StillSmart

It all went to plan using the Grainfather formula to work out strike and sparge water.
I used a 7.3 Kg mix of Pilsner, Munich and biscuit with Saaz bittering and Hallertau Mittelfruh aroma hops and pitched a Mangrove Jacks M27 yeast.
I finished with an SG of 1.066 so I should hit my 6.6% OK.The longest bit of the brew was the cleaning afterwards, I'm going to be more careful in the future not to splash wort down the outside, it's a B***** when it bakes hard.
Also next time I won't be using so much grain, I had a hard job lifting the grain bin to let it drain.

Sorry no pics this time, I was too intent on making it right and writing notes.

Well done VT....glad you had a good brew day...

vino-tinto wrote: Also next time I won't be using so much grain, I had a hard job lifting the grain bin to let it drain.

I had the same trouble yesterday....I pulled my back.. I've sent for a pully of Ebay £6...then I'm going to let the pully take the strain...like the BM50l.

yeah. When I saw the pully & stand for the BM50 I was tempted to get one.

Icefever wrote:Well done VT....glad you had a good brew day...

vino-tinto wrote: Also next time I won't be using so much grain, I had a hard job lifting the grain bin to let it drain.

I had the same trouble yesterday....I pulled my back.. I've sent for a pully of Ebay £6...then I'm going to let the pully take the strain...like the BM50l.

I have just finished in the workshop fitting a pulley. Make sure you use a brace across with 2 hooks, one at each end of the brace, that way it can't slide and tip when you lift but will fit the lifting handle nicely.

Good thinking Batman.... will have a look today has I'm knocking brew #3 out, will give me something to do while brewing..

When I planned out my new layout for the Grainfather I had need for the measurements. So if anyone wants them here they are:

[img][IMG]http://i961.photobucket.com/albums/ae99/vino-tinto/GRAINFATHER%20DIMENSIONS_zpscddzjfzp.jpg[/img][/img]

I used my Grainfather for the first time on Wednesday, it went fairly well, I was impressed with the efficiency and quality of the wort, it did seem a bit odd during the sparge, I've always maintained an inch of water above the grain bed with my old setup, but on the GF all the waters gone once you lifted the tube out, I rigged up a fancy sparge arm but ended up just waving the end of a pipe around over the top filter plate

Glad everything went well for you A....these single pots are a welcome change to the old 3V days...

I did sparge with the brew today...5 liters just dumped it on top of the grain bed and it ran through slow....
I'm having a beer at the moment sat waiting for the boil to finish.

"Oh happy days...oh happy daaays yeeh"

This Grainfather gizmo is seriously getting in the way of my still time!!!!

I should have fully cleaned my new keg boiler and SD bits by now but I've been busy formulating beer recipes!!

Just knocked up an American IPA style beer, it's pale, strong and very hoppy, these sort after American hops cost more than the malt these days!!!

I'm currently drinking my first batch made on the Grainthingy and I must say I'm very impressed with the results, it's a beer I've made many times over the years with my old 3V setup and this is probably the best (TTL clone) so far :-)

Hoppy Days :-)

I know this is posted in Beer and wine, but for me really concerns whisky, just wanted some input from the AG guys.
As this sites resident Luddite, I do feel a need to pile in here.
Today I finally got around to a couple of mashes of the geterbrewed malt bought last month.
Now, my mashing is basic, very simple, and labour intensive, but does happen in front of the TV, laptop and Hi Fi, so not too much of a problem.
Trying to more closely follow the reported numbers from the Islay distilleries, today I seem to have managed 44 litres of wort,at an SG of 1.050 from 8.5 kilos of malt.
I think this is a pretty good result, regarding conversion rates, as scaled down from mega ton washes.
Bear in mind that I am not looking for beer flavours, but whisky taste.
These washes mashed long and hot.
Comments welcome.
From my 25Kg sack of Barley,, if I am doing it right, and comparing, I can expect 10 litres pure alcohol, to be run with my previous feints.
I'll know after the strips.
I am excited enough to have already checked that there are still 25 Kg sacks available.
Give me another week and they may not be.
And these sacks are so sexily printed, that I am already considering getting them made up into T-Shirts!
It may be work,but it smells like fun..
Oh, happy days!

How did you get on with yours AT?

Robert.

Think I'm turning green......
Most interesting Robert.