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   1. Thermometers.. I have no idea what my mash temp is

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      by deebo, 14 years ago in Measurement, Mathematics and Records

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      I thought I would do a little test with some thermometers to try and figure out if they are accurate or not.. now I really have no idea.
      (So far I have been using the white thermometer to figure out my mash temp)
      
      Cold (Ice and water)
      
      Mash-ish temp
      
      Boiling water in a cup
      
      Considering there was about a 3 degree difference between the highs and lows in almost every test I have no idea how I am supposed to get an accurate mash temp?

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      Here is mine Temp .
      
      Not cheap but very fast and accurate.
      26 Replies
      31350 Views
      rockbotton
      13 years ago
   2. Ph, Tannins, Ferulic Acid?

      by deebo, 13 years ago in Intermediate Brewing

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      Just wondering if anyone here can explain to me the effects of high (I think this is the right term?) ph?
      I took a couple of readings with a cheapo ph meter and some strips on my last brew, results as follows:
      
      filtered water for brew 7.8 ph
      6.0 ph at start of mash
      5.8 after draining bag,
      5.7ph at 38:55 left of boil (mixed grain and added a bit of heat)
      
      From what I can tell this is too high (or low.. I never learned the ph scale properly).
      
      First Question:
      I noticed on they have ferulic acid...

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      Short on time here, let me know if you want better explanations...
      
      I've read a lot of comments about 5.2 that it doesn't really bring the pH to 5.2. That's the biggest thing (rightfully so since that what it claims to do). But I've never tried it, so take this with a grain of salt.
      
      Regarding acid malt and the link you provided...They say 1% acid malt will reduce the mash pH by 0.1. But this is assuming that the acid malt was not part of the original grain bill. So lets say you dough in with...
      10 Replies
      11356 Views
      BrickBrewHaus
      13 years ago
   3. Maxi BIAB in 40L urn to make a double batch?

      by deebo, 13 years ago in Full-Volume Variations - FVV (diluting and/or sparging)

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      Beer stocks are low and wife has a bun in the oven so I think that brew days will shortly be few and far between, which got me thinking about trying to do double batches on my current system without spending much/any more money.
      
      Just wondering if anyone has done this before in a 40l urn? Is it possible without more mucking around than doing 2 seperate batches or moving to 2v?
      
      I do have a large rectangular esky which hasn't yet been used for brewing (no manifold etc) and a number of 20l handy...

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      What is the internal diameter and height of your urn? What is your hourly evaporation? How much kettle loss do you expect for a normal 20L batch?
      
      How many CM of headspace do you *need* when you mash, and boil?
      
      What gravity would you like to do ;)
      
      It should be a simple matter of plugging the numbers into the CE Calc to work out the strike and sparge volumes, and that's pretty much all there is to it :)
      
      I have done 55L batches using a 50L pot. Wasn't exactly pleasant tho ;)
      
      Anyway, you...
      1 Replies
      4846 Views
      stux
      13 years ago
   4. Recipe Help

      by deebo, 14 years ago in BIAB Recipes

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      I have just got 450g of Galaxy flowers and I want to put it to use, but having never used flowers or galaxy I am hoping for some advice regarding hop additions and ammounts (I have heard people say go easy on the galaxy.. but is 10g at 60 and 30 too easy? (maybe I should do 30 and 0 seeing I am no chilling?).
      
      As I am no chilling I was planning on either french pressing or maybe even taking off 3 litres from the cube and boiling with the hops for a short time to get some flavour/aroma once the...

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      Hey deebo, I added the chocolate, cocoa, golden syrup and milk sugar at 15 minutes from boil end. I simply put the choclate in as a block and stirred a bit to make sure it didn't glue itself to the bottom.
      
      A broken block maybe easier in the future, while grating would be over kill.
      11 Replies
      10679 Views
      hashie
      14 years ago
   5. First Biab

      by deebo, 14 years ago in BIABrewer.info and BIAB for New Members

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      Got almost evething I need to get going. Waiting on an ebay refractometer and temperate stick, hydrometer will have to do for now.
      One thing I cant work out in beersmith is how to show what my strike water temperature should be on the brew steps sheet?
      
