AG #1 "Maiden Ale"

[matthew_pullin]

Ok first AG done and lots learned see pics below.
Original Gravity (OG): 1.050 (°P): 12.4
Final Gravity (FG): 1.013 (°P): 3.3
Alcohol (ABV): 4.91 %
Colour (SRM): 7.4 (EBC): 14.6
Bitterness (IBU): 35.9 (Average)

90% Maris Otter Malt
10% Crystal 80

0.8 g/L Challenger (6.1% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
0.8 g/L Fuggles (5.7% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
1.2 g/L Challenger (6.1% Alpha) @ 15 Minutes (Boil)
0.4 g/L Fuggles (5.7% Alpha) @ 15 Minutes (Boil)
1.2 g/L Challenger (6.1% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)

0.2 g/L Irish Moss @ 15 Minutes (Boil)

Single step Infusion at 68°C for 90 Minutes. Boil for 60 Minutes
Fermented at 20°C with WLP051 - California Ale
Recipe Generated with BrewMate

The Grain Shot - Kept the grain in the boiler room for 24 hrs b4 so it was nice and warm for mashing

IMG_0167 by mattypullin, on Flickr
Hops

IMG_0168 by mattypullin, on Flickr
The Mash - put in the oven for 90 min only lost 1 deg

IMG_0169 by mattypullin, on Flickr
Mini Sparge - no pick as this was hands on, held the bag over FV and sparged with measuring jug's of hot water. i also left this to drain in a colander and added 500ml extra wort to boil after 30 min :-)

The Boil - Very difficult to get this up to boil on my stove so iv had to play about with the lid to the pot. which caused one or two overboils.

IMG_0176 by mattypullin, on Flickr

IMG_0178 by mattypullin, on Flickr
Cooling the wort - this also took ages

IMG_0179 by mattypullin, on Flickr
SG - had a lot of trouble getting the cooled wort in to the FV in the end i had to pour it through a sieve along with all the break material i need to fing a better way of doing this bit you can see how cloudy it is

IMG_0172 by mattypullin, on Flickr
Yeast - first AG so i got some posh yeast

IMG_0171 by mattypullin, on Flickr

Overall a good experience! i cant wait to see how it turns out. I think the time it took to boil and cool affected the SG i ended up with less wort than i expected. Long story short i needs to find a boiler with a tap :-) if anyone can point me in the direction of where i can get one ill be most grateful.

 

[pittsy]

looking good there well done and using liquid yeast will make this brew twice as good as it may of been :thumb:

 

[TheMumbler]

Looks like it went well, I'm on number 41 I think and it is still chaos here

 

[dennisking]

Cherry popped. :clap:

 

[calumscott]

Nice one!!

Get this year's popped cherry roll rolling...

http://thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic ... 36&t=35314

:thumb:

 

[carl_saint]

Good one, and a good choice with the WLP051!

 

[Green Ninja]

Don't worry about bits in the wort.

It'll all drop out after 2 weeks in the FV.

Congrats. You'll never look back now.

 

[EskiBrew]

Good work, well done on your first AG :clap:

 

[LeedsBrewer]

well done mate :thumb:

 

[matthew_pullin]

Cheers guys it would not have been possible without this forum so thank you. Im in the market for a Thorn (Peco) Electrim Boiler what are your opinions on this model? i have no room for a proper setup and its the cheapest electric boiler i can find. unless you can suggest something else?

 

[Green Ninja]

buy a 33l (I think) food grade plastic bucket from Bigger Jugs (I know I know) and then buy 2 Tesco value kettles and rip the elements out of them.

Next construct a hop filter out of copper tubing and a ball valve for the outflow and you got yourself a boiler on the cheap.

Mine works great.