Brewday

We brewed 1300 litres of Prospect today.  Brewday really starts two days before when we prepare the liquor (water) and pre-set the automatic temperature control to strike temperature.  The malt is usually prepared the afternoon before but we did it Monday evening this week as we snatched a day off on Tuesday.  A brewday starts at about 07.00 with a pre-heating of the stainless steel mash tun with hot liquor followed by the hand hydration of  200kg of malt.  This a steamy business!  The mash is usually "on" by 09.00.  Hitting mash temperature is something of a brewers art given the changing temperature of the malt and ambient through the seasons but we usually get it within 1degC of target.  Transfer to the copper (boiler) starts at around 10.30 and takes about 2.5 hours.  Boil is on by 13.00 with the primary hops; late hops go in 5 mins before the end of the boil and at "heat off" followed by a nice long soak (infusion). The wort is usually in the fermenter and yeast pitched by around 17.00.  After clear up there is usually time for a quick pint round The Queen's Head (which conveniently opens  at five) on the way home. Now it's time for a hot bath!