Brewing NRB's All Amarillo Pale Ale right now, but with a twist as my brewshop didnt have any Amarillo in store. So i'm going with centennial as bittering hops and then cascade for the later additions (BIABacus was a great help here). I hope that will still give me a very enyojable pale ale.
My first rookie mistake was to start mashing at a little bit to high temperature as the stove still heated my pot even though i did turn the plate off (so simple and dumb yes). So i added some cool water after a while, the mash temperature was 70°, and that got it down to 67° which i felt more comfotable with. Also added some more grain after that (proportional to the extra water) as som quick googling told me that to high mash temperatures was an irreversible process giving less fermentable sugars. I guess this little mishap might give me a little more full bodied beer, which might not be that bad after all. Any thoughts on this?
Still at the mashing right now. But i've still learnt alot. Always start mashing at to low temperature as with BIAB it's easier to raise the temperature than decreasing it. The BIABAcus is a great tool, thanks a lot! And my insulation is really good, haha.
Sorry for any misspelling and strange grammatics as english is not my first language.
To be continued...
Post #2 made 10 years ago
Your english is just fine!
The centennial and cascade should give you a nice citrus flavor and aroma.
The higher mash temperatures will give you more body and unfermentable sugars which will in turn give you a sweeter beer. The added sweetness may be balanced out by the hops.
Your final gravity should also end up higher than expected.
Keep at it and the next brew will go smoother!
The centennial and cascade should give you a nice citrus flavor and aroma.
The higher mash temperatures will give you more body and unfermentable sugars which will in turn give you a sweeter beer. The added sweetness may be balanced out by the hops.
Your final gravity should also end up higher than expected.
Keep at it and the next brew will go smoother!
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Post #3 made 10 years ago
Nice going, nice temp corrections and nice hop substitutions ribbe 
.
Congrats on your maiden voyage and please keep us updated. Take a pic!
.Congrats on your maiden voyage and please keep us updated. Take a pic!
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Post #4 made 10 years ago
Thanks guys!
So, brewday is over. What strikes me is that i got a lower OG than in the recipe with my higher mash temperature.
Both my Gravity into boil (estimated 1,042, actual 1,033) and my OG (estimated 1,056, actual 1,040) were low. I guess this is because i had substantially lower efficiency than the default settings in the BIABacus (estimated 81%, actual 65%). I also evaporated about a litre less than in the recipe. Any other explanations? I think I will study on how to adjust section X according to my results here til the next brew.
And some pictures
So, brewday is over. What strikes me is that i got a lower OG than in the recipe with my higher mash temperature.
Both my Gravity into boil (estimated 1,042, actual 1,033) and my OG (estimated 1,056, actual 1,040) were low. I guess this is because i had substantially lower efficiency than the default settings in the BIABacus (estimated 81%, actual 65%). I also evaporated about a litre less than in the recipe. Any other explanations? I think I will study on how to adjust section X according to my results here til the next brew.
And some pictures
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Post #5 made 10 years ago
Don't worry about it ribbe. There are many reasons why you can get low readings. Love the pics 
.
Normally I respond more comprehensively but am really stuck now and probably can't keep responding as thoroughly as I do sorry. I've put a few links below that will help I reckon.
This recipe should be tasty regardless as long as the Amrillo is from a good year. Een then, it will still be good!
PP
Number Respect and Disrespect.
If subsequent brews also show low kettle efficiencies, then we need to start exploring Some Common Reasons for a Low Efficiency Reading.
.Normally I respond more comprehensively but am really stuck now and probably can't keep responding as thoroughly as I do sorry. I've put a few links below that will help I reckon.
This recipe should be tasty regardless as long as the Amrillo is from a good year. Een then, it will still be good!
PP
Number Respect and Disrespect.
If subsequent brews also show low kettle efficiencies, then we need to start exploring Some Common Reasons for a Low Efficiency Reading.
Last edited by PistolPatch on 31 Mar 2015, 20:17, edited 1 time in total.
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Post #6 made 10 years ago
Thanks PP!
Good post about the numbers! I'm not that worried. Next brew i will hold back some water during mash to compensate eventual low effinciency.
