IMGP1739
Wednesday, March 31, 2016, Hertfordshire, UK - Brew Day number 6 with the Grainfather. Flying solo today, and using my new 46 litre Domowybrowarek Conical Fermenter for the first time. Also decide to do a mash kit this time round - the "Extra Irish Stout" from the Homebrew Company. I spent the morning preparing the tap water, applying 0.75 ml/l of Brupaks Carbonate Reducing Solution and 0.2 ml/l of Lactic Acid. Before treatment, the pH of the water was 7.6 and afterwards it had come down to a more respectable 5.8. The acids in the dark grains brought the pH down even further and, after the mash, it was 5.4. After sparging, pre-boil pH was 5.3 and, after the boil, it was 5.2. Spot on :-) Original gravity was measured as 1.064...close to the target of 1.061. Managing the large fermenter was not easy, and I don't think I'll try it again without more helping hands in the brewery.
It was a long day. much of the day was spent getting my act together for the water treatment. I started the mash at 16h40. Sparging started at 18h05. The boil at 19h02. I had beer in the fermenter and yeast pitched at 21h00. With a break for supper and watching the final episode of "Mythbusters" with my son, I only finished the clean-up at midnight. But it was all worth it - this morning I have fermentation, and look forward to bottling in two weeks' time :-) I will be calling this dark, strong Irish Stout "Black Zoomer."
IMGP1739
Wednesday, March 31, 2016, Hertfordshire, UK - Brew Day number 6 with the Grainfather. Flying solo today, and using my new 46 litre Domowybrowarek Conical Fermenter for the first time. Also decide to do a mash kit this time round - the "Extra Irish Stout" from the Homebrew Company. I spent the morning preparing the tap water, applying 0.75 ml/l of Brupaks Carbonate Reducing Solution and 0.2 ml/l of Lactic Acid. Before treatment, the pH of the water was 7.6 and afterwards it had come down to a more respectable 5.8. The acids in the dark grains brought the pH down even further and, after the mash, it was 5.4. After sparging, pre-boil pH was 5.3 and, after the boil, it was 5.2. Spot on :-) Original gravity was measured as 1.064...close to the target of 1.061. Managing the large fermenter was not easy, and I don't think I'll try it again without more helping hands in the brewery.
It was a long day. much of the day was spent getting my act together for the water treatment. I started the mash at 16h40. Sparging started at 18h05. The boil at 19h02. I had beer in the fermenter and yeast pitched at 21h00. With a break for supper and watching the final episode of "Mythbusters" with my son, I only finished the clean-up at midnight. But it was all worth it - this morning I have fermentation, and look forward to bottling in two weeks' time :-) I will be calling this dark, strong Irish Stout "Black Zoomer."