First AG brew - Dick Dastardly's Dunkel HefeWeizen

[HarryFlatters]

Mornin',

First AG brew on Saturday (first beer brew ever, actually...), and I think it went ok.

Notes for next time -

1. Mash in temperature was a little high and it took 20 minutes to get down to 67°C, so I think that the beer might end up a bit sweet as it had 20 minutes at too high a mash temperature.

2. Don't try to work out water additions when you've got a hangover/still drunk from your work Christmas night out. It'll take ages and make your head hurt.

3. Buy gloves, squeezing a roasting hot water out of a mash bag hurts A Lot.

4. Majestic's Definition Albarino is a bit disappointing, buy Pulpo instead.

5. Brew outside, as you will have to clean up LOTS of condensation drips and make everything a bit sticky.

6. Add a bit more water than you think at the start, the final quantity was just over 20 litres, so I'm a little shy and consequently the OG is a bit higher than the recipe states (1.054 vs 1.049)

7. Get the next brew on soon :)

Here's some (rubbish) photos.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1...?key=U1I1LVhVSHdyYlF4bjl3QmplLVd3SWFHdEVJU2N3

 

[braziliain]

The OG is a bit higher than the recipe states (1.054 vs 1.049)

Congrats on your first brew!

It would be fine to add water to the fermenter to dilute back to the correct OG. This is common practice and a technique called 'back liquoring'. There are plenty of online tools that will calculate this for you such as this one below. Adding 2L of water would have got you to your intended OG.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/dilution-and-boiloff-gravity-calculator/

 

[HarryFlatters]

back liquoring

Good to know :)

Would I do this now, or can I make up the priming sugar solution for batch priming to this volume and add it before bottling?

Additionally, would I have to treat this by boiling and with a Campden tablet to remove chlorine or am I past the point where this can create off flavours?

 

[braziliain]

It's usual to back liquor in the fermenter before you pitch the yeast. In this way it is very similar to the way you would make up a kit beer, adding water to a tin of concentrated wort. I do this often in order that I can brew greater volumes using small batch kit. When I back liquor in this way I usually use a quarter of a campden tab to knock out the chlorine and then add to the fermenter. I have in the past used bottled water for this too which I pour straight in.

It is possible to dilute after fermentation at packaging, something I haven't done myself. There is an article here about that practice

https://www.morebeer.com/articles/brewing_high_gravity_beers

 

[HarryFlatters]

Cheers for the info, Brazilian. I think I'll just leave it as it is for now and see how it tastes after carbonation and conditioning. I'm not overly concerned about it turning out a bit strong as long as it isn't too sweet :)

 

[cushyno]

Looks like you opted for HBCs peco + AG kit. I did the same recently and enjoyed making the HBC Velvet stout, all the ingredients were good quality.

Which yeast did HBC supply in the kit?

 

[HarryFlatters]

Looks like you opted for HBCs peco + AG kit. I did the same recently and enjoyed making the HBC Velvet stout, all the ingredients were good quality

Good eye - that's exactly it. For £85 delivered plus some old hoses and jubilee clips, it's amazing value.

Which yeast did HBC supply in the kit?

They supplied a sachet of Mangrove Jack Wheat Yeast.

It seems to be doing the job fine, there's a bit of foam on the top and some action through the airlock so I assume it's doing it's thaaaang :)

 

[HarryFlatters]

Update, it's been a fortnight since brewing this batch and it still hasn't finished fermenting. I took a gravity reading yesterday which showed 1.04 so I still think it's got a ways to go. My kitchen has been quite cold for the last wee while, so I've put a seedling mat underneath it to see if that'll rouse the yeast to finish it off.

Sadly, it won't be ready any time soon.

 

[goodolpete]

3. Buy gloves
You might be interested in this video.

 

[foxbat]

1. Mash in temperature was a little high and it took 20 minutes to get down to 67°C, so I think that the beer might end up a bit sweet as it had 20 minutes at too high a mash temperature.

This will affect your FG. What was your starting temperature? 20 mins to get down to 67C suggests something well into the 70s.

3. Buy gloves, squeezing a roasting hot water out of a mash bag hurts A Lot.

Search "marigold astroflex". Should cost about a fiver and is approved for use in the food industry. I wouldn't squeeze my bag with anything else

 

[HarryFlatters]

What was your starting temperature?

Probably 75°c, I thought I'd lose loads of temperature but I didn't.

Live and learn