(Some OT about the measurments. Since i take the measures from a tap low on the kettle if anything i should always get higher readings, due to denser wort in the bottom of the kettle, than the average wort density in my kettle. Even when there are temperature differnecies in the kettle this will be valid since nature is always in stable stratification. Ie. if I take a reading from the warmer top of the kettle and one from the colder bottom and chill them to 20° C, the one from the top "can" not be denser (higher reading) than the lower. When on a heat source the density should be, at least theoretically even in the kettle due to convective overturning from the bottom up, ie rolling boil. This can be worth a thaught when taking reading from bottom vs top)
To the update: Measured gravity yesterday (one week since brewday) it has attenuated down to 1,010. Tasted some and i was surprised at how good it tasted already. Some yeasty flavors still, which i like. After conditioning, carbonation and served cool this will be good!
One question though: Theres still lot of krausen in the fermentor so I am a bit worried about how to add my priming sugar and stir it around. Will the krausen eventually fall down? I've heard you can get really bitter flavors from some of the stuff thats stuck on the fermentor walls in the krausen, so I dont want to stir that down. Anyone with experince from priming in primary?
Good post about the numbers! I'm not that worried. Next brew i will hold back some water during mash to compensate eventual low effinciency.
(Some OT about the measurments. Since i take the measures from a tap low on the kettle if anything i should always get higher readings, due to denser wort in the bottom of the kettle, than the average wort density in my kettle. Even when there are temperature differnecies in the kettle this will be valid since nature is always in stable stratification. Ie. if I take a reading from the warmer top of the kettle and one from the colder bottom and chill them to 20° C, the one from the top "can" not be denser (higher reading) than the lower. When on a heat source the density should be, at least theoretically even in the kettle due to convective overturning from the bottom up, ie rolling boil. This can be worth a thaught when taking reading from bottom vs top)
To the update: Measured gravity yesterday (one week since brewday) it has attenuated down to 1,010. Tasted some and i was surprised at how good it tasted already. Some yeasty flavors still, which i like. After conditioning, carbonation and served cool this will be good!
One question though: Theres still lot of krausen in the fermentor so I am a bit worried about how to add my priming sugar and stir it around. Will the krausen eventually fall down? I've heard you can get really bitter flavors from some of the stuff thats stuck on the fermentor walls in the krausen, so I dont want to stir that down. Anyone with experince from priming in primary?
Post #7 made 10 years ago
I made this same recipe for my first BIAG, here is what I did.
Regarding the "stuff" floating on the top, I followed others advice I found here and gave my fermentor (carboy) a swirl or two to break it up. The "stuff" fell to the bottom of the carboy within a couple days. Just be careful to not spill !
As for your question around priming, I bulk primed by first boiling water, and adding my sugar to the water, then boiling for a little longer. I cooled the mixture to room temp, poured it into a sanitized bottling bucket, then siphoned off from the fermentor into the bucket, leaving all the "stuff" behind. I gave the bucket a couple of stirs with my mash spoon, and bottled away.
I then bottle conditioned at room temp for two weeks.
Jim
Regarding the "stuff" floating on the top, I followed others advice I found here and gave my fermentor (carboy) a swirl or two to break it up. The "stuff" fell to the bottom of the carboy within a couple days. Just be careful to not spill !
As for your question around priming, I bulk primed by first boiling water, and adding my sugar to the water, then boiling for a little longer. I cooled the mixture to room temp, poured it into a sanitized bottling bucket, then siphoned off from the fermentor into the bucket, leaving all the "stuff" behind. I gave the bucket a couple of stirs with my mash spoon, and bottled away.
I then bottle conditioned at room temp for two weeks.
Jim
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Post #8 made 10 years ago
Ribbe.
If you can let it go another week the krausen may fall. Even though you have attenuated down to a decent gravity the yeast are still working at cleaning things up. If it still hasn't dropped in a week give it a very gentle stir and cold crash if you can.
I have never primed in the primary and have bottled as jeatmon described.
Congrats on your first brew!
If you can let it go another week the krausen may fall. Even though you have attenuated down to a decent gravity the yeast are still working at cleaning things up. If it still hasn't dropped in a week give it a very gentle stir and cold crash if you can.
I have never primed in the primary and have bottled as jeatmon described.
Congrats on your first brew!
Some people are like slinkies. Not good for much, but bring a smile to your face when pushed down the stairs.
