AG#1 - Batemans Dark Mild

Today I brewed this recipe;

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Batemans Dark Mild

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: Dark Mild
Boil Time: 90 min
Batch Size: 20 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 23.1 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.027
Efficiency: 65% (brew house)


STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.031
Final Gravity: 1.007
ABV (standard): 3.11%
IBU (tinseth): 22.18
SRM (morey): 23.8

FERMENTABLES:
2.42 kg - United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale (78.3%)
0.36 kg - United Kingdom - Crystal 60L (11.7%)
0.21 kg - American - Black Malt (6.8%)
0.1 kg - Torrified Wheat (3.2%)

HOPS:
14 g - Challenger, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.5, Use: Boil for 90 min, IBU: 19.91
8 g - East Kent Goldings, Type: Pellet, AA: 5, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 2.27

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Infusion, Temp: 67 C, Time: 90 min, Amount: 9.5 L
2) Sparge, Temp: 72 C, Time: 15 min, Amount: 18.7 L
Starting Mash Thickness: 3 L/kg

YEAST:
Mangrove Jack - Liberty Bell Ale M36
Starter: No
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 76%
Flocculation: Med-High
Optimum Temp: 16.67 - 23.33 C
Fermentation Temp: 20 C

First things first ~ I made a mess of hitting my strike temp, simply heating the water to 67 C, rather than calculating how much over this it needed to be to give a mash temp of 67 C. That meant I had to calculate and add some boiling water to the mash, which I did, but this didn't quite work, so I had to add a bit more,

After the 90 min mash, I drained the mash tun, and forgot to lauter my wort, which I might get away with as its a dark beer. Then the remaining hot water was added ( I remembered to calculate this time) for the 72 C sparge. The tun was lautered / drained and I ended up with just over 23L of wort to transfer into the boiler. 

The boil went well, as did chilling the wort. However, as I was draining the final part of the cooled wort into the FV a drip of water fell into it from the garage door that was open above the boiler, so I didn't risk transferring any more. So I only ended up with 15L in the FV. However, when I cam to clean up I doubt there was the expected further 5L in there ~ so I need to revisit both measuring the dead space in my boiler, and it's boil off rate and update my equipment profile in Brewers Friend.

The result was wort with an OG of 1040, which is higher that expected ~ the hydrometer in the picture reads 2 points high ~ and  if it ferments down to 1007 will give an ABV of about 4.3%. The sample tasted really good; much better than any kit / modified kit I have ever brewed.

Yeast added, its sat in my fermentation fridge at 20C. I've got high hopes for this one.

Lincolnshire breweries

See? I told you something would intervene and stop me doing my first all grain. A heavy cold, and a broken patio door blocking the route between where I would boil and the kitchen mean its on hold for a few days. So, to keep me amused while I am not brewing, I'm going to start researching Lincolnshire breweries, past and present.

Exciting, huh?

The map is here. There is nothing on the map yet, but I am thinking of having a blog page or post (don't know which yet) per brewery, and a pin on the map that takes you to it. Hopefully, I can have two colour pins for existing and historical breweries.

That's what I've got in my head at the moment, but I suspect it will be an evolving idea.

Wort chiller

I now have a wort chiller, so can finally do my first ever full all grin brew. In the end, after realising I could use my nectar points on ebay, I brought one as it was less faff than making one, and by the time I'd got y hands on a pipe bender, not that much cheaper. Once I'd factored in the nectar points, it only set me back £7. Its really great, well made, and I've connected it up today and doesn't leek. It fits my 30L Burco perfectly.

Hope to be brewing one day this week (haven't I said that before?).