First brew from all grain

[kopal]

So how long do you leave the hops in for? Assuming they're in a bag or spider?

I think after operating a hop stand at 85°C without a tube, brewers allow for 20 minutes of natural cooling prior to hop removal. The hops, which are typically housed in a pouch or spider, are then allowed to rest for 24 hours. A water-friendly brewing approach is emphasized, however, the duration for hop contact isn't specified to achieve flavor infusion. thanks

 

[MashBag]

perfect to use for cleaning up.

Better still not to have any...

 

[Sadfield]

Better still not to have any...

Better to clean your kit afterwards, which still requires water.

All the benefits of cooling and clean kit, too.

 

[Ross1974]

I imagine since it's the next day you've had a go at it? If so, I hope it all worked okay and you enjoyed the process?

No. Not yet. Planning to go for it on Sunday. Just need some courage.

 

[Rwilts]

No. Not yet. Planning to go for it on Sunday. Just need some courage.

What's the worst that could happen ?

 

[Deadhead]

No. Not yet. Planning to go for it on Sunday. Just need some courage.

Ohhhhh. Okay, well can I give you some courage? I'm a Grainfather brewer. I have been since they first came out. I am still using my original one, that's now beat to hell, with the seals you have to put in that drive me crazy, and have lost my middle pipe a few times in my chicken coop (and found weeks and weeks later - some oxyi cleaner and sarstan and you're good to go ;-) ) And I have made award winning beers on my mine. And you will make some epic brews on yours. I have royally messed it up and still made good beer. And you will too. Follow the instructions and the kit instructions and you will be amazed. Truly. I'm rooting for you!

 

[Ross1974]

Ok! So yesterday, after some faffing around and running late, brew day happened.
Got a Exceedingly Good IPA, with cascade hops bubbling slowly @ 22c this morning, so something clearly happened.

Thoughts...

It took me much longer than I thought it would, but I put this down to experience.
The temperature control on the S40 is terrible. +/- 3 degrees. at 100c. Boiling on and off, but I hope it'll be ok. Setting at 103c seems to stick the boiling on max, and its just a bubbling mess.
Speaking of mess..... wow. Lots of crud on the walls after the boil and cool down. Looks like whats left of the hops/grain.
Sludge.... trub? Plenty of that in the bottom.
Cleaning. Still doing it now.
SG.. Pre boil around 1014, post boil 1040 ( once cooled to 22c) Does this seem ok?

What do you guys use to clump the haze in the beer, to clear it? I used to use isinglass for wine etc, but any better options?

And yeah I had a beer to the beer gods, of which I see there are many.

So. Is there anything I can do about the poor temp control? Is there a better controller retrofit?

I'll keep updating as the fermentation progresses.

Ross

 

[St00]

I'd proffer the opinion that you should mentally write off your first attempt at anything you try for the first time.

My first beers were awful, but you soon learn what you did wrong and it's very rare that I repeat the same mistake (mainly because I'm tight and I hate wasting money).

Also, you won't know how good or bad it is until it's fermented and packaged. Don't overcomplicate it, brewing is really just a great big list that you'll add to/amend as you go along.

 

[Tanglefoot]

SG.. Pre boil around 1014, post boil 1040 ( once cooled to 22c) Does this seem ok?

What do you guys use to clump the haze in the beer, to clear it? I used to use isinglass for wine etc, but any better options?

Well done on your first brewday, it'll get easier with time and experience !

Without knowing your grain bill it hard to tell what your efficiency was like,
with a starting gravity of 1.040 you'll likely end up with a brew around 3.9 - 4.2%
if you were to get attenuation of 75-80% ( looks like the kit comes with US-05 ).

You can use Protafloc to clear your beer, add 15mins before end of the boil.

Can't advise on temp control with your AIO, I'm stove brewer but sure someone will set you right soon enough.

Happy brewing !

 

[Rwilts]

Ok! So yesterday, after some faffing around and running late, brew day happened.
Got a Exceedingly Good IPA, with cascade hops bubbling slowly @ 22c this morning, so something clearly happened.

Thoughts...