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Post #9 made 10 years ago
Thanks guys!
Ok i will just relax one week and hope it dissolves or fall down. If not I will choose between trying to stir it down or maybe add my sugar solution directly to the bottles. I've read about someone using syringes you use to feed child to measure youre sugar solution to each bottle.
I wanted to try only using one bucket/fermentor since I'm really short on space. Maybe will have to reconsider that... I'll see.
Ok i will just relax one week and hope it dissolves or fall down. If not I will choose between trying to stir it down or maybe add my sugar solution directly to the bottles. I've read about someone using syringes you use to feed child to measure youre sugar solution to each bottle.
I wanted to try only using one bucket/fermentor since I'm really short on space. Maybe will have to reconsider that... I'll see.
Post #10 made 10 years ago
I'm reading this sentence a little differently from the troops above and I may be totally wrong - just want to make sure...ribbe wrote:One question though: Theres still lot of krausen in the fermentor so I am a bit worried about how to add my priming sugar and stir it around. Will the krausen eventually fall down? I've heard you can get really bitter flavors from some of the stuff thats stuck on the fermentor walls in the krausen, so I dont want to stir that down. Anyone with experince from priming in primary?
I'm thinking that your fermentation is complete and that you have a lot of dirty stuff (what you are calling krausen) stuck to the side of your fermentor.
I'm also thinking that you are going to bulk prime in your primary fermentor. You can't do that. For a start, you will get not only the dried krausen mixed into your beer but also the yeast trub.
If bottling from the primary fermentor, you must individually prime the bottles, you cannot bulk prime. If you want to bulk prime, ESPECIALLY on an all-grain brew, you must rack to a secondary fermentor or 'bottling bucket'.
[I've just finished a long day and am scanning posts here so if I am wrong on the above, can someone please correct me? If I am right can someone please confirm so ribbe can proceed confidently?]
Last edited by PistolPatch on 08 Apr 2015, 21:44, edited 1 time in total.
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Post #11 made 10 years ago
I agree completely with PP on the bulk priming. You can add your sugar solution to each bottle as you mentioned or you can buy carbonation drops and add them to the bottles.
I reread the earlier posts and now am also confused about the krausen. I assumed it was still floating but really ribbe doesn't specifically say that.
I guess we await his response to find out.
I reread the earlier posts and now am also confused about the krausen. I assumed it was still floating but really ribbe doesn't specifically say that.
I guess we await his response to find out.
Some people are like slinkies. Not good for much, but bring a smile to your face when pushed down the stairs.
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Post #12 made 10 years ago
Thanks for the quick replies!
Yes there was a white foamy krausen all over the top of the beer last time i looked (after 8 days and attenuated down to 1,010).
I am planning on bottling after 14 days, so there is still time for this problem to solve itself.
Regarding priming in the fermentor bucket I think you definitely can, Palmer suggest this in "How to brew" on this page as method 2b: http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter11-4.html
So the actual question is how I am supposed to get my priming sugar solution in to the bucket if the Krausen is still present.
Yes there was a white foamy krausen all over the top of the beer last time i looked (after 8 days and attenuated down to 1,010).
I am planning on bottling after 14 days, so there is still time for this problem to solve itself.
Regarding priming in the fermentor bucket I think you definitely can, Palmer suggest this in "How to brew" on this page as method 2b: http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter11-4.html
So the actual question is how I am supposed to get my priming sugar solution in to the bucket if the Krausen is still present.
Post #13 made 10 years ago
Put the priming solution in a second bucket (the bottling bucket) and rack the beer into it allowing the incoming beer to swirl around a bit and mix with the priming solution. Otherwise you have to use a paddle or spoon to mix the priming solution into the beer in the primary and this will stir up all sorts of mess. BTW: a good cold crash will usually drop any remaining krausen (assuming fermentation is complete).
---Todd
---Todd
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Post #14 made 10 years ago
Unfortunately, that is just incorrect advice I think. John may have been in a hurry writing that part of the book. Who knows? He's very approachable to people who write to him and tends to admit when he has got something wrong.ribbe wrote:Regarding priming in the fermentor bucket I think you definitely can, Palmer suggest this in "How to brew" on this page as method 2b: http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter11-4.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
That book is also aimed at a wide range of brewers so it is not hard to be thinking of one thing and writing about it when it may be totally inappropriate for another level of brewer. You might, and I stress the word, "might", just get away with bulk priming in a fermentor with a pre-hopped liquid malt extract kit but that is very low level brewing and, even then, you would be far better off bottle priming.
