My first AllGrain

[LordEoin]

Well.. here we go!
Time to test out all the crap I've been making and collecting..

I'm brewing up a London Bitter from Brupak's http://www.homebrewwest.ie/brupaks-mashkit-london-bitter-3042-p.asp

Frustration and stupid questions incoming!

In the Kit is 3.815kg grain, a 6g sachet of yeast and 72grams of hops

[LordEoin]

Here's my kettle, a 50L beer keg with 2 Argos kettle elements - circumcised and shined up )
I had it hooked up to my STC1000 to keep it at the right temps, but it blew the fuse
It has a slow leak at one of the elements, but it's doing well!

[LordEoin]

The 13 amp fuses in the plugs had no problems, but I had a 10 amp fuse within the STC. They're a funny size, and I don't have any in 13amp.
Just using the STC as a thermometer now.

Got my strike water to 75C and added 10L to the mash tun.
After adding the 4kg grain it sat at around 62.3C, added about 1.5L of hot water and got it to 65.2C.
All sealed up and timer set.

M'Lady walked in and said 'This brewing thing is getting a bit complicated. It used to be just a tin and a bucket!' 

[LordEoin]

I have a fused kettle lead style input installed in the unit, so it's not fubar at all

20 minutes in and 65.1C.
How's that temperature?
The instructions say to keep it between 64-67 for 90 minutes, but what's the ideal temp?

[LordEoin]

That's a superb Mash-Tun, it only dropped by about a degree over 90 minutes.

Sparge water is set to 80C, and more equipment makes its way into the kitchen!
The house smells amazing, the wort is a lovely dark colour, tastes great

Let the sparging commence.
First 2 liters added back to the top, and off we go!

[LordEoin]

I must have cocked something up along the way because it's only at 1.022 @25L
Ah well, I can always add something later on.

Anyway, time for the boil.

The supplied hops are 72g after removing the packaging.
I'll use half for the bittering and split the rest for15min and 5 min

Here's a look at the spider I built.
I think it needs a bigger bag, but it will do the job and only cost about a fiver in total

[LordEoin]

aparently my smoke alarms are also steam alarms!
I'll be boiling outside next time...

[Tom]

Well done on your first AG.

Did you correct your 1022 gravity reading for the temperature?

I usually end up with my wort at 54oC after sparge, which drops 13 points off the hydrometer reading. If it's a Stevenson hydro it's calibrated for 20oC wort, so add it back on.

For me, for example, a 1029 + 13 for temperature correction is 42. Something to do with magic/physics.

[Garry]

Looking good Eoin. The og will increase a bit after you've boiled off a few litres. The sample you checked might have been watered down second runnings?

The gear looks very pro. You've been hoarding that stuff for a while I'd say

Give us a pic of the inside of the mash tun when it's cleaned out.

[LordEoin]

Yeah, I've been hoarding and building the whole time. BigBoy mechano! I figured that it was about time to test it out and see what I've done wrong... 
You can take a lend of the mashtun if you like. I'll not be using it again for a while.
I must say that it's a great mash-tun. 2 hours after I'm done with it and th grain inside is still measuring 59C

I added a can of LME to boost the gravity (not quite allgrain anymore but screw it), acording to beersmith it would bring it to 1.045 if 22liters were left.
18.5 liters were left, so it's going to be a strong one.

The spider worked well, but I'll double the size of the bag anyway.

Disaster struck at the last minute though...
The chiller I built was made for an open top keg with the top cut clean off, so it didn't fit in this finely crafted keggle
I transfered the lot to the FV, sealed it up and it's currently sitting outside in the rain cooling down.
Balls... But that's life

I might just turn one of the open-top kegs into the kettle and keep the shiny as a HLT.

The wort itself smells and tastes great, but as I couldn't chill it fast there'll probably be a lot of break settling in the trub. No great loss.

Over-all it seems to be a success. I found out where my equipment is at the moment and have a game-plan for more building.

But the proof is in the pudding... We'll see in a month or so

Edit: I only just saw Tom's post.
I let the sample cool down a bit, but probably not enough.
Maybe I should have just been patient and not added the LME...
Ah well... I can't take it out now. It'll just take a bit more time in the bottle to condition, and drinking in smaller doses )

[LordEoin]

Damn... Tom was right... OG at 22C 1.072! 

I have a bit to decide... water it down or find a speciality yeast...

[Garry]

Your chiller might fit in the fv? Although you probably have enough of it at this stage?

I hope the fv is in a sheltered spot? I don't know what it's like in Kanturk but it's windy as feck here tonight; tunder and lighting an' all

Did you get a gravity / temperature reading of the final product? Sounds like it's going to be a monster

[LordEoin]

The bulk is still cooling out in the rain, it'll be a while.
But the FG is 1.070-1.072.
I'll probably bring water it down to 23L and that should bring it back to about 1.060
If it finished about 1.010 it'll be 6.5-7.0% or somewhere around there.
Hopefully the yeast will be able to cope.

[imark]

If you have a couple of sachets of Nottingham about it'll handle that no problem anyway. It's an ESB now!

[Garry]

I have 1 pack of Nottingham of you want it?