First all-grain brew ("photo essay")

[hemogoblin]

My buddy and I did our first all-grain batch on August 24, with our new set-up, and I thought some of you might want to see a few pix.

We did a modification of a recipe that's supposed to mimic Rogue's Dead Guy Ale. Our OG was a bit low, but the wort is fermenting nicely and smells great.

All-grain: it really works! ;-)

It is right here (http://www.pubversive.com/beer)

[Brownbeard]

The mash tun looks fairly simple to build, do you have plans for building it? This looks like a fairly inexpensive way to get into all grain. What did the setup, minus the turkey fryer, run you?

[jsmurphy]

Nice pics. Looks like a very cool set up.

[hemogoblin]

Originally posted by Brownbeard
The mash tun looks fairly simple to build, do you have plans for building it? This looks like a fairly inexpensive way to get into all grain. What did the setup, minus the turkey fryer, run you?


Hey Brownbeard: the manifold is just 1/2 inch copper tubing, w/ three T's and four elbows. It's all soldered, except the three long pieces aren't soldered so it can be pulled apart for cleaning. There's one barbed brass fitting in there that the vinyl tube connects to. I used Palmer's directions for making the thing the right size -- howtobrew.com really has it all!

I put it in a secondary today, and when tasting I detected a slight initial tannin bite, like maybe I got the grains too hot at one point. Anybody else ever have this happen? Otherwise it tastes nice and noticeably different from extract. Of course it's still early in the game ...

Oh and - the chiller cost about $45 to build. The tun with manifold, about $15. Of course you need a propane torch and solder to stick all the copper together ...

[toneyc]

Wow, that's great! This is just the sort of thing I've been looking for the last few days. Thanks for posting that. Can you tell me more about the "floaters"? Are those holes drilled in them, or just bits of grain? If not holes, is there any problem with water not circulating properly beneath them? And the hopback thingie, how do you prevent the uptake pipe from getting clogged with hop particles? Thanks again!

:)
Toney.

[Nealz]

Hemogoblin-

Thanks for the report and pix. I'm ready to make the jump to all-grain too and your setup looks like just the ticket. Take care and cheers.

-Nealz

[hemogoblin]

Originally posted by toneyc
Wow, that's great!

:)
Toney.

Glad it helps! --- those floaters are butter tub lids, and I really need something bigger. Those are holes (paper-puncher), but proved unnecessary, as the little things scooted around like crazy as I poured sparge water on! Guess I need a sparge arm.

In the hopback, the uptake tube (copper) goes to the bottom of the jar, is pinched at the bottom, and has several slits cut in the sides. around it is wrapped a copper chore-boy (from grocery store) cinched in place with a plastic zip-clamp. What I really need there is a better gasket at the top; my propane torch immediately flamed all the plastic sealer off the inside of the lid and the seal isn't good. Hence the duct tape.

Racked to secondary today and the beer was a bit astringent - maybe I extracted some tannin from the grain. I knew things were going too smoothly!

Oh and that's not really skippy's Benz in the background. He drives a Nissan. :-)

Cheers ...

[Fast_Eddy]

Originally posted by hemogoblin
....

Racked to secondary today and the beer was a bit astringent - maybe I extracted some tannin from the grain. I knew things were going too smoothly! ...

Maybe not - it might smooth out. Then again when I first started all grain I got the grains too hot and the astringent taste never went away. You can also make it astringent by sparging with too hot water(especially if the PH of the sparge water is too high - I always knock the PH of my sparge water down to about 5.4).

[hemogoblin]

Originally posted by Fast_Eddy
Maybe not - it might smooth out. Then again when I first started all grain I got the grains too hot and the astringent taste never went away. You can also make it astringent by sparging with too hot water(especially if the PH of the sparge water is too high - I always knock the PH of my sparge water down to about 5.4).


Hey Eddy: I tasted a little bit more today and it seemed slightly better. And what a grain-y taste; wow! The primary ferment is just trailing off now, after a full week.

My sparge water could have been as hot as 173F or so, which might have done it. And you're right: it is hard and alkaline (Fla. well water).
Can you tell me what you use to pH test your water, and to acidify it? 'Preciate it ...

[YamahaXS]

You can test ph with litmus paper, or you can get a digital ph reader.

you can raise the acidity of your water by adding calcium sulfate (gypsum). This will also harden your water.

EDIT: Very nice photos hemogoblin!

[Fast_Eddy]

I use 10% phosphoric acid to lower my sparge water PH. I have digital PH meter to do the measuring.

[SoxyinMO]

Great photo essay! Gives me courage to try this myself.
Thank god for duct tape, eh?
Keep us updated on the taste.

[quantum24]

thought id throw this out there about the "floaters". i use a glass custard dish/prep bowl for my floater. i sink the dish about 1/2 -3/4 of an inch into the grains (concave side facing up) and pour my sparge water into that. it doesn't move and works great. very simple

[Jughead]

Nice photo essay.

I use Palmers mash setup too, but have not moved out of the kitchen yet.

Check out http://www3.telus.net/sockmonkeysandbeer/beer/HowIBrew/howIbrew.html
for another photo essay.

Cheers

[hemogoblin]

http://www3.telus.net/sockmonkeysandbeer/beer/HowIBrew/howIbrew.html[/url]
for another photo essay.

Cheers [/B]

Nice overview ... the tees at the corner of your lauter manifold are a good idea; I need to add something to mine to keep it from shifting around in the tun.
And the constant digital thermometer is awesome. I think I'll request one for Xmas. Thanks!

I will be bottling my vulture in a few days. The green version tastes nice, but very non-sweet so far ...