Brew Day - Pale Ale (All-Grain)

Yesterday was my first all-grain brew day.  I have been putting off moving to all-grain until I felt settled in a place and had the space to store the additional equipment.  I chose a pale ale recipe because it seemed like a good "standard" beer to attempt and compare quality results.  We shall see.

For those who are not aware of the difference between all-grain and extract brewing, here is a very brief (and elementary) explanation.  In all-grain brewing, we take malted grains and "mash" them to release the sugars needed for beer brewing.  Essentially, mashing is soaking them in water around 152 degrees F and sparging (i.e. rinsing) the grains to pull the sugars out.  After this is done, you take the sugar liquid and begin brewing.  With extract brewing, this process is done commercially and arrives in a syrup (liquid malt extract) or powdered (dried malt extract) form.  The claim is that the extract produces a more noticeable flavor (often referred to as a "twang") that identifies it as homebrewed (versus commercially-brewed).  I don't know how much truth exists in this claim nowadays, with maltsters and extract manufactures producing some very high quality products that result in very good beer.  One other difference is that extract brewers often steep a bag of speciality grains prior to boiling to add body, flavor, and color that are not produced in the malt extracts.  These speciality grains are mixed with the other grains during the mash with all-grain brewing.

So..., brewing went generally well for a first attempt.  The mashing process was generally fine.  I probably should have got the water a little hotter to start so that it would have stayed above 150 degrees F until the end.  But it only ended around 145 degrees F so it wasn't that detrimental to the final product.  I did a quick iodine test and the sugars had definitely converted.  (You can drop iodine on a sample of the liquid and, if it's not ready, it will turn purple.  You can also taste it and see if it is sweet.)

Sparging was okay.  The water was a little too hot and it flowed a bit faster than it should have.  But, considering I had no reference point to base an estimated flow rate, it seems fine.  It should have taken 30-60 minutes to sparge with the best efficiency.  I finished in about 17 minutes.  Also, I misjudged the necessary volume for a five-gallon batch.  I thought I had too much liquid but I only ended up with four-and-a-half gallons of wort in the end.  Obviously there was some boil off; however, I clearly underestimated.

With the exception of one boil-over, the boil went fine.  A few close calls though (a lot of foaming).  Also, a "duh" moment.  I had been having trouble with the propane burner going out often.  I restricted the air intake and everything is perfect now.  Stupid is as stupid does.

O.G. - 1.042

Ingredients:

10.5 lbs. Domestic 2-Row Barley
8 oz. Carapils and 8 oz. Caramel 40L speciality grains
1 oz. Williamette hops (bittering)
1 oz. U.S. Fuggles hops (aroma)