brewlog_2012-11-05.txt

Trying to make a full 20l batch today, but since I only have a 16
litre kettle I'm far from certain that I'll be able to reach the
required pre boil gravity.


== Starter (2012-11-02) ==

Made a 1.5 litre starter wort with 150 g light DME. I pitched yeast
that I harvested from the last batch (the 2012-08-26 brew). Couldn't
find my stir plate so I had to do without.

== Brew day (2012-11-15) ==

Jonas and Jansson helping out tonight.

I'm dialing back the pilsner malt a tad as well. 3 kg of Maris Otter
and 1 kg of Pilsner (recipe calls for 1.5 kg).

=== Mash ===

Added the grains to 10 litres of water and then added about 2 litres
of boiling water to raise the temperature to 69 C. The kettle really
is full to the brim now, won't be able to add more malt to this
kettle.

1 hour mash. Temperature dropped to about 67 C. Sparged with ~2.5
litres of water at 75 C.

Ended up with ~13.5 litres of wort at 1.059 (sample temperature was 47
C), i.e. about 1.067 when adjusting for temperature [1]. That puts our
efficiency at ~71%. Not shabby at all! I definitely thought I would be
lower given the kettle size to grain weight ratio.

Have to say that my grain bag feels a bit iffy. It's very fine grained
and we had a hard time squeezing out all the liquid.

[1] http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/
[2] http://www.brewersfriend.com/brewhouse-efficiency/

== Boil ==

We did a 60-70 minute boil instead of the prescribed 90 for Pilsner
malt. Jonas had a train to catch and we didn't feel like wasting too
much time.

Got about 9 litres out of the kettle. Way less than I had
anticipated. Still I had calculated that, given my pre boil gravity, I
should have 18 litres to reach 1.050, so I just went ahead and diluted
with another 9 litres of water.

OG: 1.041

I've made som mistake somewhere for sure. I'd have to hit an FG of
1.003 to reach 5% ABV, and that's just not going to happen. 4% seems
more likely.

Oh well. I'll just pretend I was trying to brew a session beer.


== Sample and dry-hopping ==

Tossed in 30 grams of Amarillo pellets. They've spent a month or two
(or three) in the freezer, so I figured bumping up the prescribed 20
grams might be a good idea.

SG: 1.007

The beer is very clear. Much more so than the previous batch. Didn't
detect neither the stale flavour nor the lingering after taste that I
found in the previous one either. Somewhat promising.

== Bottling (2012-12-08) ==

FG: 1.007

Almost everything into 33cl crown cap bottles this time. Six 6-packs
all in all.

Did a small experiment with 6 bottles. A fellow brewer suggested that
my bottle filler causes too much splashing in the bottle, and that
that in turn results in oxidation of the beer. I tried to be very
careful with all bottles, except these 6 where I instead pushed the
bottle filler all the way down.