1st BIAB AG errors

[clarkeuk]

today iv done my first BIAB AG brew
made notes and kept a record of most things important ( I think )
but after using a strike water calculator I still found my mash temp 2 degrees low so used a litre of boiled water to try and up the temp but to no avail so in a panic just wrapped in insulation and mashed for 75 mins instead of 60 mins and was pleased to only loose half a degree in temp over the 75 mins all well and good but after the boil and transfer into fv I only ended up with 4 gallon instead of 5 ( due to me not really knowing how much loss I would have )
so my sg ended up at 1060 not 1051 so im looking at a strong beer around the 7 % mark which I could live with but would much prefer the 5.1 % it should be ( I think my efficiency is some where near ) any ways its all a big learning curve and Im sure itll be drinkable.it is now fermenting but is there anything I can do to dilute this brew now or is it too late
cheers

 

[Alcoholx]

you could add some more water to bring the volume up and the sg down

what was your mash at? sounds like it wasnt far out

 

[clarkeuk]

you could add some more water to bring the volume up and the sg down

what was your mash at? sounds like it wasnt far out

mash was 65 degrees
could I ad more water now during fermentation

 

[Alcoholx]

mash was 65 degrees
could I ad more water now during fermentation

the mash temp should be fine, and if its only just gone in the fermenter i cant see topping it up doing any harm..

but if iam honest iam not 100% sure... maybe a 2nd opinion would be a good thing :lol:

 

[cheapbrew]

yes its probably only just starting fermentation anyway hasn't it?

if you ended up with 4 @ 1060 then at 5 it will be about 1048

 

[clarkeuk]

on your heads be it im off out now to top it up :lol::drunk:

 

[Alcoholx]

on a more up beat note though.. its sounds like youve made yourself some fine beer, and there not really errors you described its just teething problems, i did exactly the same with my first ag brew and had to top it up to get it down :drunk:

hats off sir :thumb:

 

[clarkeuk]

Thank you sir 👍😆

 

[cheapbrew]

calculators are good to give you an idea, but your setup and your working method will determine strike amounts and temps etc, sounds like you'll soon have it down to a repeatable pattern :thumb:

 

[clarkeuk]

just boiled another 4 liters of water n cooled with wort cooler to temp and added, fingers crossed :thumb::drunk:

 

[Spapro]

just boiled another 4 liters of water n cooled with wort cooler to temp and added, fingers crossed :thumb::drunk:

That will be fine, no harm done.

I need 27 litres in my Peco boiler at the end of the boil to get 22-23litres in the FV (accounting for the hop debris and trub left in the boiler after transferring out the wort).

Sounds like a successful first brew with your new equipment. We all have similar issues and learning points with new equipment. Your next brew will be much closer and the one after that will be bang on.

 

[clarkeuk]

Did not take account for the lose due to trub, simple mistake but you live n learn 😆

 

[Spapro]

Did not take account for the lose due to trub, simple mistake but you live n learn 😆

Doesn't sound like you did a lot wrong, and there is a bit to think about with all grain.

Here is the left overs in my boiler after my brew on Saturday:

 

[clarkeuk]

Do u have a hop filter on that spapro and if so what type is it .
I put all my hops in a bag to keep down on the mess

 

[ManseMasher]

If you look in 'calculators' at the top of the forum main page, you will find one for dilution/boil off.

 

[Spapro]

Do u have a hop filter on that spapro and if so what type is it .
I put all my hops in a bag to keep down on the mess

Yes, I have an older all copper version of this one:
http://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.uk/hop-strainer-p-83.html

You use one of the bits of supplied tube to fit the copper strainer into the back of the tap on the Peco boiler. Has worked really well for me, allows the use of loose hops in the boil and all the debris is left in the boiler bottom and the tap doesn't clog when transferring into the FV.

 

[clarkeuk]

just been to check on my brew and its going like a train nearly blow all the solution out of the air lock , so for the first time iv had to fit a blow of tube in to a bottle of star san

 

[cheapbrew]

So you wont be posting a "I've got no bubbles in my airlock" post then ha ha ha :thumb: