Originally Posted by: readk 
So this is our first batch and we don't know what we don't know.
This is the update.
We ended up cooking two pots of mash simultaneously with 20# of grain based on the mash bill percentages. This ended up being 14# Corn, 2.8# wheat, and 3.2# 6R barley. To that we added 5 gal of water. This amount of grain and water maxed out our pots.
Cooked each pot at 150-170 Degrees for 90 minutes (really, we were generally closer to 190 for a lot of the time.) Cooled to 78 degrees and pitched 16.5g of Dry Ale yeast into each pot.
Split the two pots into 4-5gal fermenting buckets.
When we split it, there was only 15-20% liquid and the rest solids in each of the 4 buckets. Each bucket was filled to about the 3 gal line. We then heated approx 8 gal of 78 degree water plus 5lbs of sugar till dissolved. We topped each bucket and mixed well to the 5gal mark sealed and airlocked.
The SG measured from the buckets after the sugar wash was added was 1.055. The % of sugar measured 12% from the same sample.
Right now we have four happy buckets bubbling away in the basement heated to approx a constant 62 degrees.
I have some questions:
[LIST=1]
What is the likely fermentation time?
With so little liquid left after absorption, was it a mistake to add additional water?
How might the addition of the sugar wash to the mash affect flavors?
How quickly must the beer be distilled after the completion of the fermentation?
How quickly after it stops must action be taken?
What first-timer mistakes are obvious to the more enlightened amoung is?
[/LIST] Your recipe (with the added sugar) should have resulted in a 1.064 wort, so there is some issue with conversion
My guess is that your mash temp was WAY to high. I would say 156 for 60-75 minutes would give you full conversion, then heat to 190 for 10 minutes to "mash-out". That is my plan (I've made a boatload of good beer)
Next time, no need to put the solids in the fermenting. Just siphon off the wort into the bucket .
1. Typically, about a week if you keep the temp in the 70's. If it goes to 1.000, you should have about a 7.5% beer.
2. No, that is fine. If you weren't distilling that, you would want to boil the water first.
3. Not likely in this case.
4. Heh, I'd be embarrassed to tell you how long the one in the corner has been there. If you keep it under a airlock (filled with vodka), a LONG time. You'll get thirsty before then.
5. See #4
6. Others can lend more to the distilling, this topic was about mashing. You did pretty decent. Might want to cool that wort off a bit more before adding the yeast.
Hopefully, those buckets have an airlock attached (or a blowoff tube). I would expect some blowoff on a 1.070 beer.
