Im relaxing, im not worrying...

[astropunk]

I'm a nervous wreck

Doing my 2nd ever batch, and my first all grain. Mash is going, about 20 mins in. Temp holding at 148.3. I twice added boiling water, but can't seem to get it to 152. I'm calling it good enough, maybe give it a few more minutes to mash?

Sparge water is on. Hopefully the sparge goes well.
RDWHAHB
RDWHAHB
RDWHAHB
...

 

[Runyanka]

I wouldn't worry about extending your mash, you'll just have highly fermentable wort. You're beer may end up a little drier than you expected, but all is good!

 

[astropunk]

Boil is on! Sparge went well, and I learned an important thing. I will explain later.

Amounts were right on. My preboil gravity was low. Find out soon what the post boil is.

Btw, this is the speckled heifer ag kit from northern brewer.

 

[northernlad]

If you took a gravity reading of your preboil, you already know what your post boil gravity is.
Example:
preboil 1.050 @ 6 gallons = (50x6)= 300
post boil volume 5 gallons = (300/5) = 1.060

You may miss your target temperature, gravity, volume, bitterness, etc. but you'll still end up with beer and most assuredly a lesson learned.

 

[RM-MN]

if you used a thermometer with a short stem, your thermometer reading may have been lower than what the temp of the mash really was. With my digital thermometer that has a 6 inch probe, I read about 5 degrees cooler than the 12 inch probe dial thermometer because of the cooler mash nearer the top surface.

 

[astropunk]

OK....got the kids fed, Im all cleaned up, my new brew is put away in the fermenter.

Like a said before, this is my second batch, and first all grain batch.
I have been doing a ton of reading up on AG, and felt it was time to give it a go. I used a software package on my Ipod touch called BrewPal for help. Its a nice little program that helps calculate your mash, boil, etc... I entered the recipe, and it did all the math for me.

So...Lessons learned:

1. Strike water will lose about 10-12 degrees from just the cooler alone. The software calculates heat loss due to grain, but not to preheat the cooler. This is the main reason I could not keep the 152 deg mash temp.

2. If you use a manifold and get stuck sparges, I know the reason why. It is not getting clogged by grain, it is most likely stuck in an air lock. If the slits are down (like mine were), there is no way for the trapped air to escape. The siphon will not start unless the air is first removed. My first runnings would not drain until I sucked out the air (gasp! yes, I sucked on the tube!) After the air was replaced by wort, it drained very smoothly.

3. Next time I will buy an extra pound of grain, or some DME to raise the gravity.

4. my homemade wort chiller worked faster than I was prepared for!

Everything went pretty well. No problems with the 6+ gallons boil. The only problem I had was very low gravity as I stated. I measured 30, when it should have been 42. However, it was my first time using a hydrometer...not sure I even did it right. I dont have a test tube, so I used the plastic tube it came in. I couldnt get it to float free in the tube. It was always touching the side somewhere, but the gravity after boil "averaged" 30. Target was 42.

Im not really concerned with the abv, but I want to know how efficient my mash is for future batches.

I did taste the wort in various stages, and I have a feeling this beer is gonna be goooood!! :rockin: