Im wanting to do a 10 Gal batch of 80/-, my mash tun is big enough to cope but my boiler is only good for 5 Gal.
Is it possible to mash enough grain for a 10 gal batch, batch sparge off the first 5 gal and get on the boil, meanwhile batch sparge the second batch and keep it to one side until my boiler is free 90 mins later?
Can anyone see any probs with this? is the second batch likely to lose any taste or quality by sitting for 60 - 90 mins?
rgds
iain
10 Gal Brews
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Ska_J
Re: 10 Gal Brews
I may have misunderstood, but surely the second batch is going to be much weaker than the first? The whole plan sounds logistically difficult, although I'm sure its possible. One solution might be to do 5 galons worth in the mash tun, get it boiling, then do the other 5 galons while the boil/cooling goes on. In other words do two brews, staggered.
It sounds like it'll be interesting however you do it (and by interesting, I suspect I mean manic!) I look forward to hearing how it goes...
It sounds like it'll be interesting however you do it (and by interesting, I suspect I mean manic!) I look forward to hearing how it goes...
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purple_chicken
Re: 10 Gal Brews
no 10 gal fermenter but I do have 2 x 5Gals.
Is there any difference in strength between the first and second batches in a batch sparge?
Is there any difference in strength between the first and second batches in a batch sparge?
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tomU
Re: 10 Gal Brews
Yeah, a pretty big difference. When doing a 1040ish brew I find the first batch is around 1050-55, second about 1025-30. My advice would be to run off half the first batch into the boiler and other half in to FV, then the same with batch #2.
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Reg
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Re: 10 Gal Brews
Could you just not run half of each sparge off into each vessel?purple_chicken wrote:no 10 gal fermenter but I do have 2 x 5Gals.
Is there any difference in strength between the first and second batches in a batch sparge?
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Northern Brewer
Re: 10 Gal Brews
Unless you know your run-off volumes, the only way that would work would be to collect the first runnings into one empty fermenter, and the second lot into the other fermenter. You could then measure and mark the halfway points of each collected volume, drop half of each into your boiler, then combine the remaining halves into one fermenter, thereby freeing up the other fermenter to receive the first batch of boiled wort.
Whether this would work obviously depends upon how oversized your fermenters are, but you may have other containers that could be called into service.
Obviously both fermenters would need to sanitised before receiving the sterile wort, but there would be no need for this before the initial collection.
Whether this would work obviously depends upon how oversized your fermenters are, but you may have other containers that could be called into service.
Obviously both fermenters would need to sanitised before receiving the sterile wort, but there would be no need for this before the initial collection.
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boingy
Re: 10 Gal Brews
The first sparging will be much higher gravity than the second one. A higher gravity means slightly lower hop utilisation during the boil but you can probably ignore that. So, I reckon you can pretty much do what you ask:
Collect the first 5 gallons and get them on the boil with about half the hops. Collect the next 5 gallons and keep them in a covered bucket while the first lot is boiling. Cool the first batch and split it equally between two sanitised 5 gallon FVs then boil up the second batch with the remaining hops, cool and split that one equally between the FVs. This way you should end up with two identical FVs, each with 5 gallons.
An alternative suggestion is that in the same elapsed time you could actually make two completely different 5 gallon brews. Your second mash could be underway whilst the first batch is boiling.
Collect the first 5 gallons and get them on the boil with about half the hops. Collect the next 5 gallons and keep them in a covered bucket while the first lot is boiling. Cool the first batch and split it equally between two sanitised 5 gallon FVs then boil up the second batch with the remaining hops, cool and split that one equally between the FVs. This way you should end up with two identical FVs, each with 5 gallons.
An alternative suggestion is that in the same elapsed time you could actually make two completely different 5 gallon brews. Your second mash could be underway whilst the first batch is boiling.
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Calum
Re: 10 Gal Brews
First off, its nice to see another Fifer on the forum. Where abouts are you?
There is no problem with the boiling one before the other. I brewed for years without any chilling device so regularly left my beer to cool down overnight and wasn't aware of this causing any major problem (except perhaps from the occasional haze that I removed with auxilliary finings). I have also done some brewing where I mash on one night and then do the boil the next night. Again, as long as everything is clean you shouldn't have any problems with the second batch sitting aroung waiting for the boil.
The real problem you have is, as the others have elluded to, trying to ensure that the beer in both buckets is of the same gravity and IBU. If it was something you were going to do regularly you could invest in a 10g fermenter - I see Hope and Grope do one for around £21 which looks like good value to me. Davie at Edina Homebrew in Edinburgh might also have them in stock.
There is no problem with the boiling one before the other. I brewed for years without any chilling device so regularly left my beer to cool down overnight and wasn't aware of this causing any major problem (except perhaps from the occasional haze that I removed with auxilliary finings). I have also done some brewing where I mash on one night and then do the boil the next night. Again, as long as everything is clean you shouldn't have any problems with the second batch sitting aroung waiting for the boil.
The real problem you have is, as the others have elluded to, trying to ensure that the beer in both buckets is of the same gravity and IBU. If it was something you were going to do regularly you could invest in a 10g fermenter - I see Hope and Grope do one for around £21 which looks like good value to me. Davie at Edina Homebrew in Edinburgh might also have them in stock.
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purple_chicken
Re: 10 Gal Brews
I'm sorry I asked the question now, all sounds like too much hard work!
I do have plenty of 5gal buckets, fermenters which could be called into use but I think in reality I'll stick to doing 2 seperate brews.
Callum, I'm in dunfermline also, will pm you.
iain
I do have plenty of 5gal buckets, fermenters which could be called into use but I think in reality I'll stick to doing 2 seperate brews.
Callum, I'm in dunfermline also, will pm you.
iain