two huge starters.
The bottling wand fit perfectly, and I got a six pack of pints, four 12 oz bottles, and about 75% of one more. I'm looking forward to trying it out. Should be more than ready by the Atlanta Falcons Home Opener, but I probably won't be able to resist trying at least one by mid-August.