GinSlinger
Well-Known Member
So, I'm making the transition to AG brewing and looking to do 2.5-3 gal batches. I have two "large" pots: a 8 qt (small really), and a 24 qt. I'm planning on BIAB.
I notice that there are two methods typically employed:
1) The one-pot method, where the mash is done in the full-boil volume, step infusion, essentially no sparging.
2) What I'll cal the DeathBrewer method, highlighted here, where two pots are used--a mash pot and a dunk-sparge one.
Well, the 8qt pot is just barely enough for the grain bills I'm looking at (5-6 pounds) at a thick mash (thanks to Green Bay Rackers' calculator). I'm going to be brewing ales almost exclusively for the time being, so I don't think a thick mash (approximately 1 qt: 1 #) is harmful. So, I can just barely do the two pot method.
Is that right? will that thick mash be suitable for (pale) ales? Should I use the one-pot method without a separate sparge?
I have a colander that just fits across the 24qt pot, so I could mash the grains in the 24qt, heat the sparge water in the 8 qt and a separate tea kettle (to get 10-12 qts, right?) and pour those over the bag in the colander.
Am I over-complicating this all? What methods are y'all using? What's the best for the conditions I have now? I know ideal is for a bigger brew pot, but the ideal is not in the foreseeable future.
I notice that there are two methods typically employed:
1) The one-pot method, where the mash is done in the full-boil volume, step infusion, essentially no sparging.
2) What I'll cal the DeathBrewer method, highlighted here, where two pots are used--a mash pot and a dunk-sparge one.
Well, the 8qt pot is just barely enough for the grain bills I'm looking at (5-6 pounds) at a thick mash (thanks to Green Bay Rackers' calculator). I'm going to be brewing ales almost exclusively for the time being, so I don't think a thick mash (approximately 1 qt: 1 #) is harmful. So, I can just barely do the two pot method.
Is that right? will that thick mash be suitable for (pale) ales? Should I use the one-pot method without a separate sparge?
I have a colander that just fits across the 24qt pot, so I could mash the grains in the 24qt, heat the sparge water in the 8 qt and a separate tea kettle (to get 10-12 qts, right?) and pour those over the bag in the colander.
Am I over-complicating this all? What methods are y'all using? What's the best for the conditions I have now? I know ideal is for a bigger brew pot, but the ideal is not in the foreseeable future.