146 replies to this topic

[Deerslyr]

I have not made the MLPA. What is the target FG? If you are going from 6 gallons to 5 gallons, with an OG of 1.032, then (after running through a few different calculators) I get an FG of 1.038. Is that what you are shooting for?

[Jdtirado]

I have not made the MLPA. What is the target FG? If you are going from 6 gallons to 5 gallons, with an OG of 1.032, then (after running through a few different calculators) I get an FG of 1.038. Is that what you are shooting for?

An OG of 1.048 post boil. FG 1.012I guess I could make less volume but I probably won't do that. This is going to be a good learning lession. I will have to figure out how to fix this with some help.

Edited by Jdtirado, 09 July 2012 - 11:10 AM.

[MtnBrewer]

(6 x 32) / 5 = 38

[chadm75]

If you're pre-boil is 1.032...you're going to miss 1.048...at least by my calcs...

[Deerslyr]

I've now recirc'd the initial running and have batch sparged with 5.6 gallons of water. The initial mash in was done with about 3 gallons of water.I now have 6 gallons prior to the boil. The specific gravity prior to boiling is 1.032 for Kenlenard's MLPA.I will try to ease up on the boil so I don't loose much more than a gallon in order to make it around 5 going into the fermenter.

An OG of 1.048 post boil. FG 1.012I guess I could make less volume but I probably won't do that. This is going to be a good learning lession. I will have to figure out how to fix this with some help.

I erred in my terminology. I meant pre-boil gravity and post-boil gravity. You need to make up 10 gravity points to hit the target. How certain are you that your reading was 1.032. When you took your hydrometer reading, did you adjust it for temperature? If you didn't let the pre-boil wort in your test tube drop to 68 degrees, then it will throw it off.

[Jdtirado]

I erred in my terminology. I meant pre-boil gravity and post-boil gravity.You need to make up 10 gravity points to hit the target. How certain are you that your reading was 1.032. When you took your hydrometer reading, did you adjust it for temperature? If you didn't let the pre-boil wort in your test tube drop to 68 degrees, then it will throw it off.

I used a refractometer. I could be off in my thinking. Hope that is it.Man I need a de-briefing to figure out everything that went wrong.

[Deerslyr]

If you took the reading at 150 degrees, this is what your actual pre-boil gravity would be.

Hydrometer Correction CalculatorHydrometer reading : Temperature : Temperature measured in : FahrenheitCelsiusCorrected reading = 1.051This is accurate for a hydrometer calibrated for 60F, not the 68F hydrometers.

I had this very thing happen to me on my first solo AG.

[Deerslyr]

Take a hydro reading at the end as well.Trust the hydro until you are comfortable with the refractometer.

[MyaCullen]

check a cooled to room temperature sample with a hydrometer as well

[Jdtirado]

Will do

[Deerslyr]

check a cooled to room temperature sample with a hydrometer as well

Clearly this... however if he needs to make an adjustment in his wort (i.e. add some DME) he can run the gravity and temp through a hdyrometer temperature adjustment calculator. And then run his current volume and estimated final volume through a boil off adjustment calculator to determine how much, or if, he wants to add.JD... don't worry about it though. You will indeed make beer. This will also help you determine how efficient the system is, and you can make your future grain adjustments based on that.

[djinkc]

JD... don't worry about it though.

that was the most important part

[zymot]

Do not do anything to try to get to some magic or perfect OG.Where ever you end up at, will make beer. For your first AG session, that is all you are looking for.

[Jdtirado]

I have to say that this hasn't been fun at all.

[MyaCullen]

Clearly this... however if he needs to make an adjustment in his wort (i.e. add some DME) he can run the gravity and temp through a hdyrometer temperature adjustment calculator. And then run his current volume and estimated final volume through a boil off adjustment calculator to determine how much, or if, he wants to add.JD... don't worry about it though. You will indeed make beer. This will also help you determine how efficient the system is, and you can make your future grain adjustments based on that.

I actually was typing that when you were posting

[Jdtirado]

lol who needs a brew buddy when i have you guys!!!!

[Deerslyr]

Do not do anything to try to get to some magic or perfect OG.Where ever you end up at, will make beer. For your first AG session, that is all you are looking for.

This bears repeating over and over. You truly learn from your experiences. I'm not going to say mistakes, because they aren't mistakes... you are doing your "run through" on your system. For as much planning as one does, the first time they use new equipment, or even reconfigured equipment, it is all part and parcel of learning the system.

I have to say that this hasn't been fun at all.

And the first time I went solo it wasn't fun for me at all either. I had nearly identical problems and concerns. When my post-boil gravity was lower than anticipated, I figured that for the next couple of batches I might need to have some DME on hand, just in case. I think I used it once. Welcome to the Klub! We've all been there, done that. So have you!

[djinkc]

That's strange the MT wouldn't drain, glad you had an extra.

[Jdtirado]

What if I had a friend who measured the amount of his wort after the mash tun wrong, and I ( I mean he) at 7 gallons after a 60 min boil. Could he just reduce that to around 6 gallons and check the SG?Man I am truly a messup today.

[brewman]

We just made up and there you go, throwing me under the bus.Having to much seems better then to little. Just boil it down to the volume you need is what Im thinking.Then again when I think, bad things happen.Dan

Edited by brewman, 09 July 2012 - 12:16 PM.