All grain

[Andy44]

Hi, I have completed 4 10ltr all grain brews using maris otter, cascade hops and yeast. The 1st 2 were pretty good tasting the 3rd I tipped down the sink it was horrible tasting and smelling.
#4 is still in the fermenter and is still bubbling after 15 days, I poured a sample and it tastes OK but is very murky, is it normal to take this long I have it on a heat pad, the first 2 were out of the fermenter after 7 days.

Am I being impatient.
TIA

 

[Andy44]

 

[Rwilts]

We will need to know more details on your process, given that the third was bad (in what way?) Sounds like something has gone wrong and you may not have sorted it properly before brew 4

 

[starseeker]

What beer is it meant to be ,is it a super hoppy style ?

 

[prog99]

What beer is it meant to be ,is it a super hoppy style ?

I've had one of those turn purple before when it got oxidised

 

[phildo79]

"Bubbling" after that long is possibly not a great sign. If the third one was rank and tossed, it might have been infected. Perhaps this one is too. What is your cleaning process like?

 

[Andy44]

What beer is it meant to be ,is it a super hoppy style ?

Don't think so 20g of cascade, 2kg of maris otter and 6g yeast

 

[Andy44]

"Bubbling" after that long is possibly not a great sign. If the third one was rank and tossed, it might have been infected. Perhaps this one is too. What is your cleaning process like?

I clean and sanitise everything just before brewing, I have brewed 20+ kits without a problem

 

[Andy44]

I followed the below 10l batch

• 1kg Maris Otter (about £1.50)
• One packet of hops (any you like - EKG, Citra, Amarillo, Galaxy, Fuggles, First gold etc) (About £3-4, but you will only use 15g of the 100g, so cost is around 50p)
• One packet of yeast, 3g dried yeast is enough. (50p ish)

Method:

1. Heat 3 litres of water to 75C in big pan.
2. Pour in the pale malt while stirring - get rid of lumps.
3. Check temp is 65-70C - adjust if necessary with cold or boiling water.
4. Wrap a thick towel round the pot and leave alone for one hour.
5. Strain into a bucket or other vessel through sieve, or colander lined with cloth.
6. Heat another 4 litres of water to 80C and add the grains back to it. Leave 10 mins, stir, and strain the liquid to your bucket. You should have about 6 litres, which will reduce when you boil it for an hour.
7. Dispose of grains, add wort to pan and bring to boil.
8. Add 5 grams of hops when boiling point is reached.
9. 55 Mins later add 5 to 10g of hops, depending on your hoppiness requirements, boil another 5 mins and switch off.
10. Cool the wort in sink, with lid on, add to sterilised FV/demijohn via sterilised sieve to catch hops, and top up the level to 5 litres if necessary. Pitch yeast at around 18 - 20C.

[Measure the amount of water added if you top up the FV, and add this amount to the sparge water next time you brew]

You should get 8 or 9 x 500ml bottles of lovely beer for about £2.50. It takes me about 3 hours start to finish, making 10 litre batches in this way (see below).

10 Litre option: You can just double all the quantities and make 10 Litres, which is what I do most of the time, it's a good amount of beer. About 18x500ml bottles, or 27x330ml bottles. You just need a 15ish litre pot.

 

[Rwilts]

I followed the below 10l batch

• 1kg Maris Otter (about £1.50)
• One packet of hops (any you like - EKG, Citra, Amarillo, Galaxy, Fuggles, First gold etc) (About £3-4, but you will only use 15g of the 100g, so cost is around 50p)
• One packet of yeast, 3g dried yeast is enough. (50p ish)

Method:

1. Heat 3 litres of water to 75C in big pan.
2. Pour in the pale malt while stirring - get rid of lumps.
3. Check temp is 65-70C - adjust if necessary with cold or boiling water.
4. Wrap a thick towel round the pot and leave alone for one hour.
5. Strain into a bucket or other vessel through sieve, or colander lined with cloth.
6. Heat another 4 litres of water to 80C and add the grains back to it. Leave 10 mins, stir, and strain the liquid to your bucket. You should have about 6 litres, which will reduce when you boil it for an hour.
7. Dispose of grains, add wort to pan and bring to boil.
8. Add 5 grams of hops when boiling point is reached.
9. 55 Mins later add 5 to 10g of hops, depending on your hoppiness requirements, boil another 5 mins and switch off.
10. Cool the wort in sink, with lid on, add to sterilised FV/demijohn via sterilised sieve to catch hops, and top up the level to 5 litres if necessary. Pitch yeast at around 18 - 20C.

