> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://accidentalis.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Brewday in Pictures and Video - URL: https://accidentalis.com/brewday-in-pictures-and-video/ - Published: 2015-02-10T22:46:17.000Z - Updated: 2025-11-20T14:53:30.000Z - Author: Matthew Chrispen - Tags: Brewer's Notes, Process, boil, brew day, Brew-Magic, brewing, mill, #Migrated-1763650309909, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2025-11-20 08:51, #Import 2025-11-20 09:06 We have some wonderful weather here in Central Texas during wintertime... truly the most redeeming quality of this area. That and crazy good BBQ. Anyway - an A/V document of my brew day... a truly beautiful day and most everything went extremely well. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/01c46fd4ec6dc1184eec785b43604776ae4feddcc5_00001-5.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/018b669d82216ab13196ae11a7572488422ba31637-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/01cab3be54a5d3a501869e09facc1c8915b32d7331_00001-5.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/0122caac699e799151042fa8fe1d10bba8e032189e_00001-4.jpg) \[playlist type="video" ids="987,934"\] As mentioned in an earlier post, I built a new grist mill and case. This was the first chance to brew with the crush. I was fairly happy with the results, but may make some adjustments along the way. I will say that it was a bit underwhelming watching the 20# of grain burned through in about a minute. The skirt worked well, no dust kicked out to speak, just what kicked pouring the malt into the hopper. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/01fb67c3102879df93d8dba44679b90e5a616a3511_00001-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/017c324e4b9110980897f9838f5663054e815f4de2-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/013885435700c70399c6861f71fa1bb369b17ad3e8-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/01fb20757d931e65a55740f643bbf0a8425daae001-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/01dcb9aa166d4dc269b3419910280c2e27224c449d-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/017aa12a01302d813b74b330d4d086fc2c29a961a3-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/01850cb0ae09386f5a2cc685de95a7c789260e4c13-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/011af94d34495aab48eef04d5e1c601812ef4ad6b5_00001-4.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/018757d6a9e877c2c086b75056607cb1eb973edc82-2.jpg) I can't hold a camera and grain in... so assume it all went very well. I prepare my strike water in the tun and heat to about 164F to hit 154F. Minerals split between the strike and sparge water. I run the RIMS with direct heat to bring the water to temperature - which also helps even the heat distribution in the system. After mash in, I slowly bring the recirculation speed up. With a more fine mill, the circulation is slow. With this grind, I was able to recirculate very quickly... nearly double the rate of the fine grist. \[playlist type="video" ids="980,925"\] The Brew Magic deploys a hybrid fly sparge method. I establish the flow rate with the first runnings, and match the pump over from the HLT to that rate. Circulation also introduces a rotation of the wort at the top of the mash and pulls the liquor down through the MLT. The result is very clear wort through the process. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/01a2ced18933612dd1b79b3dab165c56d785a4f657-5.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/01523a6efc278330ac1785e4ae964c87f1d25d72ab_00001-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/01310bc03d594c2adc0cce2a000838cd21d6c422c1_00001-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/018ac41adcb73d1e61985d72b67c3b9b2dbb5c7ea9_00001-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/01d4f9e8afac9550851aa09e60fe91a49ba1b3ce92_00001-2.jpg) I tend to boil with a lot of energy. The vigorous boil helps to create strong break material. I do need to find a path to moderate the boil strength as it tends to darken beers like Pils. I use a few drops of FermCap-S as well as drop in a couple of bits of hops to help control the foam. A spray bottle helps me when adding new hops - like below - however it never threatened to overflow. I have built a hop spider, but have fallen back to simply pinning a mesh bag floating free for pellet hops. Whole hops go into the kettle and are caught on the false bottom. Since moving to the counterflow chiller, I worry a lot less about trub and hop material plugging up the chiller. \[playlist type="video" ids="984,977"\] I clean as I go - so the judicious use of a wet dry vacuum to knock out the mash and to clean up any loose bits is useful. Remove the mash and give a light rinse and then wipe down the sides. Vac the remaining out and your tun is pretty clean! Plus I find emptying the plastic bucket easier than a heavy keggle. I also compost my spent grains. I took the time to turn the compost pile and was thrilled to find live and wriggling earthworms! In February no less. The pile is about 2 years worth of grains and compacts pretty quickly in the heat. As long as the top dries quickly, the smell is not too bad. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/014830ca3e3e4db2225e54925136b748f030b6fe73-5.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/01930ca2e7d2b79fb76dcf7b79ad7735dc579d38e6-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/015481e35b8b2503ce53ba41b05dcd1d58c29d880e-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/01229eaaa0bb7fe6c9203550792073f0273c753d50-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/018d96331dddcd569f702f65e9a88ed79e2aac36aa-2.jpg) I added my last addition and prepared to knock out. I decided to proceed with ground water, as opposed to circulating ice water, and still knocked out at 66F, perfect for pitching. I have modified my Chill Wizard to use a convoluted counterflow chiller rather than the big plate chiller. I have been frustrated with the difficulty in keeping the plate chiller clean. I chilled and pumped directly into my SS BrewTech 1/2 Barrel Chronical. Hit target gravity right on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/01c161e48bd967c6463cf790dde5339058d55000a7-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/0126ae7648a099db2220e9ae3fdd4693b69ca63383-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/01ae23935b285fe638b8ca3e0001e53474da92c6aa-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/01fffa6abd6f55367d482efbec3b1c45ef6e673e3e-5.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/01b2c3cd99dce9774b3fb4ca300978f45d336db57b_00001-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c2/87/c2876a49-5c65-4965-946c-679dac007e84/content/images/2025/11/01468fc353516121d69b1999e2f669c89230053827-2.jpg) The day ended with some light cleaning of the BK and a quick yeast count. I pitched right at 400 billion cells and fermentation showed in just a few hours! The recipe is a scaled version of Brülosophy's Best Brown Recipe, which will be featured in a later post.