      All I see is:
      
      BeerSmith Recipe Printout -
      Recipe: Sauvin Lager (First BIAB)
      Brewer: Deebo
      Asst Brewer: SWMBO (hopefully)
      Style: Premium American Lager
      TYPE: All Grain
      Taste: (35.0)
      
      Recipe Specifications
      --------------------------
      Batch Size...

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      Just connected this keg up to gas today after sitting in fridge for a bit, tasting really nice.
      Interested winey / grainy flavour going on, yum!
      17 Replies
      15843 Views
      deebo
      14 years ago
   6. Disaster.. sort of

      by deebo, 14 years ago in General Chit-Chat, Nonsense & Rambles

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      ..well it could have been a lot worse.
      
      Walked in to check on my fermenter and noticed a strange beery smell and the towel it was sitting on was pretty damp and smelly.
      Somehow less than a litre has leaked out of the fermenter someplace.. I gave the tap an extra turn, hopefully the tap itself is not leaking through the spout. Should I be worried about beer fermenting wild yeast around/under the fermenter/in the tap now?
      
      I didnt notice any leakage when I sat the fermenter there.. but I do spray...

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      My Shed Floor Ale was so called because almost the whole batch ended up there.... Left the tap open just a tiny bit. The shed smelt terrific. Some would argue you aren't really a brewer 'til you have lost a batch! ;)
      
      You should be pretty right. Give the tap a good clean before you bottle, just like you normally would.
      2 Replies
      4722 Views
      big dave
      14 years ago
   7. Water Experts? I need some help

      by deebo, 14 years ago in BIABrewer.info and BIAB for New Members

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      Ok so I got the report from the water dept for my area which has the ranges for minerals etc in the water. (attached)
      
      From what I can work out reading how to brew I have water that is probably better for dark beers, the problem is I prefer lighter beers.
      
      I have been adding 10g calcium sulphate to my brews so far to try and increase the calcium and sulphate levels.
      But yesterday I read that too much sodium with sulphate can have harsh flavours? (my sodium levels seemed high compared to other...

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      Thanks deebo. I'll explore that. Pretty good service!
      5 Replies
      6225 Views
      PistolPatch
      14 years ago
   8. How do you clean?

      by deebo, 14 years ago in BIABrewer.info and BIAB for New Members

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      Just wondering what everyone uses to clean their fermenters / kettles / kegs / BIAB Bags / Hop Bags etc?
      
      I do have some pbw but It works out fairly expensive (compared to starsan for sanitation anyway) so was going to mainly use that in urn when its gets dirty.
      
      I have been using homebrand napisan but am a bit paranoid about the 'other stuff' that isnt sodium percabonate in there.
      I do rinse really well but am paranoid about leaving the napisan in plastic fermenters for a long time as plastic...

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      I clean:
      1. my urn with detergent
      2. my bag with water
      3. my fermenter, cube, hoses, taps, bottles etc with sodium percarbonate (in pure form from LHBS, not napisan) and sterilise with iodophor.
      15 Replies
      16797 Views
      dick
      14 years ago
   9. 2nd BIAB (Because everyone else is doing it)

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      by deebo, 14 years ago in BIABrewer.info and BIAB for New Members

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      Planning to do my second BIAB this weekend (and posibbly the 3rd also depending on time, probably just 2 of the same recipe so I can see how they vary from batch to batch).
      
      We have a in-line style hot water system so I am thinking of using the hot water from this to shave a bit off time off the day. (I read a few threads and the consesus seemed to be if its in-line and the cooled water from the hot tap tastes fine it should be ok)
      
      Still havent quite worked out all the software yet but am...

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      Ah I have ordered a pound of centenial (along with cascade and hallertau), looking forward to trying out the centenial as I have heard good things.
      Might try using more munich when I try a pale ale (would it be suitable for a kolsch?).
      
      Only problem I am having now is I have only 1 empty keg with 2 brews fermenting and 1 in a cube.. have to get drinking through my other kegs!
      
      4th BIAB went well , matched the gravities I was aiming for again (not exactly sure how, maybe the 76.8 mash eff is...
      26 Replies
      22306 Views
      deebo
      14 years ago

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