Brewing all week

[MashBag]

Instead of taking all day, why not take all week?

We all have busy lives, so what about doing a few quick steps everyday - all in one pot.

Friday evening: Get set up and weighed out. Start an overnight mash.

Saturday: Boil, add hops, remove hops and leave to chill.

Sunday: Pitch and aerate. Setup the mash kettle for fermentation.

Monday: Check temps and make sure the yeast has started.

Tuesday: Nothing but a quick peek (if you must)

Wednesday: Leave it alone

Thursday : Check it's on track

Next day: When it's ready, bottle and wash up the kettle.

This isn't a tinkers brewing methodology. This is a "I need some beer" methodology - more of a production run if you like. Using a well known and well loved recipe.

Can anyone see any refinements?

[Eric]

Interesting thoughts. It's unlikely that I could have done that in my working days as there were days when I got home in need of a bed for the night. But in general, a brew requires regular attendance for a full week, even just for a few minutes.

I usually set up for a brew in advance and the time comes when I set a time clock for heating the mash liquor before I rise. That day is assigned to brewing, but the brew can at times be left unattended when other matters take priority. Some brewing days it can be 10 PM when all is done.

[IPA]

Instead of taking all day, why not take all week?

We all have busy lives, so what about doing a few quick steps everyday - all in one pot.

Friday evening: Get set up and weighed out. Start an overnight mash.

Saturday: Boil, add hops, remove hops and leave to chill.

Sunday: Pitch and aerate. Setup the mash kettle for fermentation.

Monday: Check temps and make sure the yeast has started.

Tuesday: Nothing but a quick peek (if you must)

Wednesday: Leave it alone

Thursday : Check it's on track

Next day: When it's ready, bottle and wash up the kettle.

This isn't a tinkers brewing methodology. This is a "I need some beer" methodology - more of a production run if you like. Using a well known and well loved recipe.

Can anyone see any refinements?

If it's possible to go from the mash to bottling in a week then I must have been doing something wrong for a very long time.
An easier way to save time is to increase the brew length. I brew 60 litres once a month.

[Cobnut]

I brew 60 litres once a month.

I trust you share it with others. I could not drink that much beer!

And I prefer to have a variety of beers available.

I usually brew every 3-4 weeks, so around 20 times per year.

And I still give share plenty of beer.

[IPA]

It's only four pints a day !

[IPA]

double post

[guypettigrew]

If it's possible to go from the mash to bottling in a week then I must have been doing something wrong for a very long time.
An easier way to save time is to increase the brew length. I brew 60 litres once a month.

Definitely possible!

For example; I mash, boil and pitch with liquid yeast all in one day, a Saturday, let's say. My beers are always between 1.045 and 1.055 OG. Brewing outside this range doesn't appeal.

By Wednesday evening, at the latest, the gravity has dropped to about 25% of the starting gravity. The beer is then cooled to 12°C for 24 hours and as much of the yeast and trub slurry as possible is run out of the bottom of my conical fermenter. The beer is then cooled to 5°C for another 24 hours. By now it's Friday afternoon.

The cooled beer is then dropped into a King Keg with auxiliary and isinglass finings, plus dry hops if I'm using them.

The beer's usually clear and drinkable by the end of the following day (Saturday) but, unsurprisingly, improves over the following days.

MashBag's method is interesting but I prefer to concentrate the brewing into one day where it can receive my full attention.

Guy

[bitter_dave]

Hi Guy, if you’re racking cooled beer into a king keg presumably it’s going to be pretty flat the next day? I realise we are talking about ale levels of carbonation but even so...

Agree with you about not wanting to drag brewing over a week, with all the equipment out for this time I’m also not sure how popular I would be! I also tend to have a bit of time (and mental space) at the weekend, rather than bits of time during the week. Each to their own if course!

[guypettigrew]

Hi Guy, if you’re racking cooled beer into a king keg presumably it’s going to be pretty flat the next day? I realise we are talking about ale levels of carbonation but even so...

Agree with you about not wanting to drag brewing over a week, with all the equipment out for this time I’m also not sure how popular I would be! I also tend to have a bit of time (and mental space) at the weekend, rather than bits of time during the week. Each to their own if course!

Hi b d

Yes, fairly low level of carbonation to start with.

I think, though, cooling it down to 12°C then 5°C helps hold the CO2 in the beer.

As soon as it's in the keg it goes into a cupboard held at 12°C to bring it back up to drinking temperature. The carbonation in the beer is always good enough, especially after another couple of days, so I don't ever add any priming sugar. The remaining sugars in the beer are sufficient.

Guy

[MashBag]

If it's possible to go from the mash to bottling in a week then I must have been doing something wrong for a very long time.
An easier way to save time is to increase the brew length. I brew 60 litres once a month.

Definitely possible!

Thanks Guy.

I have run this process a few times now, just to see what's what. I was Interested to get peoples views. I don't like a whole day brew day. I brew outside, so no marital/'get it done' pressure. I have to say two of the upsides are bottling warm beer is much nicer & a much easier mash kettle clean, because the yeast seem to help out.