[Measure the amount of water added if you top up the FV, and add this amount to the sparge water next time you brew]

You should get 8 or 9 x 500ml bottles of lovely beer for about £2.50. It takes me about 3 hours start to finish, making 10 litre batches in this way (see below).

10 Litre option: You can just double all the quantities and make 10 Litres, which is what I do most of the time, it's a good amount of beer. About 18x500ml bottles, or 27x330ml bottles. You just need a 15ish litre pot.

Thanks. Nothing jumps out , what was wrong with batch 3 ?

 

[Sadfield]

I clean and sanitise everything just before brewing, I have brewed 20+ kits without a problem

One thing to be wary of, is grain (and the dust from it) contains many beer spoilage organisms. IF you clean and sanitise before weighing out and mashing in, all in the same brew space, you could be introducing a contamination. Something that wouldn't happen with sterile malt extract.

 

[Andy44]

Thanks. Nothing jumps out , what was wrong with batch 3 ?

Thanks, Tasted and smellt off, do you think I could cold crash

 

[Andy44]

One thing to be wary of, is grain (and the dust from it) contains many beer spoilage organisms. IF you clean and sanitise before weighing out and mashing in, all in the same brew space, you could be introducing a contamination. Something that wouldn't happen with sterile malt extract.

I haven't sterilised the malt, is this something I should do and what's the best way. Thanks in advance

 

[Sandimas]

Time-wise, it depends what yeast you are using: I've had them finish in under a week, and had others still going at 21 days. You need to be patient, let it finish, then stick it somewhere cold for 24-48 hours which will help the yeast drop out.

What yeast was it?

 

[Sadfield]

I haven't sterilised the malt, is this something I should do and what's the best way. Thanks in advance

No.

If your fermenter is where you brew, weigh out and mash in grain before you sanitise, to avoid grain dust in the air contaminating any sanitised equipment that cooled wort comes into contact with. Ideally, if possible avoid having fermentation and grain in the same place.

You may already be doing this, and it may not be the source of your problem. It's just an extra potential for contamination that isn't often mentioned or obvious when switch to All Grain.

 

[Rwilts]

Given all the evidence I agree that it's sounds like you have an infection in your equipment somewhere , an active fermentation that long sounds like wild years infection . I would not chuck this one untill your sure it's off, then as well as previous advice I would do a thorough clean of all equipment

 

[Andy44]

No.

If your fermenter is where you brew, weigh out and mash in grain before you sanitise, to avoid grain dust in the air contaminating any sanitised equipment that cooled wort comes into contact with. Ideally, if possible avoid having fermentation and grain in the same place.

You may already be doing this, and it may not be the source of your problem. It's just an extra potential for contamination that isn't often mentioned or obvious when switch to All Grain.

Thanks for the info, that's what it probably is, I will be more careful on the next batch.

Thanks again
Sadfield

 

[MashBag]

That's an infection. Might even be caused by a poor conversion. Check the mash temps... To low will leave starches unconverted, which infections will thoroughly enjoy.

Lets not forget this is basic recipe with no temp maintenance, this weather the towel will be cold and rob the temp.

I vote poor mashing. Seen it before.

 

[Andy44]

That's an infection. Might even be caused by a poor conversion. Check the mash temps... To low will leave starches unconverted, which infections will thoroughly enjoy.

Lets not forget this is basic recipe with no temp maintenance, this weather the towel will be cold and rob the temp.

I vote poor mashing. Seen it before.

Thanks

 

[Andy44]

Time-wise, it depends what yeast you are using: I've had them finish in under a week, and had others still going at 21 days. You need to be patient, let it finish, then stick it somewhere cold for 24-48 hours which will help the yeast drop out.

What yeast was it?

It was empire yeast