Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Out of my comfort zone  (Read 4958 times)

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27090
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Out of my comfort zone
« on: February 12, 2017, 09:56:01 am »
Today I'm brewing my 511th batch.  It's 11 gal. of Rye IPA.  Out of those 511 batches, I bet 500 of them have been 5-5.5 gal., but I need to crank out a lot of beer quickly right now.  I've been kludging together various equipment I have around, but for some reason I'm feeling a bit of trepidation at how it's all gonna work.  Silly, huh?  I'll split it into 2 5.5 gal. batches.  Both will be fermented with a slurry of 1450, but one half will also get some "special" brett that Wyeast is sending to me to test.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27090
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Out of my comfort zone
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2017, 12:02:35 pm »
Bad news....overestimated the water temp for strike and ended up at about 170.  Added ice to cool it down. Good news....estimated volume correctly.  My 70 qt. cooler is full to the very top.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27090
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Out of my comfort zone
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2017, 12:11:05 pm »
Well this is gonna be interesting.   Just discovered that my thermometer was 30F low
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline natebrews

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 484
Re: Out of my comfort zone
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2017, 12:25:24 pm »
So did you have your mash at 200F?
Risk of failure should be no deterrent to trying.

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27090
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Out of my comfort zone
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2017, 12:35:26 pm »
So did you have your mash at 200F?

Oops, I meant high...I can't even get that right!  Gonna do a hot sparge and let it sit a bit to hopefully help correct.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline natebrews

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 484
Re: Out of my comfort zone
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2017, 12:36:44 pm »
Be honest, you were secretly step mashing weren't you!
Risk of failure should be no deterrent to trying.

Online majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11326
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Out of my comfort zone
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2017, 12:51:38 pm »
Amatuer

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27090
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Out of my comfort zone
« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2017, 12:58:11 pm »
Amatuer

In this situation, absolutely!  But 5.5 gal. of boiling sparge water got me to 153.  I'll let it sot there for 20 min. and it'll be fine.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27090
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Out of my comfort zone
« Reply #8 on: February 12, 2017, 12:58:29 pm »
Be honest, you were secretly step mashing weren't you!

Sometimes, fate takes control!
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline BrewBama

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 6048
Re: Out of my comfort zone
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2017, 12:59:03 pm »
I came in low yesterday in my ESB and added hot water to get it to my mash temp. I probably have around 50 all grain batches in the books. It's good for us neophytes to hear those with 10x more experience still adjust as needed.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27090
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Out of my comfort zone
« Reply #10 on: February 12, 2017, 02:30:32 pm »
I came in low yesterday in my ESB and added hot water to get it to my mash temp. I probably have around 50 all grain batches in the books. It's good for us neophytes to hear those with 10x more experience still adjust as needed.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I would have done that, but there was no room in the cooler.  Ended up at 50% mash efficiency into the kettle..oh, well!
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline HoosierBrew

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 13031
  • Indianapolis,IN
Re: Out of my comfort zone
« Reply #11 on: February 12, 2017, 03:55:43 pm »
I came in low yesterday in my ESB and added hot water to get it to my mash temp. I probably have around 50 all grain batches in the books. It's good for us neophytes to hear those with 10x more experience still adjust as needed.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I would have done that, but there was no room in the cooler.  Ended up at 50% mash efficiency into the kettle..oh, well!


It catches up with all of us eventually, Denny. ;D   I had a couple solid years of things going smoothly, but lately it's been a challenge for some reason, whether it's mash temp or whatever. Eh, builds character!
Jon H.

Offline Frankenbrew

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 709
Re: Out of my comfort zone
« Reply #12 on: February 12, 2017, 04:00:03 pm »
Yeah, we all have a bad brew day or a short slump every now and again. Guess what? You're human. Yes, even you, Denny! In a weird sort of way, I respect you more so for it. Brew on, Dude.
Frank C.

And thereof comes the proverb: 'Blessing of your
heart, you brew good ale.'

Offline natebrews

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 484
Re: Out of my comfort zone
« Reply #13 on: February 12, 2017, 04:08:10 pm »
eh, you say that but I'm still going with 'visitor from Proxima B...man'
Risk of failure should be no deterrent to trying.

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27090
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Out of my comfort zone
« Reply #14 on: February 12, 2017, 04:26:57 pm »
20+ points low on OG even with an extra 45 min. of boiling.  I shoulda gone with 2 5.5 gal. batches instead of one 11 gal.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell