Have a go at simple AG

[matt76]

@Lee246 I've just brewed my 11th AG and I'm still using fundamentally the same method.

If you're anything like me you'll probably lose a little to trub so from your 12L you should get about 18-20 x 500ml bottles.

What you've described sounds about right to me. My only concern is the smell you describe. When i tip the grain into the mash water it smells malty (yeah, who knew!) like Horlicks. The hops have a more bitter smell (again, another shocker!) but i don't think I'd describe it as wet dog. But maybe that's just how it seems to you.

I'm sure it'll turn out fine - just be patient while it ferments and then give it time to condition once it's bottled. Good luck!

 

[Lee246]

Yeah it did have a really strong malty smell to start with, and it was only once the hops went in that it stank. It didn't help that we managed to spill it all over when transferring to the FV.
There's no smell at all now it's sat happily fermenting away.

 

[the_quick]

By looking through your process all looks more less OK. Not sure why you get wet dog smell. It should be quite malty smell/sweetish smell.

 

[Gulpitdarn]

Uggh! nothing worse than the Wet dog smell, I'd be totally unable to drink anything that smelt like that.

 

[Brew Dad]

Stale hops are said to smell like rancid cheese. Maybe rancid cheese + boiling wort = wet dog?

 

[Lee246]

The hops themselves smelled fine. Same with the grain. Perhaps it's just my untrained nose not familiar with the smells combined.

 

[Brew Dad]

The hops themselves smelled fine. Same with the grain. Perhaps it's just my untrained nose not familiar with the smells combined.

Yes, and the beer will likely turn out just fine. As a bonus, you have a great name for it: "Lee's Wet Dog Ale".

 

[Duncan Dobbin]

Could I use this recipe with a mash bag, and then sparge with the heated water directly through the bag and into the pan with the original wort in?

 

[matt76]

Could I use this recipe with a mash bag, and then sparge with the heated water directly through the bag and into the pan with the original wort in?

I don't see why not - my only question is whether your efficiency might take a hit, I don't know how effective this would be at rinsing the last of the sugars out of the grains. If it helps, my rough process is:
- I mash in my brew kettle, then pour the wort through a grain bag into a spare FV.
- The grain & bag go back in the brew kettle with the sparge water for 10 minutes.
- The sparge water then goes in the FV with the mash water while I get rid of the grain in the bag and give the kettle a rinse.
- Finally all the wort goes back to the kettle for the boil.

(a slight enhancement here is I also use a very fine weave grain bag to filter out more of the crud so I don't get so much trub in the FV)

Cheers,

Matt

 

[Lee246]

I've just taken a sample and used the hydrometer to test the gravity as it's been fermenting for exactly a week now.
Gravity is currently about 1017 taking into account the temperature adjustment, so it's not far off where it needs to be.
It smells perfect but is really cloudy and doesn't taste pleasant at all.

I'm not sure when I should be aiming to bottle it yet.
I don't know whether to leave it in the FV for a couple of weeks, cold crash then bottle. Or to bottle once the FG has levelled out and let it condition in the bottles/mini kegs.

I'm hoping the flavour improves as it's undrinkable at the minute.

 

[Gulpitdarn]

Give it another week... rule of thumb is 2+2+2 fermenting-conditioning-clearing. I've had cloudy unpleasant tasting beers turn out really nice so give it time. If it's a light coloured beer then maybe next time you might want to add a little Irish Moss to help it clear quicker.

 

[Lee246]

Thanks for the quick reply.
I did add protafloc at the end of the boil, but I'm presuming you mean to now add to the FV?
I'll leave it until next weekend then before I bottle it.

 

[Gulpitdarn]

No, the Irish Moss goes in towards end of boil so it's a bit late for that now. Best let time clear it now.

 

[matt76]

Thanks for the quick reply.
I did add protafloc at the end of the boil, but I'm presuming you mean to now add to the FV?
I'll leave it until next weekend then before I bottle it.

Leave it alone!

As @Gulpitdarn says, you just have to get used to the idea of 2+2+2...

At least 2 weeks to ferment (I leave mine about 3 usually). And don't be in a rush to bottle it as you've still got to wait about another 4 weeks until it's ready to drink (2 to carbonate + 2 to confusion).

Just give it time

 

[Gulpitdarn]

It's terrible innit... having to wait for a beer to mature before you can drink it...

 

[Lee246]

I only have the one FV. So am I correct in thinking 2 weeks in the FV to ferment, then I'd be ok to bottle/keg it and leave it for 4 weeks to condition and clear?

 

[matt76]

I only have the one FV. So am I correct in thinking 2 weeks in the FV to ferment, then I'd be ok to bottle/keg it and leave it for 4 weeks to condition and clear?

Yes.

Just bear in mind that 2 weeks in the FV is only a rule of It'll probably be done by then but then again..... (so check is reached the expected fg and is stable there)

And yeah, once you've bottled then you can get another brew on and into the FV

 

[Lee246]

I've just pulled another sample as it's just short of three weeks now. It's a lot clearer, smells like beer, and the taste has improved too. It still has a bit of a bitter/grainy aftertaste but it's certainly drinkable.
It's pretty much bang on 1.014 now.
Plan is to bottle it later and leave it for a further two weeks before I try one.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

It's terrible innit... having to wait for a beer to mature before you can drink it...

It's the worst part!

Well and bottling....

 

[Lee246]

Had a couple of mine over weekend. Still has the grainy aftertaste but it's not too strong. Not my favourite beer but it's ok. The new one I have on the go smells so much better.