First ag brew question

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BMWMK2

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I am going to start my first all grain brew tomorrow, I have a 10 gallon round cooler mash tun that I just built but I only have a 5 gallon and a 3 gallon pot. does anyone have a simple way to accomplish an all grain session with two smaller pots like this?
 
I used to have to split my boil before I got a turkey fryer. The ideal way to do it would be to evenly divide the runnings, so that both pots had roughly the same gravity/make up and then divide the pot. Something like 2/3 of the first and second runnings in the bigger pot, then 1/3 of both runnings in the smaller pot, and then divide the hops like that, too. 2/3 in one pot, 1/3 in the second pot, and then cool them both and mix in the fermenter.

The easiest way to do it might be to draw off your runnings into a third container- like your ale pale with gallon markings. That way you can divide it easier.
 
im doing 5 gallon batches,

i think i would have a problem freeing up the large pot because i will have my sparge water heating up in it while im draining the first running.
yooper, do you thnk it would be ok to drain the first running and the sparges into an ale pail ( so they mix well) and then splitt that into the two pots when empty? also will the hot wort effect the plastic pail?
 
im doing 5 gallon batches,

i think i would have a problem freeing up the large pot because i will have my sparge water heating up in it while im draining the first running.
yooper, do you thnk it would be ok to drain the first running and the sparges into an ale pail ( so they mix well) and then splitt that into the two pots when empty? also will the hot wort effect the plastic pail?

That's what I did. Drain the runnings into the ale pail, then divide it up. Do it gently, as to not splash the hot wort unnecessarily.
 
yooper, your the best, thanks.

by the way your posts are the ones that got me interested in the wine making too, im raking the first two welches (your recipe, white and red) tonight!
 
do you think i could use the bottling bucket with a hose so i dont splash the wort as much? can they handle the heat of the wort?
 
Yes, that works well.

Also, keep in mind that you want to start with about 6.5 gallons preboil which might be a little much for your pots at first. Just put 4 gallons in the 5g pot, 1.5 gallons in the 2g pot and hold back the extra 1 gallon in the ale pail until about 30 minutes into the boil where you can distribute it into the two pots which will have boiled off at least that amount.
 
FWIW, I do two kettles on my stove.

I don't mix them before boiling though. I mash, then drain that into my larger pot (five gallons). I pour my sparge water into the grains, stir/rest and then drain that liquid back into my smaller pot (four gallons).

I put my hops in the larger pot.

I then mix the two in the primary bucket.

My beer tastes great.
 
thanks for the imput, i guess i have to wait to see what water volumes i need to figure out which pot to use first
 
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