Playing with it for the first time!!!!!!

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JDXX1971

JDXX1971

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I blame YOU!!!!! All of you!!!:D:D

Especially Jaybird and Bobby M. The rest of you are just as guilty though, being influences and all.:D:D

IMG_20161225_121553358.jpg
 
I would also like to blame the guys at More Beer, Wilserbrewer, and YOU, yes you, all of you guys again. I could have never done it without your input here on the forums.

I am getting ready to brew my first batch ever!!!! I have run leak test, boil off rates and even checked to see how well the Duda Diesel B3-23A chiller works. So far everything seems all good. Now I am going to run a mild batch of PBW through it all, give it a good rinse and get ready to brew.

Thank you everybody, I am sure to be looking for lot's of help as I get this thing dialed in. More pics to come..,.......

:mug::mug::mug:
 
First brew day is scheduled for tomorrow morning. Brewing equipment has been tested and cleaned. Grains are crushed and ready to brew thanks to NorCal Brewing Solutions. I will be making a Maris Otter/Willamette SMASH for my first brew.

I have read way to much for my own good and playing with the system today I realized I am pretty much lost. Gotta use the KISS method for this one for sure. I know enough to be dangerous but I think I can pull this off. I am actually about to make beer!!!!!!!

Nothing to it but to do it ;)...............Right???????

:mug::mug::mug:
 
Yesterday was a wash, ended up helping SWMBO with her plans instead. Today is the day, going to make some BEER!!!!! Now wifey will have time to get involved and help me too. I am excited, have been working towards this day for months!!!!

:mug::mug::mug:
 
Looks like gas fired w/out temp control? So you want to recirculate and manually fire the burner?

Slippery slope....

I was going to suggest you heat strike to 160, put your thermometer away, dough in and walk away for an hour...
lol
 
Yep, That sounds easier. I was just talking with my wife about that. I figure I want to try it, gonna go real easy with the heat. Next time I am gonna trow our jackets over it and see what happens.

Gonna go give it one more stir now.

Oh and I decided to just go ahead and start the re circulation.

Gonna be BEER!!! no matter what.
 
Wort is boiling, hop spider is in. looking good. SWMBO re hydrated the s-04 for me and it is taking off. Next hop addition in 25 min. Sanitizing the fermenter now.
 
Boil is done, 0 min hops are in whirlpool. Gonna give it 20 min and turn the chiller water on and put it in the fermenter.:ban::ban:
 
Then I think I am gonna start round 2, a Red Hook ESB clone. Quick rinse and get er done.
 
I think I hit my numbers pretty good. I forgot to look at my volumes end of mash and boil but it looks like my fermenter has about 6.5 gallons in it which is my target and O.G. was 1.054 .003 off the 1.057 goal. pretty good I think.

Round 2 strike water is heating now.

:mug::mug::mug:
 
Looks like we ended up with between 6.5/6.75 gallons in the fermenter at 1.054 which is about perfect.:D:D

:mug::mug::mug:

I am having a lot of fun with this, cant wait to try our beer!!!
 
40 minutes left to the boil on this second batch. I am getting tired now........But still having fun!!!!
 
Last batch had 0 minutes hops so I whirlpooled them for 20 min. Not sure that was the right thing to do, it was still pretty hot. This batch has a 2 min addition I am thinking I will just flame out and run it through the cooler into the fermenter at the end of the boil. W
What do you all think?
 
jcav said:
Wow looks like a great first day with your new system! Nice Job! :mug:

John
Click to expand...

Thank you, I am trying really hard. :rockin::rockin:

There is so much left out though but I figure I can add more to the process later. (water profile, mash ph and ect.)
 
JDXX1971 said:
Thank you, I am trying really hard. :rockin::rockin:

There is so much left out though but I figure I can add more to the process later. (water profile, mash ph and ect.)
Click to expand...

That's ok, you have to jump in at some point. You will fine tune it as you go and each step you take to make your process even better will make your beer improve even more. Everyone's budget is different. If you can afford it though you should try and get a ph meter so you can nail down your mash ph. That, sanitation and fermentation temp control really made my beers take off when I was learning and improving as I went along. Good Luck!

John
 
jcav said:
That's ok, you have to jump in at some point. You will fine tune it as you go and each step you take to make your process even better will make your beer improve even more. Everyone's budget is different. If you can afford it though you should try and get a ph meter so you can nail down your mash ph. That, sanitation and fermentation temp control really made my beers take off when I was learning and improving as I went along. Good Luck!

John
Click to expand...

Yep, ph meter is next on my list for sure. That and a water test so I at least know where I am starting from.
 
Got exactly 6.5 gallons this batch o.g. is 1.053 goal was 1.058. Not too shabby I would say.

:mug::mug::mug:
 
Cleaning up now, and that concludes my first brew day. Was quite an adventure that was a long time in coming.:rockin::rockin:

I have ingredients for one more batch which I will probably do tomorrow. I have some questions and comments I would like to add, but that will have to wait.

Thank you all for the encouragement I appreciate it.

