AG Brew day #6 Golden Ale

[jafski]

Having a go at this today:


3.75 kg Crisp Maris Otter
0.19 kg Flaked Oats
30g EKG Leaf Hops (Alpha Rating 6.5%) @ 60 mins
20g EKG Leaf Hops (Alpha Rating 6.5%) @ 30 mins
25g Cascade Pellet Hops 2015 (Alpha Rating 8.0%) Cool to 80'c bd steep for 15 mins at flameout.
5g Irish Moss
Gervin Nottingham Yeast (1 pack)

25g Cascade Pellet Hops 2015 (Alpha Rating 8.0%) dry hop for 5 days

Also going to do a mash out step for the first time and see if that, (along with getting my volumes spot on) helps my efficiency.

 

[jafski]

Didn't mash out in the end. Sparging slowly 2 minutes per litre.

 

[suffolkbeer]

Nice looking setup, what sparge arm do you use, does it rotate on its own?

 

[jafski]

Nice looking setup, what sparge arm do you use, does it rotate on its own?

This one: https://www.brewuk.co.uk/rotating-sparge-arm.html

It does rotate but only when my tap's open fully, so when balancing water in and sparge water out, it just trickles out and doesn't spin.

TBH, didn't need it, but was shiny and I wanted it! Could do just as well without it, but as I have it I'm going to use it!

 

[jafski]

OG of 1.035 and 22l in the FV. Should have been 1.039 & 23l. My efficiency is ****e! 61.8% Will up the grain next time.

 

[Slid]

OG of 1.035 and 22l in the FV. Should have been 1.039 & 23l. My efficiency is ****e! 61.8% Will up the grain next time.

I often wonder about efficiencies and sometimes think that the "brewhouse" efficiencies I calculate at 65-68% are measuring on a different basis to the assumed 70-75% you see in recipes.

I reckon to lose at least a couple of litres to trub and hop absorption and brew to 25L as a matter of routine.

Another consideration is that despite poor-ish looking OG's measured at around 25-28C coming out of the cooler and into the initial FV, using a temps converter to 20C often tells me that it is really quite a bit better than I thought.

I have never made an AG or even partial mash brew that I thought was "weak". Somewhat the opposite, TBH.

Best ever brewhouse efficiency from the wondrous Grainfather?

Maybe 68%?

 

[jafski]

I often wonder about efficiencies and sometimes think that the "brewhouse" efficiencies I calculate at 65-68% are measuring on a different basis to the assumed 70-75% you see in recipes.

I reckon to lose at least a couple of litres to trub and hop absorption and brew to 25L as a matter of routine.

Another consideration is that despite poor-ish looking OG's measured at around 25-28C coming out of the cooler and into the initial FV, using a temps converter to 20C often tells me that it is really quite a bit better than I thought.

I have never made an AG or even partial mash brew that I thought was "weak". Somewhat the opposite, TBH.

Best ever brewhouse efficiency from the wondrous Grainfather?

Maybe 68%?

I mashed at 64.5'c and so if the yeast gets me down to 1.004 then I'll be there or thereabouts with the ABV at 4.1%. Target was 4.2%. Sure it will be nice anyway!

 

[Dads_Ale]

This one: https://www.brewuk.co.uk/rotating-sparge-arm.html

It does rotate but only when my tap's open fully, so when balancing water in and sparge water out, it just trickles out and doesn't spin.

TBH, didn't need it, but was shiny and I wanted it! Could do just as well without it, but as I have it I'm going to use it!

I have one of these sparge arms and the holes are too big. As you say you need the tap fully open to get it to spin.

Luckily there is an easy fix. You can cover the original holes with aluminium tape (or shrink tube or I suppose any other tape) and then punch some smaller holes through the tape with a pin. It then spins with minimal water pressure and can be controlled much easier.

 

[jafski]

I have one of these sparge arms and the holes are too big. As you say you need the tap fully open to get it to spin.

Luckily there is an easy fix. You can cover the original holes with aluminium tape (or shrink tube or I suppose any other tape) and then punch some smaller holes through the tape with a pin. It then spins with minimal water pressure and can be controlled much easier.

Cheers! Will give that a go.

 

[Dads_Ale]

Cheers! Will give that a go.

Hope it works :)

It does annoy me that in this day and age people are selling kit that really isn't fit for purpose.

I have a rotating sparge arm I bought in the 90s and it works perfectly. A lot of thought had obviously gone into the size and positioning of the holes which enables it to be used effectively in a home brew environment.

I bought another one recently, similar to my original, as a back up and that was pretty pants as well. Holes too big and one set pointing down so it didn't rotate at all. A lit bit of work heating, re-locating, re-soldering and shrink wrap sorted it but you really shouldn't have to re-work this stuff.

So much for Review, Learn and Improve