Hello all, Not sure if I am doing something but I am having an issue with my SRM. I am brewing all grain (no extract at all). I am using recipes that calculate out to an SRM of about 4-6 (Pilsner, kolsch, Gose, etc.). Problem is, I am not getting below an SRM of 20-25. Thing is, this is PRE boil (so I'm pretty sure I'm not burning it during boil). Could the beer store have a dirty grinder or maybe slipping me some other grains? Or am I just doing something wrong? My water is about 160 going in and cools to 154(ish) after being added. Ideas? Tango Yankee! Cheers! Alex
Ha ha! Jack is on top of pH! Most professional brewers don't even bother with it, and yet it's one of the most simple tools available to us right at the tip of our fingers (well, the end of our pH meters at least!). It could certainly be in the mill, I've had that happen. The thing with that is, it wouldn't happen all of the time, and that kind of a jump (4-6 to 20-25) seems bizarre. I have no other ideas on this one. I can't think of anything you could possibly do wrong that would give you excess color in that range, and a few degrees on your mash water certainly wouldn't be the culprit. Tres bizarre! What exactly is your recipe?
What is your post fermentation SRM? How are you checking your preboil SRM? Im not surprised that your preboil is significantly darker, especially I you are looking at it in the bucket or kettle. It always looks darker until you get it in the glass.