Tomcat0304
Well-Known Member
I hadn't found this thread before now, but boy do I have one to add!
I had my brother over for my annual "New Year, New Beer" brew. I try a technique/style/beer I have never done before on New Year's Eve or day. This year, I got over ambitious and in way over my head.
A little information on my standard, very inefficient, time management process:
I live in apartment and still brew on my stovetop (confession #1).
I use a 7.5 gallon kettle to mash and brew in (confession #2).
I have a 9 month old in the next room, this was an overnight brew session.
This year was a multi rest, double mash, parti gyle Wheatwine and American Wheat. I thought it would be a good test to see if I could rest at 104, 122, 145, 155, and mash out at 168. I ended up within 1 degree of each. Resting 20 minutes each at 122,145,155. Total time from the start of mash to after the batch sparge: 4 hours... For each mash.
Then I had a 90 minute boil on the Wheatwine. Cooled with an immersion chiller to 62*.
Then the 60 minute American Wheat boil. Cooled down to 62*.
Total length of brew day: 16 hours until equipment was cleaned and put away.
Oh, I also put my brother to work bottling my Whoa Heavy strong scotch because I needed the bucket for the brew that was currently boiling.
My brother, who likes beer but had never seen the brewing process, was not impressed.
Oh, also, we broke a bottle during bottling (still in the kitchen) spilling beer everywhere. And I scorched the bottom of my kettle worse than I ever have during the second mash. I cleaned with bar keeper's friend for 40 minutes before beginning the first boil.
The American Wheat turned into a Wheat IPA at the 60 minute addition, so I changed that recipe on the fly.
Worst brew session in my 4 years of brewing....
I had my brother over for my annual "New Year, New Beer" brew. I try a technique/style/beer I have never done before on New Year's Eve or day. This year, I got over ambitious and in way over my head.
A little information on my standard, very inefficient, time management process:
I live in apartment and still brew on my stovetop (confession #1).
I use a 7.5 gallon kettle to mash and brew in (confession #2).
I have a 9 month old in the next room, this was an overnight brew session.
This year was a multi rest, double mash, parti gyle Wheatwine and American Wheat. I thought it would be a good test to see if I could rest at 104, 122, 145, 155, and mash out at 168. I ended up within 1 degree of each. Resting 20 minutes each at 122,145,155. Total time from the start of mash to after the batch sparge: 4 hours... For each mash.
Then I had a 90 minute boil on the Wheatwine. Cooled with an immersion chiller to 62*.
Then the 60 minute American Wheat boil. Cooled down to 62*.
Total length of brew day: 16 hours until equipment was cleaned and put away.
Oh, I also put my brother to work bottling my Whoa Heavy strong scotch because I needed the bucket for the brew that was currently boiling.
My brother, who likes beer but had never seen the brewing process, was not impressed.
Oh, also, we broke a bottle during bottling (still in the kitchen) spilling beer everywhere. And I scorched the bottom of my kettle worse than I ever have during the second mash. I cleaned with bar keeper's friend for 40 minutes before beginning the first boil.
The American Wheat turned into a Wheat IPA at the 60 minute addition, so I changed that recipe on the fly.
Worst brew session in my 4 years of brewing....