It took me much longer than I thought it would, but I put this down to experience.
The temperature control on the S40 is terrible. +/- 3 degrees. at 100c. Boiling on and off, but I hope it'll be ok. Setting at 103c seems to stick the boiling on max, and its just a bubbling mess.
Speaking of mess..... wow. Lots of crud on the walls after the boil and cool down. Looks like whats left of the hops/grain.
Sludge.... trub? Plenty of that in the bottom.
Cleaning. Still doing it now.
SG.. Pre boil around 1014, post boil 1040 ( once cooled to 22c) Does this seem ok?

What do you guys use to clump the haze in the beer, to clear it? I used to use isinglass for wine etc, but any better options?

And yeah I had a beer to the beer gods, of which I see there are many.

So. Is there anything I can do about the poor temp control? Is there a better controller retrofit?

I'll keep updating as the fermentation progresses.

Ross
View attachment 88878

Well done , bet your impressed when it's finished. Re temp as others say you should set it at a level that basically maintains a boil for the duration , shouldn't need to manage that.

Re the mess , sounds like you got some of the grain bill in the boil. We all do it, most should have been in the malt pipe and removed prior to boil ( but things can still go wrong , I had lots of my last brew ) . Take care stirring not to lift the bottom plate . Every day is a school day and gives you a good reason to get another brew on soon.

 

[MashBag]

Better to clean your kit afterwards, which still requires water.

All the benefits of cooling and clean kit, too.

Only if you clean you kit at that stage.
As before.. better to not wash up.

 

[MashBag]

Well done. First one is always the worse.

You have learnt no end of things you will never do again

 

[Deadhead]

Well done for getting stuck in! Sounds like a good start to your first brew day!!

 

[Ross1974]

Yeah, looks like it went well. Fermenter is bubbling away quite well today. I've noticed the temp has shot up to 26 over night. As I've no heating on the fermenter, I assume this is some sort of expected exotherm from the yeast / sugar interaction?

 

[MashBag]

Sure is... Gently cool it, or remove some insulation if you can. Yeasties don't like stressful temp spikes.

 

[Ross1974]

Sure is... Gently cool it, or remove some insulation if you can. Yeasties don't like stressful temp spikes.

Ok, thanks will stick a fan on it and see if I can get it down a little.

 

[rank_frank]

Well done for getting the first brew done. In your original post you were trying to work out a method for heating sparge water. I heat mine in the Grainfather prior to doing the mash. I heat it to around 87C and then run it off to a spare fermentation bucket and start heating the mash water. By the time it's needed it's cooled down to 75C or so.

I also do no chill brewing. Big fan of this after spending years fiddling with chillers etc.

 

[Ninja7]

Hi ross i have a s40 . I two struggled at first as was my first ag and first go with s40 . I Made lots and lots mistakes.
Every brew gets better . The mistakes are a blessing..
Im still no expert but my first go round was sparge now i no sparge , mash all in one . So much easyer and what the s40 was made 4.
I bought a tap filter to add on inside and a grain bag all from malt miller . .
Now i mash in the grain bag inside of the basket , then lift up basket and bag put on the side bracket to drain for 20 mins same time set to boil at 103 . .
Some people use the basket for the hops as a filter . I prefer a sock myself as dont like the big clean after ..
The boil is fine at 103 its only the start thats a bit wavy till the hot break done after that all good . Chiller in last 10 and
Protafloc last 7 mins for me . Once heat off turn on hose to cool . Have a spare bucket or two next you for the drain water . Gona be hot and use this for cleaning . I also whil pool with a spoon why cooling to put any debrit in middle away from tap and filter .
My first brews were a mess and so much cleaning but now cleaning is easy with grain bags and hop bag and beers clean with tap filter . Any info or tips needed just ask .

 

[Ross1974]

OK, lots of great comments on here. I'll keep updating as it goes. Was bubbling away happily earlier today, but now seems to have stopped.
Just going to check a few things, but after the temp spike at 26 yesterday, it's now back to 22.

 

[Ross1974]

So an quick update and search for some advice.

After a little bit of digging, its been suggested in some threads to "rouse" the yeast. I've done this by agitating the fermenter a little to see if any noticable change happens. After a few hours, started getting bubbles again, so it looks like something happened. This moring it was still bubbling awa, but has now stopped. Temp has dropped back to 20c, so this may account for that.

I took a sample via the valve and its now around 1012-1015. Quite a drop in 5 days from 1040?

If its still not active tomorrow, whats the safest option? it does smell quite like an IPA, but still very cloudy.

Thanks.