Stepping up from kit brewing

[BarbarianBrewer]

IMHO that while 3 weeks should ensure the fermentation is complete. Taking a gravity reading is important to confirm that. I don't think that I ever went longer than 2 weeks when I was bottling, but I always checked the gravity to be safe.

@Craigerrr, were you taking multiple gravity readings to ensure fermentation was complete or just a single reading to see if FG was where you expected it to be? I just do the latter. Just curious if a gravity reading ever made you decide to leave it for another week.

 

[Craigerrr]

@Craigerrr, were you taking multiple gravity readings to ensure fermentation was complete or just a single reading to see if FG was where you expected it to be? I just do the latter. Just curious if a gravity reading ever made you decide to leave it for another week.

I pretty much never take a reading until it "should" be done, and I do I find that S-04 works quicker than say US-05. It has been a few days since fermentation appeared to be done, so I took a sample. Between the reading and how it tasted, I am confident that it is done.

 

[kkourmousis]

On this subject, my 1st fermentation took longer than I thought it would.

I try not to repost info, so please take a look here for details.

Based on this experience, I will always take gravity measurements with 2 days apart, before bottling

 

[kkourmousis]

Earlier you mentioned copying and scaling everything but the hops. Makes me wonder if you copied and scaled it manually or did you use the Copy and Scale tools in the Recipe Tools dropdown. Those tools make importing a recipe and adjusting it to your system super simple.

Ok I got used to it and it is pretty cool indeed!
I have 1 question though: when I scale down, hops go down linear (if I am scaling down to a 40% batch, it scales the hops 40% down) but this ends up in different IBUs. Should I readjust the hops as to meet the same IBUs as the recipe was before the scale?

 

[Mark Farrall]

Ok I got used to it and it is pretty cool indeed!
I have 1 question though: when I scale down, hops go down linear (if I am scaling down to a 40% batch, it scales the hops 40% down) but this ends up in different IBUs. Should I readjust the hops as to meet the same IBUs as the recipe was before the scale?

If you like a bitter beer compared to most people you can probably adjust it up. Either way you probably won't taste the difference from those small adjustments. IBUs are a very rough guide to how bitter a beer tastes, but it's the best we've got. The more important IBU adjustment is once you've brewed a batch you go back and adjust it once you've tasted it.

.

 

[Hawkbox]

I would yeah.

 

[kkourmousis]

Hello everyone,

I tried my 1st Partial Mash. I have to say it was tougher for me than I though, maybe because I was too tired.

I tried doing the recipe you can see in the 1st image, but I ended up with the recipe you see on the second image.

I did the following mistakes:

1. I did not calculate the grain absorbing volume
2. While weighting, I got carried over and I accidentally mixed my DME with the rest of the grain.
   I had some extra grain and DME but not enough for a new batch. I used most of the extra I had and for the rest... I..... I
   sifted mixed grain-DME to get my DME back. I am sure much efficiency was lost because of this
3. I used tap water as strike water, I had to re-warm the strike water using filtered one (just cost me time)
4. I dropped in half DME at 50min and the other half at 20min, but on the 1st half I forgot to turn off the heat. I was pouring very slowly and while stirring. I did not notice any caramel at the bottom, so probably I am ok?

The worst thing is that my pot is not scaled so I didn't realize how much off I was in volume until the very end. I ended up with a pre-boil gravity of 1.066, which was my target to begin with. My explanation is that I lost efficiency because of mistake #2 and at the same time because of mistake #1 I ended up with what I wanted.

In the end, I ended up with 27% less volume in the fermenter, but with my target gravity reached properly.

I want to ask the following questions:

1. Since I did not know that I was so off in volume, my hops were not readjusted. Is 90ihs IBU too much? Generally will my beer be too hoppy?
   
2. Do I have the option of diluting my batch at priming time, with the cost of ABV only?

 

[Craigerrr]

My thoughts are to run with what you have there. I personally wouldn't dilute it. Take what you learned and apply it to your next batch. Brew learn repeat. It takes a number of brews to get more comfortable with your process.

 

[Zambi]

Yep, run with it as is!
As for bitterness: that's very personal. Everyone has a different treshold.

Anyway, I had something similar with my first brew. OG way too low, but since the yeast I used brought it to a much lower gravity than expected, I ended up with a very drinkable beer!
(And if it ends too bitter, try mixing with a lager, or use it in a stew )

 

[kkourmousis]

Sounds like a plan, thanks guys.

I gave it a shot with the All Grain BIAB last night and it was much easier for me, being my second BIAB brew. Having spotted my mistakes, I was practically spot on with my recipe and I hit an 73% efficiency. The only thing that went sideways was that the baby woke up and long story short, I boiled the wort for 70mins instead of 60, with the Magnum hop being in there the whole time.

I am very optimistic about this one! Image attached

 

[Hawkbox]

It's amazing how quickly it gets easier once you get over the first batch. It will only get simpler and make more sense as you go.

Nice work!

 

[Donoroto]

I boiled the wort for 70mins instead of 60

With pelletized hops, the majority of the 'bitterness' is achieved in the first 30 minutes of boiling, so going 30 or 40 minutes longer won't have a huge effect.

That statement above may be controversial; most folks consider the bitterness 'formula' as being linear with time, but some anecdotal evidence has me thinking that the statement is true.

 

[kkourmousis]

Talking about bitterness, I tasted that Partial Mash batch that I messed up

Since I did not know that I was so off in volume, my hops were not readjusted. Is 90ihs IBU too much? Generally will my beer be too hoppy?

And it is pretty bitter at the moment (3.5 days in the fermenter but the fermentation seems to be complete - gravity 1.009 at the moment)

Do I have any hopes for it to get better with the hop additions?
What about the priming sugar, will it make any difference or will it all be consumed by the yeast in the bottle?

 

[Hawkbox]

Bitterness will fade a bit over time.

 

[Donoroto]

Yes, a week or three after packaging the bitterness will be considerably more mellow. Pretty normal for an IPA.
That first taste resembles the finished product, but it will change for the better.

 

[Craigerrr]

I find that yeast tastes pretty bitter, in an unpleasant way. if there was some yeast in your sample it may mislead you as to how it will taste in the end.

 

[Hawkbox]

That's a good point too, if you had a lot of yeast in your sample it would affect the taste.

 

[kkourmousis]

Indeed I had

 

[Craigerrr]

Indeed I had

There ya go, give it time, I bet it will be just fine.

If you haven't heard, yes most important ingredient in beer is patience.
You made some sticky sweet grain juice, the yeast is now busy making the beer.

 

[Hawkbox]

Indeed. Let it settle for a bit and give it another chance.