[quote=“Old_Dawg”]PC: in my world that’s a personal computer. Here, I assume it’s a P??? chiller. Peripheral? Post-boil? Peristalic? Prehistoric? Perfect? Help me out here.
Meanwhile, back at the boil kettle: I use an IC (inversion cooler - no, wait; I’ll remember it soon and get back to you) and a thermometer sticking into the kettle would interfere. I use the sensor of my STC-1000 in a copper thermowell resting in the boil kettle so I can track the temp while cooling with my … uh uh cooler thing.
No, I look at the dial, and if it is for example at 200F, I know I have at least five to seven minutes before I have to be back. You get a feel for how much time you have based on the current temp after a bit of experience.
If you use a counter flow or plate chiller the thermometer doesn’t help unless your recirculating.I could understand it for chilling with an IC but you would need to use a stubby which may not give you a good reading. I use a long stem thermometer and test in different places in the pot and get different readings. So I guess their are advantages. I actually have a stubby that I was going to install but never did. I just stir my wort with my long stem thermometer and the read it. Not real high tech and not as cool looking though.
I actually forgot what the original post was about. That’s what goes on here, you ask for an opinion and you get one or … Have you actually brewed a beer yet? Just get a big pot,a bucket,and a thermometer and a recipe kit and brew something. Then you will know what you need or want instead of asking us. The beauty of this hobby is its personal. We all have a style that we think is best. If we all did and brewed the same thing or way what fun would that be.
Everyone has their own MO, some are comfortable jumping straight in, others want to plan every detail first. I usually tend towards the latter like the OP, but I agree with Brewcat here. There are many different right ways to brew good beer, and until you actually try, you won’t know which way is right for you.
I appreciate everyones input. My goal is to obviously brew great beer and be proud of what I make.
I ask these questions to try and avoid any pitfalls you may have run into. I understand its an individualistic set-up that makes homebrewing unique.
I’m just trying to spend wisely…and plan wisely. When my first brewday comes I’d prefer it be a succesfull one as with having six kids im not gonna have a lot of 8hr time slots to brew…
with six kids just do some small maybe 2.5 gal extract batches on your stove. Something maybe you can do in the evening after all your family needs are done. Just takes a couple hours and you can work on your fermentation setup and bottling skills without a big investment in time which looks like you are probably short of.
You will make some mistakes, accept that, but learn/understand why. As far as the thermometer, I found out to add one to my keggle by getting a TEE fitting. Put a threaded thermometer into the end that goes straight in towards the keggle and the outlet that is 90*, turn it down add a nipple and then yer valve. Easy eh? Recirc yer chilling activity and you can easily track the chill down… Sneezles61
Tommorrow is my first brewday. Going with the AG Irish Blond Ale kit from NB.
Would love some tips if any one has some. My equipment ended up being a nice shiny keggle with bells and whistles from brewhardware along with a 10 gallon igloo mashtun overspent and went with the Hydra immersion chiller. Have a fridgerater with the anolog temp controller for fermenting. will be using 7.9 gallon bucket w/airlock only.
Some basic questions
does 1.25qts per pound of grain sound right for mash? if I’m batch sparging how much water do I use?
what should be a safe temp to set it and forget for the fridge?
lol. you’ll probably see 100 posts from me tomorrow… :lol:
Exactly. I have changed my process and equipment so many times. It’s just something that takes time for you to figure out what you like best.
And, Hammertime, don’t get disheartened or discouraged if your first few batches don’t turn out as you expect. It’s a learning process, as any craft is, it’s something that you never master, you just improve on it over time. Think of it like playing an instrument.
[quote=“hammertime”]Thanks to all who have responded.
Tommorrow is my first brewday. Going with the AG Irish Blond Ale kit from NB.
Would love some tips if any one has some. My equipment ended up being a nice shiny keggle with bells and whistles from brewhardware along with a 10 gallon igloo mashtun overspent and went with the Hydra immersion chiller. Have a fridgerater with the anolog temp controller for fermenting. will be using 7.9 gallon bucket w/airlock only.
Some basic questions
does 1.25qts per pound of grain sound right for mash? if I’m batch sparging how much water do I use? Read: dennybrew.com for all you need to know about batch sparging.
what should be a safe temp to set it and forget for the fridge? I prefer to ferment at the bottom of the yeast manufacturer’s recommended temperature range. For US-04 that’s 64F; for WYEAST 1084 that’s 62F. I chill the wort to about 5 degrees below the fermentation temp before adding wort to the fermenter and pitching yeast. With an analog temp controller I think you’ll see a fairly wide temp swing; you may be better off not attaching the sensor to the side of the bucket; just let it hang inside the fridg and check your wort temp (fermometer) to be sure the yeast metabolism doesn’t raise the temp too high. I’ve read that the beer temp will fluctuate about half as much as the ambient air in the ferm chamber. If you attach the sensor to the fermenter the beer will fluctuate the full range of the controller’s temp tolerance - which for my old analog was at least 3F.
lol. you’ll probably see 100 posts from me tomorrow… :lol: [/quote]
I’m a five points, half a gallon guy… If I’m within five gravity points and half a gallon of volume, I’m happy. You’re six gravity points high. Totally fine. If your next beer is similarly high, you can start planning for it (search brewhouse efficiency for hours of reading in the subject). You’ve done pretty well!
Sounds like you did great. You got better efficiency in your mash than was predicted in the recipe. Once you dial in you’r. system you will know what your efficiency is and can adjust the recipe. I think the kits assume a lower efficiency 65 of 70% to cover their butt. Now just keep you’re fermentation temp under control and then enjoy the awesome beer it sounds like your going to get.
Thanks again for all the help. Did a Sierra Nevada pale ale clone this morning. Was 5 points low lol. On the OG. And barely got 5.4 gallons in the fermentor.
My free fridge ended up not working… Got both batches in swamp coolers. Holding 65degres with ease. Saturdays batch is being bubbling away nicely. Got a great deal on 5 ball lock kegs and a 20lb tank with regulator. Also picked up a sanyo mini fridge which holds 2_kegs. I’ve got a few weeks to get it modified.
Nov 7th should be my brew day.