All Grain Planning

[Asherweef]

Morning all,

So I'm planning to make the most of the enforced seclusion by doing a well-planned out allgrain brew.

My recipe is from the Greg Hughes book and I'm following Clibit's thread in order to do so, but could you please advise on my steps and equipment:

Equipment
15 litre pan - here
Usual wilko FV - here
Brewing spoon
Starsan sprayer
Cleaning equipment for FV
Hydrometer
Thermometer
Scales
Colander
Muslin

Ingredients - 10 litres
1,608g Lager malt
86g Vienna malt
86g Crystal Wheat malt
9g Magnum hops
12g Willamette hops
9g Cascade hops
1/2tsp Protofloc
American West coast yeast

Steps

1. Heat 6 litres water in the above pan
2. Once up to temperature pour in Lager, Vienna and crystal wheat malt and stir thoroughly
3. Heat to 65oC and maintain at this temperature for 1 hour through liberal use of towels, etc
4. Pour liquid through the muslin lined colander into the FV
5. Heat 8 litres water and chuck the grains back in (no muslin bag etc)
6. Strain this back into the FV
7. Return all liquid back to the big pan and dispose (or similar) the grain, sterilise FV
8. Bring to rolling boil and pitch 9g Magnum hops
9. Wait 45 mins and add 1/2tsp Protofloc
10. Wait 5 mins whilst and add 3g Willamette hops
11. Wait 10 mins, turn off and add the remainder 9g Willamette and 9g Cascade
12. Strain back into the FC which should be in the sink to rapidly cool down
13. Top up to 10 litres if I'm running low
14. Pitch yeast at 18oC
15. Aerate
16. Lid on and maintain at 18oC until action has stopped
17. Siphon off into plastic keg and allow to develop for 4 weeks

Feedback on the above would be great but also a couple of questions:

• Should I get some hop bags like this?
• Do I need a huge bag for the pan like this?
• Do I need to add sugar to the final keg?
• I live in the Northwest where we have superb water. Do I still need to campden tablet it?
• Any other tips, problems or advice?

Thanks guys (&gals)

 

[cushyno]

Your process looks spot on to me. And the recipe looks great, that'll be a tasty beer.

Step 12, make sure you've boiled and sanitised whatever you're using as a filter. I use a small very fine mesh bag that traps all the hops and most of the crap from the boil.

Having a mesh bag for the pan helps manage the grain, easier than trying to scoop it all out.

I'd definitely still use a campden tablet.

Final Keg will need sugar, about 40g should do it.

Do it!

 

[Asherweef]

Hi Cushyno,

Thanks a lot for your reply. Mission accepted!!!

 

[Slid]

Pan looks good, too!

 

[Jason42]

Just a word of warning...
Don’t know what type of hob you have but this pan’s not suitable for induction hobs.

 

[Charles Stanley-Grey]

Kettle bag all the way, makes life so easy, no need to transfer hot wort all over the place, just mash then lift out and sparge. below was a big brew I did and even that was easy to handle once I got it out. Never missed my OG by much. Also you can see my hops ready to go in their bags, just chuck them in and its all neat and tidy.

 

[Asherweef]

Thanks both, it’s just an electric hob so should be fine.

pleased the pan gets the seal of approval, I just wanted something cheap and cheerful. If I get the bug I’ll probably get a shiny machine - but that’s probably 18 months of brewing away