Anyone else got any thoughts?
Last edited by PistolPatch on 10 Apr 2015, 21:32, edited 1 time in total.
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Post #15 made 10 years ago
Perhaps you could rack then bottle from this container that you already have ?
Worth testing with water to validate...
Worth testing with water to validate...
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Last edited by jeatmon on 10 Apr 2015, 22:34, edited 1 time in total.
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Post #16 made 10 years ago
John Palmer is correct IMO that bottling from the primary is an "option". However, it is also an option that I do not think is the best solution. I guess there may be some situations where it is your only option, and therefore have to use it (so go for it)!PistolPatch wrote:Anyone else got any thoughts?
One of the problems I see with this is; if you don't want to disturb the yeast sediment, then there WILL be beer above this yeast that has had no sugar dissolved in it (read overcarbonation in some, under/no carbonation in other bottles).
If you dissolve properly, then you will have to disturb that yeast, which means you may get excessive debris in your bottles, including dead yeast/trub etc). This may not be a problem in some circumstances, but is not IMO "good practice".
I have never (nor would want to) bottle from primary, and in fact do what J.P. actually recommends, which is to rack to a bottling bucket with a syphon, and I also add the beer on top of the dissolved sugar solution so that it has the best chance of homogenisation.
Last edited by mally on 11 Apr 2015, 16:40, edited 1 time in total.
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Post #17 made 10 years ago
Thanks for all the advice guys!
I did bulk prime in my fermentor as there were no krausen left. I stirred gently and added my sugar solution then waited for about 50 min for any yeast or trub to settle. I did not notice anything but clear beer going into my bottles. As far as carbonation goes i will just have to wait and see i guess
I already have my second batch fermenting and I will try racking to a bottling bucket as adviced. Then I can compare the two methods and evaluate.
Pros not racking to bottling bucket:
Less risk of infection
oxidation
Simpler
Cons not racking to bottling bucket:
Might have more yeast going into bottles
protein trub into bottles
I can not really see how the concentration of the sugar solution should be less evenly distributed by not racking, but I'm not sure on this point.
Ok so let's use your experince BIABbrewers:
1)How will having more of the yeast cake going into bottles affect my beer.
2)How will having more protein trub going into bottles affect my beer.
And by affect I'm mostly interested in the taste, I'm not overly concerned not getting a clear beer.
I want to have this in mind when evaluating the method.
Thans again for giuding me through my first batch
I did bulk prime in my fermentor as there were no krausen left. I stirred gently and added my sugar solution then waited for about 50 min for any yeast or trub to settle. I did not notice anything but clear beer going into my bottles. As far as carbonation goes i will just have to wait and see i guess
I already have my second batch fermenting and I will try racking to a bottling bucket as adviced. Then I can compare the two methods and evaluate.
Pros not racking to bottling bucket:
Less risk of infection
oxidation
Simpler
Cons not racking to bottling bucket:
Might have more yeast going into bottles
protein trub into bottles
I can not really see how the concentration of the sugar solution should be less evenly distributed by not racking, but I'm not sure on this point.
Ok so let's use your experince BIABbrewers:
1)How will having more of the yeast cake going into bottles affect my beer.
2)How will having more protein trub going into bottles affect my beer.
And by affect I'm mostly interested in the taste, I'm not overly concerned not getting a clear beer.
I want to have this in mind when evaluating the method.
Thans again for giuding me through my first batch
Post #18 made 10 years ago
I think any trub, etc going into bottles is a non-issue. That being said, priming individual bottles may not result in as consistent a level of carbonation as is possible by simply racking from primary into another container sufficient to hold the full volume for bulk priming. As to you using a bottling bucket: I see no real increased risk of infection as the beer has already fermented and contains alcohol. If you rack gently and already have your priming solution in the bucket prior to racking you will accomplish an even mix of priming solution into the beer as it fills the bucket. YMMV.
Or......avoid all of this tedious packaging and keg your beer!
--Todd
Or......avoid all of this tedious packaging and keg your beer!
--Todd
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