My first AG Brewday - Cascade SMaSH

[MickDundee]

First ever AG (BIAB) Brewday today. Stuck my mash in about 15mins ago.

Am I suppose to measure the mash temperature from the middle of the grain or the outside? I'm only asking because the water on the outside of the mash is 68, but in the middle it's only about 50 something. I don't want to crank up the heat to then ruin my mash, should I just temp check from the outside?

 

[Notlaw]

Give it a good stir around to even out the temperature, then top up with the kettle to raise to where you want it. At least you've got an accurate measurement to use for your calculations.

 

[MickDundee]

Cheers. Middle of mash is 65.2 now so I think I'm sorted. It smells lovely too so I assume my old lager malt was ok!

 

[Notlaw]

Cheers. Middle of mash is 65.2 now so I think I'm sorted. It smells lovely too so I assume my old lager malt was ok!

Excellent mate. That's more like it. I was hoping to brew myself today, but SWMBO has given me a list of jobs while she's at work Maybe tomorrow... :grin:

 

[GlentoranMark]

Temperatures can vary greatly in a mash, don't worry as long as you have ball park figures everything will turn out just fine. And don't worry if you drop a few of degrees in the mash, it will just mean less efficiency and not a bad brew.

Welcome to the dark side.

 

[Covrich]

Temperatures can vary greatly in a mash, don't worry as long as you have ball park figures everything will turn out just fine. And don't worry if you drop a few of degrees in the mash, it will just mean less efficiency and not a bad brew.

Welcome to the dark side.

Wouldn't have thought it would affect efficiency much ??

It will make wort perhaps a little more fermentable so the beer will be a touch drier with a lower FG.. but I wouldn't worry about that at all on your first AG..

 

[GlentoranMark]

Wouldn't have thought it would affect efficiency much ??

It will make wort perhaps a little more fermentable so the beer will be a touch drier with a lower FG.. but I wouldn't worry about that at all on your first AG..

Doesn't brewing at a lower temperature mean less sugar extracted and less ABV? That was my thinking.

 

[Notlaw]

Doesn't brewing at a lower temperature mean less sugar extracted and less ABV? That was my thinking.

At that sort of temperature it's more fermentable sugars extracted, so a dryer and potentially higher abv. At 68ish it's more unfermentable sugars, meaning a sweeter beer with a "thicker" mouthfeel.

At least, I think that's right.

 

[MickDundee]

I hadn't intended to do no chill, but I switched the boil off at 11:40 and have had absolutely no chance to go back to it. Got my daughter in the garden at the mo while my wife looks after our 6 month old. Might just leave it, transfer it to the FV in a couple of hours and let it cool down itself. That might end up being what works for me.

 

[MickDundee]

I've got it cooled! I just ran a hot kettle over my wort chiller a few times so hopefully I've done enough to kill any nasties! Just need to pitch and stuck in the cupboard and I'm done!

 

[Notlaw]

I've got it cooled! I just ran a hot kettle over my wort chiller a few times so hopefully I've done enough to kill any nasties! Just need to pitch and stuck in the cupboard and I'm done!

Nice one Mick. What was your OG? What yeast are you using?

 

[MickDundee]

Nice one Mick. What was your OG? What yeast are you using?

1.046 so I'm pretty chuffed since I was just really testing out the bag of malt I got with the 2nd hand equipment. Similarly I just used a cheap Young's ale yeast which cost about £1.50 on Amazon - I think it's a Nottingham ale yeast.

 

[MickDundee]

1.046 so I'm pretty chuffed since I was just really testing out the bag of malt I got with the 2nd hand equipment. Similarly I just used a cheap Young's ale yeast which cost about £1.50 on Amazon - I think it's a Nottingham ale yeast.

I've just run my figures through Brewers Friend free app and it predicted a 1.045 SG based on my recipe so my efficiency must be almost spot on the 75% it assumed!

Also gave me an IBU of 41ish which seems to be the lower end of a standard IPA. I've got 20g left to dry hop with.