James Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Ok I can do that no worries', should I leave about a litre of the Scottish on top of the trub while it comes up to temp? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porschemad911 Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Brew day this evening - time for a hoppy Pale Ale This was my first ever pure extract with steeping grains brew' date=' so quite fun to try this method out. [b']Malt[/b] 1.5kg Coopers LDM 100g Simpsons medium crystal malt (30 min steep @65 - 70C) Hops 5g Nelson Sauvin @60 mins 12g Amarillo @5 mins 6g Nelson Sauvin @5 mins 12g Amarillo @cube 12g Pacific Hallertau @cube 7g Nelson Sauvin @cube Yeast: Repitching WLP006 Dry Hop 12g Amarillo 12g Pacific Hallertau 7g Nelson Sauvin I will dry hop at around day 7 for 5 days. I'm curious how WLP006 goes in a hoppy pale ale. Googling I found a couple of people that really liked it, so I'll give it a go and see how it turns out. Edit: Forgot the vital stats below ... Batch size: 10 litres into fermenter OG: 1.054 Bitterness: Beersmith says 53.8 IBUs based on a 30 minute steep / whirlpool estimate for the cube hops Colour: 20 EBC Tonight was the night for a dry hop. Turns out I actually had 8g Nelson Sauvin, 13g Amarillo and 13g Pacific Hallertau left. So, after boiling a clean hop sack for a few minutes, in it went! When I arrived home from work on my bike, I had a nice present waiting. My order from Craftbrewer had arrived! Even though I didn't tell the courier to leave it unattended by the front door, I'm secretly glad he/she did. I'll give these dry hops 5 days in the fermenter and then probably bottle Wednesday night. Then I can get on with brewing my take on Kelsey's red ale! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Brew day today before a BBQ with mates later on this evening. Doing the Bo Pils recipe discussed in its thread: Strike volume 36 litres with the following mineral additions: 0.51 g Epsom Salt (MgSO4) 0.41 g Chalk (CaCO3) 0.38 g Baking Soda (NaHCO3) 0.35 g Calcium Chloride (CaCl) BIAB Pilsner Step Mash 5.000 kg Floor Malted Bohemian Pilsner (4.0 EBC) 95.1 % 0.250 kg Munich Malt - 10L (23.0 EBC) 4.8 % 0.007 kg Black (Patent) Malt (1300.0 EBC) 0.1% Acid rest: 35C for 5 minutes Protein rest: heat to 52C, hold 15 minutes Saccharification 1: heat to 63C, hold 45 minutes Saccharification 2: heat to 72C, hold 30 minutes Mash out: heat to 78C, hold 10 minutes Hops 90 min boil 40.00 g Czech Saaz - First Wort 90.0 min (14.1 IBUs) 51.00 g Czech Saaz - Boil 80.0 min (16.1 IBUs) 55.00 g Czech Saaz - Boil 20.0 min (10.0 IBUs) Wyeast 2001 Urquell Lager yeast (from starter) Batch size 25 litres Est Original Gravity: 1.048 SG Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.6 % (4.9% bottled) Bitterness: 40.1 IBUs Est Color: 9.2 EBC Not using the falsey on this attempt, will just lift the bag each time I need to heat it up. Hopefully it works quicker and doesn't caramelise as much crap onto the element this time. I will be sure to scrape the element before I start boiling it too, to ensure it gets a good boil going. Cheers Kelsey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Right so the lifting bag method isn't going well so far. The urn is cutting in and out and I'm only on the first temp rise. I have decided to get out the old stock pot I used to use for extract batches, and drain some of the liquor into it, boil it on the stove and return it to the urn to bring the temp up. I suppose it's a modified decoction in a way, but at least it will be a hell of a lot quicker than trying to use the urn to do it. Hopefully it boils ok once I get to that stage. Last batch it did, although I had to scrape the element a couple of times. I will make sure I scrape it well, once the bag comes out, before the hops go in. Next batch of this I will try a standard infusion mash, or at the very least, a two-step mash, starting at 60C, raising to 70C, then mash out. If I can't detect any real difference between the two resultant beers, I don't think I'll bother with step mashing in the urn again, because it's just too much of a PITA. Cheers Kelsey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Boil has been underway for about 20 minutes now, and it is going along very well so the urn is having no problems, as yet. When I took the last portion of the wort out to boil it on the stove for mash out it was a lot clearer than the previous lots I took out. It seems that adding the grains at a low temperature extracts a lot of rubbish that doesn't seem to appear when adding grains to water in the mid 60s. Maybe these things are more dissolved at higher temps and precipitate out at lower temps. Oh well, live and learn I guess. Hopefully the next incarnation of a "half step mash" works out better. I've decided to keep the same temps as the steps, so starting at 63C for 45 mins then raising to 72 for 30 mins before the mash out. If this works out, I think I'll keep with it because the full step mash just isn't practical with the urn, unfortunately. And I really can't justify spending money on a pot and gas burner only for the reason of being able to more easily do step mashing. Cheers Kelsey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnaman Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Hey Otto Man, maybe time to upgrade? Adding Recirculation - My Easy Urn Upgrade over at AHB?? Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antiphile Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 ...so starting at 63C for 45 mins then raising to 72 for 30 mins before the mash out I'm really hoping the "raising to 72 for 30 mins" is a typo. That temp is too high for optimum alpha-amylase activity and is effectively doing a slow mash out (i.e a slow denaturing of the enzymes). But I know you have some friends over from a previous post and suspect you might have had a beer or two and tapped the wrong buttons on the keyboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 No typo, that's the temperatures set out in the BIAB Pilsner step mash schedule in Beersmith. However, thinking about it now, given that I'm dropping the first two steps, it might be better to increase the time at 63 to I dunno, 60 or 70 minutes, and then only go up to 70 rather than 72 for maybe 15-20 minutes before mash out. When I first read the schedule I thought myself that 72 was a bit high, but maybe it works out when you do the whole schedule. I'm guessing it's in there to add a bit more body as pilsners are meant to finish around 1013, according to style guidelines at least. You're right about having a beer or two as well, although that's about all it's been as I have to drive soon, heading to a BBQ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porschemad911 Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 G'day OVB, does your urn have a modified thermostat or the stock one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 I would guess it just has the stock one in it, I haven't made any mods to the urn except to replace the tap with the ball valve. I'm not sure the thermostat is what controls the boil dry function though, I thought it was more a function of the element itself. Either way, I'm making up more distilled water to have another go at the same recipe next time, but with a more standard type mash schedule. All the German lager batches I brewed were done with a standard single infusion mash, with pilsner malt, and they all turned out fine so I don't see why it wouldn't work with a Bo Pils recipe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Hi Kelsey. ...I'm making up more distilled water... I'm not into the whole water treatment thing (well yet anyway)' date=' but am certainly curious about using distilled water as opposed to tap water in my brewing to see if it makes any noticeable difference to the quality of my beer. If I could make it myself I'd probably use the stuff, as buying distilled water does seem a little over the top & costly for each brew. I saw that you mentioned beginning to make your own distilled water in an earlier post. I was just wondering what sort of setup you were using to produce it. A bought product, or maybe a home made still of some kind? And for anyone out there that uses distilled water in their brewing, does it make any noticeable difference? [img']unsure[/img] Cheers, Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Yes, this is basically what I'm doing at the moment, experimenting. I'm only using distilled water because I think it's a lot easier to start with a blank canvas and add my salts into it to re-create the soft Pilsen water, rather than working with the unknown and often averages-for-the-whole-water grid mineral amounts of my tap water and trying to dilute with some amount of distilled water. Whatever I do, I need to use distilled water if I am to re-create the very soft water profile of Pilsen and I figure the easiest and more accurate way is just to use all distilled water and re-add minerals. I tasted the water before I put the grains in and it definitely tasted different to the untreated tap water, so it will be interesting to see what effect it has on the beer. I bought a small water still off eBay, it distills about a litre per hour or something. You can make it yourself, all it is really is the steam from boiling the water collected and condensed back into water. When it comes to brewing ales however, I'm happy to use the averages and work with them, as I won't be using distilled water at all in those anyway, if anything I'll be adding salts to make it harder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Well I mixed up 1 tin pale ale,.1 box be2 and 500 grams ldm to 23 litres then dumped the whole lot onto the trub from my Scottish Ale and it took off like a rocket. Can I use the trub from this brew to do another pale ale or will the trub give a bad flavour if I use it again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porschemad911 Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 I would guess it just has the stock one in it' date=' I haven't made any mods to the urn except to replace the tap with the ball valve. I'm not sure the thermostat is what controls the boil dry function though, I thought it was more a function of the element itself. [/quote']I've read about others maintaining a boil with the stock thermostat. You can buy an up-rated thermostat from http://crownindustries.com.au/spares.php ... the part depends on what model you have. Part U-6205A - Boil dry cut-out 130°c (suit HU036 & HU037) - $15.35 Part U-6205-150 - Boil dry cut-out 150°c (suits HW40T & HW40TC) - $15.35 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 I'll have to see what one it is that I have. I don't have any trouble maintaining a boil, it's just been struggling to heat the wort/mash during those step mashes, so for the time being I have decided to give them away in favour of a more standard infusion type schedule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 From a very naive & uneducated point of view, would I be right in assuming the heating coils on these urns/boilers draw on a lot of amps/wattage/current/electricity whilst in use? Any chance of flicking a fuse in the box with this type of step mashing process in a typical household environment? On a side note, you're a very clever 'Cat' John. As I'm beginning to understand the extent of. It's OK, I won't ask you to get up & take a bow from that comfortable position displayed in your avatar. I'd be interested on the whole electricity thing relating to the urn from those with any facts on the subject. Cheers, Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 I imagine they do. It's a 2400 watt element, I believe. I don't think they can draw any more amps than they're rated though. I'm not sure there's much risk of blowing fuses, certainly I haven't experienced it in the 2.5 years I've been using the urn. I haven't done step mashes before just recently, but I do use the urn to heat it for a mash out, which I suppose is a mini step mash. I just turn the urn up full bore anyway (except strike water heating), but I would imagine the element works at the same level regardless of what you set the