Newbie here! Can someone help me with my first recipe - Pliny the Step Child?

[brewfun]

In the original recipe you posted, the original brewer reported 1.057 preboil gravity. Postboil, he reported 1.079 OG.

His preboil gravity is very close to yours. If your boil off rate was similar, then you're in that ballpark. Maybe 1.067 to 1.075. Quite respectable for your first time.

[Scott Ickes]

In the original recipe you posted, the original brewer reported 1.057 preboil gravity. Postboil, he reported 1.079 OG.

His preboil gravity is very close to yours. If your boil off rate was similar, then you're in that ballpark. Maybe 1.067 to 1.075. Quite respectable for your first time.

Based on brewfuns calculations, I think you're in the ballpark as well.  I'd rack to the secondary at about 1.030 gravity, give or take a little bit.

[electrotype]

Based on brewfuns calculations, I think you're in the ballpark as well.  I'd rack to the secondary at about 1.030 gravity, give or take a little bit.

Nice, I'll take the gravity tomorrow. Thanks.

[Slurk]

I enjoyed all the pictures. Welcome to a fantastic hobby and welcome to the BS-forum.

Scott Ickes/Brewfun, you guys are amazing with your support!!!
+1

[electrotype]

I enjoyed all the pictures. Welcome to a fantastic hobby and welcome to the BS-forum.

Scott Ickes/Brewfun, you guys are amazing with your support!!!
+1

Thanks Slurk! Indeed Brewfun and Scott Ickes help a lot!

[electrotype]

There is something I don't understand...

http://imgur.com/a/J0H0f

(first picture is with plain water)

I took my gravity reading two times.

The first time, directly in the bucket. It read 1.108! (See the picture in the bucket)

I took it again, this time using a sample. Now it read +/- 1.005.

I guess 1.005 is the correct reading! But why didn't the reading in the bucket work properly? Maybe because it was touching the yeast cake?

Anyway, if my true reading is 1.005 (as it seems), do you think it's ok to rack to a secondary tomorrow?

By the way, I tasted the beer and it's already not that bad!

[brewfun]

Bubbles. See the bubbles around the hydrometer stem?

There is a minor amount of carbonation left in a fermented beer. That probably floated it. You get rid of them by spinning the hydrometer a few times to degas the sample.

[Scott Ickes]

Anyway, if my true reading is 1.005 (as it seems), do you think it's ok to rack to a secondary tomorrow?

By the way, I tasted the beer and it's already not that bad!

Yup.  You can definitely rack it.  I'd also let the temperature rise to 72-74F in the secondary for 3-4 days to let the yeast clean up the stuff they made (fusels, off flavors, diecetyl, etc.) in the primary.  Then bring the temp down to the mid sixties for a while before bottling.

I agree with brewfun on the hydrometer reading.

[electrotype]

So it is now racked! And dry hopped!

http://imgur.com/a/qmAFc

I realize that I losted a lot of liquid though! I was targetting 4 gallons but I think I may have 3 or so.

Also the rubber cork doesn't stay in place on the glass carboy, it's too slippery. I'll try to push it more when it will be dryer.

[brewfun]

Yep! Hoppy beers are lossy beers!

You can console yourself that it's only a gallon. With my DIPA I can lose 4 kegs worth to the kettle and another three to dry hopping. That's in addition to the two I lose to just yeast on every batch.

[Scott Ickes]

So it is now racked! And dry hopped!

http://imgur.com/a/qmAFc

I realize that I losted a lot of liquid though! I was targetting 4 gallons but I think I may have 3 or so.

Also the rubber cork doesn't stay in place on the glass carboy, it's too slippery. I'll try to push it more when it will be dryer.

A gallon of beer lost is a small price to pay for liquid gold.  If it tastes great, you'll make it again, but you won't be disappointed when you lose a gallon, since you'll be aware of it ahead of time.

[tom_hampton]

Yup.  Perfectly normal.  My PtE recipe is set to a 6.5 gallon "batch" size for just this reason.  1 gallon larger than my standard 5.5 gallon brew.

[electrotype]

Thanks guys, I hope it will be a tasty 3 gallons!

I'm starting my second batch now... Hopefully I'll do less mistakes!

[Scott Ickes]

What are you making for your second batch?

[electrotype]

What are you making for your second batch?

Exact same recipe, but this one will stay in the primary fermenter. I want to see by myself if it makes any difference.

Also, I prefere to work with buckets I think. So if I can avoid carboys, I'll be happy.

I'll like to find transparent buckets though!