:mug::mug::mug:
 
SWEET! DUDE! That hoist stand looks AMAZING! :) I am a bit surprised its not tipping over with the weight of that pump plate though LOL. It has been an absolute pleasure working with you buddy! NOW go tell the SWMBO to stop giving you honey do's to do and BREW SOME MORE BEER!

Looks great man! Well done!

Cheers
Jay
 
Jaybird said:
SWEET! DUDE! That hoist stand looks AMAZING! :) I am a bit surprised its not tipping over with the weight of that pump plate though LOL. It has been an absolute pleasure working with you buddy! NOW go tell the SWMBO to stop giving you honey do's to do and BREW SOME MORE BEER!

Looks great man! Well done!

Cheers
Jay
Click to expand...

Yep, you built one awesome hoist stand Jay. Thing works really good too, made my life much easier I am sure. Pump plate is exactly as I wanted it too, that thing is never gonna bend.:D Now I just need you to make me a pump cover that clips over said plate, every time I lift the lid it drips on the pump. I sure appreciate your help getting this thing set up, couldn't have done it without you. Did you see that empty space below the chiller and above the pump? Hmm I wonder what would fit there??????
 
JDXX1971 said:
Yep, you built one awesome hoist stand Jay. Thing works really good too, made my life much easier I am sure. Pump plate is exactly as I wanted it too, that thing is never gonna bend.:D Now I just need you to make me a pump cover that clips over said plate, every time I lift the lid it drips on the pump. I sure appreciate your help getting this thing set up, couldn't have done it without you. Did you see that empty space below the chiller and above the pump? Hmm I wonder what would fit there??????
Click to expand...

Ha Ha Ha.. It was your vision buddy! I just cut,bent and welded stuff together!

Hmmmmmm A THRIFTY RIMS perhaps? :D

Cheers
Jay
 
Congrats on 1st brew day. Good job hitting numbers or close right out the gate. Like already said ahead of some that have been at it a lot longer. Nice place in the world you are in NO CAL
 
BudBernerBrewer said:
Congrats on 1st brew day. Good job hitting numbers or close right out the gate. Like already said ahead of some that have been at it a lot longer. Nice place in the world you are in NO CAL
Click to expand...


Thank you,
Yeah I am going to chalk it up to due diligence. I tried to be as prepared and informed as possible. So far it has worked out pretty good, though I am sure beginners luck played its hand as well.

As for NO CAL yep, :fro::fro::fro::ban::ban::ban:

:mug::mug::mug:
 
Jaybird said:
Ha Ha Ha.. It was your vision buddy! I just cut,bent and welded stuff together!

Hmmmmmm A THRIFTY RIMS perhaps? :D

Cheers
Jay
Click to expand...


YES, we have a winner!!!!!! Seriously though I really want it bad. I tried to control the mash temp manually with the burner and while I think I did an ok job ish, simpler more accurate control is in the cards for this one.

Well after today my Malt Vault is officially empty. I really have to hand it to your guy Trent, all three recipes came out nearly spot on the numbers.

Today's Red Seal Ale clone put just over 6.5 gallons of 1.050 wort in my fermenter. Not bad for a 6.5 gallon 1.052 goal.

We are going to have to talk about that THRIFTY RIMS soon and Porter, yeah Porter!!

:mug::mug::mug:
 
I am really stoked on how well the last couple of days brewing has gone. I had a few flusterating moments and had to adjust my boil times a little to hit my volumes, but all in all it went pretty well. There are three speidel 30 L's in my fermentation chamber full of beer!!!!

I am going to rework my plumbing a little and hopefully add the THRIFTY RIMS before the next brew day. I need to spend some time researching to answer some questions so I can refine my processes. Besides that I need to figure out what we want to brew next and fill the Malt Vault back up.

Thank you everyone I have really enjoyed the company.

:mug::mug::mug:
 
JDXX1971 said:
YES, we have a winner!!!!!! Seriously though I really want it bad. I tried to control the mash temp manually with the burner and while I think I did an ok job ish, simpler more accurate control is in the cards for this one.

Well after today my Malt Vault is officially empty. I really have to hand it to your guy Trent, all three recipes came out nearly spot on the numbers.

Today's Red Seal Ale clone put just over 6.5 gallons of 1.050 wort in my fermenter. Not bad for a 6.5 gallon 1.052 goal.

We are going to have to talk about that THRIFTY RIMS soon and Porter, yeah Porter!!

:mug::mug::mug:
Click to expand...

Did you check for conversion before you attempted to control the mash temp by adding heat? I think for many of us the conversion happens pretty quickly and the need to add heat just isn't there. If you have a refractometer, stir the mash well about 10 minutes into the time and then check the gravity. Check it again at 15 to see if it has changed, making sure to stir well before taking the sample.:ban:
 
Jaybird said:
Ha Ha Ha.. It was your vision buddy! I just cut,bent and welded stuff together!
Click to expand...
Hmmmmmm A THRIFTY RIMS perhaps? :D

Cheers
Jay
Click to expand...


You did an excellent job too I might add, :eek:nestar::eek:nestar::eek:nestar::eek:nestar: thank you very much. I wish I could afford to finish my vision, in time.... in time....
You have a whole bunch of cool stuff I want to order too, You gonna get rich of all us poor suckers.:ban::ban::ban::ban:
 

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