Brew day emergency:

[Hop Bomb]

Just dropped my glass thermometer into the HLT & it broke leaking the red liquid into my sparge water. Im guessing thats mercury & even though Ive scooped out the red drops I should bin that water & start over?

My big problem is Ive 10 mins left until Ive to sparge. (60 min mash)

What are my options here? 

[Damo]

Your kettle!

Ill check how long mine takes to get to 68

Back soon.

[Damo]

ok

1.5 litres of tap water in a 3kw kettle takes 1min 40secs.

Good luck

[Hop Bomb]

Il check mine now too. Cheers.

[Hop Bomb]

My mate just arrived so he is on kettle duty while I do first runnings.

[Hop Bomb]

Oh, thanks for the oak chips btw! Have you used them in beer? We're having a debate as to whether they have been impregnated with kerosene as we're not sure what the smell is.

Ive not used them (yet). They smell good! They're meant to be soaked in water & thrown on the bbq. The idea is to create smoke not fire so doubt they have kerosene on them.

Re: thermometer - I was still right to ditch that sparge water though?  It took us the guts of 90 mins to sparge with kettle water. 4mins 30 secs it took my kettle to bring 1.7 litres up to the correct temp. Hopefully there wont be any off flavours in my beer.

Other than that its been a good day. I hit my mash temp bang on. Evaporation rate is on track too. Fingers crossed for the OG to be right. 

[Ciderhead]

My fly sparge usually takes 60
Bet your efficiency rocketed and you had a high OG?

[Hop Bomb]

I wish. Im at 1.058 at 19c & my beersmith recipe had me at 1.074. Am I meant to give the grain bed a stir up before I sparge or something? Dunno how Im so short as my volumes were bang on this time. I had exactly 24 litres in my FV when I my tube started running dry. My grind on the grain was bang on too I think.

[Ciderhead]

I wish. Im at 1.058 at 19c & my beersmith recipe had me at 1.074. Am I meant to give the grain bed a stir up before I sparge or something? Dunno how Im so short as my volumes were bang on this time. I had exactly 24 litres in my FV when I my tube started running dry. My grind on the grain was bang on too I think.

A really good stir at the start should do the job and yes some do stir half way through i guess to get the most out.
Don't do it myself never felt I had the need to. 
You are happy enough when you were sparging you covered all the grain?
What was your gravity pre and post boil?

[Hop Bomb]

I better start stirring it before I sparge from now on as Im not getting near what I should be. This is my third AG & ive come up well short every time.

Yeah made it rain all over the grain bed. Didnt take readings until it was chilled to 19c what with the sh!t hitting the fan 10 mins before sparge time.

Is a refractometer from China fine to use?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RSG-100ATC-Black-rubber-strip-Brix-Beer-Sugar-Wine-Wort-SG-0-32-Refractometer-/300773268613?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item46077bdc85

[Ciderhead]

i use a similar one great for taking reading pre during an post boil, remebering allow it to cool.
Very occasionally I double check with H to ensure accuracy but two always match perfectly. just be careful with ambient temp. I brew outside and measure inside.

[Will_D]

However as the beer ferments out you can no longer use a refractometer as the alcohol also affects the refractive index.

Always best to us a hydrometer then.

But for the initial boiling, mashing & sparging its brilliantly quick and safer.

[Hop Bomb]

Il buy myself one of those lads so.

Came down stairs this morning to find the brew had blown its lid off. Machine gun bubbles all day & still going strong.

Talked to St.Fursey this evening about mashing & I think I know why Ive been coming up short on OG. Next brew Im gona top up my mash tun with the sparge water & give it a good stir then let it rest for 15 mins before doing my second runnings. Hopefully that'll help me hit my target.

1 month to handover for the comp. Ye reckon the beer will be good to go come judgement day?