That's about as full a mash tun as I can get. 33lbs of grain, and 11 gallons of water. I figured out my thermometer is shitty, so my mash was a little on the low side (147F). I think it will be OK though. My efficiency however, blows!!! I was suppose to have 13 gallons at 1.056 and I had 1.5 at 1.044 so its been a long boil so far.

You cant tell but that mash paddle had just been fished out of the tun. I was looking everywhere for it then I realized it had fallen into the mash! So this beer will be henceforth called: Mash Paddle Pale Ale

This is what a boil over looks like right before it happens. It was close.

I think i need more BTU's and I have to find a way to get my efficiency up. I built this recipe on 60% efficiency, and its going to go down from that. This is the first beer I've made on my new system that's over 1.060, and I've got more in the pipeline, so something has to give.

Either way, the worst day brewing beats the shit out of nest day working!

Cheers!

Getting ready to brew on Saturday so here is the starter. And below the starter is getting to business on my homemade stir plate.

Thunder Chicken IPA on the way

Everything is up and running, now I just need more beer. Ive got 4.5 kegs filled, but its only two beers. Ive got another wit coming out of fermentation soon, so that will add another selection.

The Wit I brewed a few weeks ago is now on tap. It was based loosely on Dr. Scott's (The Brewing Network) Wit recipe. It has a huge, juicy fruit, aroma on the nose. It's not as pale as I wanted, it looks more like a hefe than a wit, and it has a huge grapefruit taste at first then lingers off. Its very drinkable and Im enjoying it.

The Scottish 70/- (/- mean shilling) is awesome. Very malty and sweet, while not cloying. Its low enough in alcohol that you can have many pints before feeling anything. This may be one I keep around.

I'll be brewing a wee heavy and pitching it with the slurry from the 70/-. Ive got a ton of hops left over form some 1 gallon batches I made, so I think a rye IPA is on the horizon soon.

A few hiccups on the new system but nothing major at all. The counterflow chiller is simply bad ass. Wort came out of the kettle at 195F and after passing through the chiller, it went into the fermenter at 68-70.

I also found a shitload of hops in my freezer, many you can't buy due to the shortage. Im thinking an IPA is in the future.

I haven't been excited about an early morning since deer season, but I found myself rolling over every half hour looking at the clock. I finally got up at 6:00 and was doughed in by 6:45. New system is performing well I think. I'm a little off on my volumes but that's all about dialing it in, which will take a little time. I zested 20 oranges, 10 Tangelos, 3 grapefruit, and some big ass asian melon for the end of the boil. Things are looking good! I'm going to have to get a pump though, and possibly fast forward on building a brewing stand. That mash tun is heavy with 20lbs of grain and 7 gallons of water. I cant move the kettle (keggle), but i think a pump will assist me in moving the fluids around.