thermostat to. It just heats it up to where it's set then switches itself off, rather than being constantly on at a lower heat level. Unless of course you set it to full bore (about 107C I think), in which case it comes to the boil and stays on to maintain the boil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben 10 Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 I'll have to see what one it is that I have. I don't have any trouble maintaining a boil' date=' it's just been struggling to heat the wort/mash during those step mashes, so for the time being I have decided to give them away in favour of a more standard infusion type schedule. [/quote'] Apparently any bought in HB shops will have the thermostat fitted. Craftbrewer I assume was where you got it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Yeah I bought it from Craftbrewer. It does have a thermostat in it, yes. The issue I found was that the grain seemed to release more "stuff" when doughed in at a low temp. The wort almost looked like milk, and I've never experienced this when doughing in at a temp in the mid-high 60s. It seems to me that this matter was settling on the element and confusing it into thinking it had boiled dry. I did note during yesterday's brew day that the wort appeared to clear up as it got warmer, and this matter disappeared. I assume it dissolved at the higher temp as I had no problem reaching and maintaining a boil, which wouldn't have been the case if the element was still caked in crap. Granted, I did scrape the element prior to turning the urn on to bring it to the boil, although I also did that at the very beginning when I was trying to heat it up to 52, but in that instance it didn't help at all. Whatever's going on, it at least allows me to bring forward my experiment of brewing the same recipe with a more standard infusion mash, and if it turns out well with that then I most likely will continue doing that, and forgo step mashing altogether. Cheers Kelsey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben 10 Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Yeah I bought it from Craftbrewer. It does have a thermostat in it' date=' yes. [/quote'] I meant a modified high temp cut off one. Crap n the element cover is an issue that occurs with quite a few brewers, mainly when using rye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Ah, well I wouldn't know what's in it, how do you tell anyways? I just know that I have no problems when doing a standard infusion mash, which is what pretty well all my brews have been done with until these stepped experiments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antiphile Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Woohoo! My firstest everest no-chill! Actually that's sort of a fib in a a way. Wanted to do the next step on a yeast and the cupboard is bare of both dry and liquid malts; and I can't get out of the house till late this arvo. So a quick stovetop BIAB of about 5 litres (with only golden promise). Only need about a litre, so after the boil the excess will be no-chilled into plastic bottles so there is no repeat of Chad's incident. Aiming for 1.037. Damn! But still happy with 1.032. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porschemad911 Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 My hunch is Kelsey, that somehow there is more stuff getting on the element during these step mashes. This stuff coating the element would be heating up much faster than the entire mash volume and triggering the power cut-off. Depends where it is measuring the temperature. An uprated thermostat (which you may already have) would give you more leeway before it stopped heating. Having said that it would also cook anything that had coated the element more, but hopefully not burn it. Edit: to figure out what thermostat you have, I'd give Craftbrewer a ring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben 10 Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Recipe: Rosella Saison II Brewer: Grumpy Style: Saison Recipe Specifications -------------------------- Batch Size (fermenter): 23.00 l Estimated OG: 1.051 SG Estimated Color: 5.9 EBC Estimated IBU: 35.2 IBUs Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 % Boil Time: 60 Minutes Ingredients: ------------ 3.00 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins Water Agent 1 - 2.00 g Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 2 - 2.00 g Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 3 - 2.50 kg Pale Malt (Barrett Burston) (3.9 EBC) Grain 4 50.0 % 2.50 kg Wheat Malt (Barrett Burston) (3.0 EBC) Grain 5 50.0 % 25.00 g Chinook [12.60 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 6 35.2 IBUs 4.00 g Brewbrite (Boil 0.0 mins) Fining 7 - 600.00 g Rosella (Primary 0.0 mins) Flavor 8 - Have some left over MJ Belgian Ale that I might use. Have some Belle Saison too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 My hunch is Kelsey' date=' that somehow there is more stuff getting on the element during these step mashes. This stuff coating the element would be heating up much faster than the entire mash volume and triggering the power cut-off. Depends where it is measuring the temperature. An uprated thermostat (which you may already have) would give you more leeway before it stopped heating. Having said that it would also cook anything that had coated the element more, but hopefully not burn it. Edit: to figure out what thermostat you have, I'd give Craftbrewer a ring.[/quote'] There's definitely more stuff coating the element during those mashes, that's a given. I can tell by how milky the wort looks that there is more floating around in it than there is when I dough in at a 'normal' temp in the mid 60s. Either way, I think this experiment is done. Even if the element stayed on it would just caramelise anything on it anyway and still end up cutting in and out, and that's not something I can really be bothered with. It's a case of the ends not justifying the means really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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