As is my tradition, when I find a problem on a brew day, I find more than one. Today I used some new equipment for the first time, specifically a floating thermometer in my mash. But the thermometer was reading cooler than the math had told me, which is abnormal from my experience. When compared it to my old thermometer, which I used for the strike water, they differed by about 6*F, the new being cooler than the old. So, like a good little scientist, I ran an experiment. I measured the water I was boiling to raise the mash to the next step. New thermo = 212, old =218... Problem. So I brought in a control, and the digital meat thermometer agreed with the new thermometer. So for the last year or so I've been using an uncalibrated thermometer. Nice.
Problem 2. I just bought grain from a home brew supply store around my mom's house last week and they bagged my grain in paper bags. (Or rather had me bag my grain in paper bags.) My basement was pretty humid when I got home, until I got the dehumidifier going. As I'm sure my intelligent readers know paper bags are not very good at keeping moisture out. So far the only problem that I've noticed is a decrease in my efficiency, hopefully it doesn't taste stale because I bought 4 recipes which were all bagged in this manner... The other 3 have been in an air tight container since I got home. Guess we'll evaluate those when I brew them. But enough of my reasons (I won't bother telling you about my ER visits for work both before and after brewing) for calling this brew Bad Day Kolsch, on to the brew day.
Recipe:
88% Pilsner (7#)
6% Munich (0 5#)
6% Vienna (0.5#)
1 oz Hallertauer (4.3%) 45 min
0.5 oz Hallertauer (4.3%) 30 min
Wyeast 1010 (washed)
I cut down times on both the mash and the boil because I was on call and wanted to shave as much time as I could. So I mashed at 148 for 30 minutes, bumped it to 158 for 15, and then mashed out at 168 for 15. I sparged to 6.5 gallons and vigorously boiled for 75 minute. Note: for my system I should have filled less because my final volume was a quart over my goal, 5.75 gal. After chilling and transferring to the primary I put it in my lager fridge for about 6 hours before pitching the yeast, it was 63 when I pitched. My goal is to ferment at around 60*F throughout primary.
Because my gravity was low I added 0.5# sugar.
Numbers:
1.046 OG (measured)
1.010 FG (hopped for)
4.75 ABV
19 IBUs
3 SRM
6/2/13 - Less than 24 hours after pitching the yeast and fermentation appears full bore. I thought there may be a lag because of the cool temperature I'm fermenting at, but not so my friends. So far I'm a fan of Wyeast 1010.
