can I get an extra small batch of low gravity beer from extra sugars in mash

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crlova2

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My last brew was a bell's TH clone and after reaching my target pre-boil volume I ran off about another 2 quarts of my sparge in a seperate cup and let it cool and took a hyrdro reading. It was 1.041. Has anyone done an extra 2-3 gallon sparge to make a low gravity beer with left over sugars in the mash tun? Are the results good?
 
Search for 'partigyle'.
If you're making a 'big' beer, use enough grain to get your gravity with first runnings.
Then sparge and use that to make a smaller beer.
If the second runnings are too thin you can add sugar or DME.
I've done this and the results are good, but I don't have a way to boil 2 batches at once.
Time is the deciding factor for me.
 
I did a second runnings batch off the grain bill from my last big stout. I sparged a little too long and ended up with a slight astringency in the brew (added DME and some honey to upp the sugars) but overall it has been well received. I think the rule of thumb is that you should stop sparging when the runnings reach 1.010 or you will extract tannins from the grain which lead to off flavors like astringency. Of course, that would require having a refractometer, or a hell of a lot of patience to stop the run-off periodically and cool the wort for a hydrometer test...
 
Search for 'partigyle'.
If you're making a 'big' beer, use enough grain to get your gravity with first runnings.
Then sparge and use that to make a smaller beer.
If the second runnings are too thin you can add sugar or DME.
I've done this and the results are good, but I don't have a way to boil 2 batches at once.
Time is the deciding factor for me.

+1 it's called partigyle. It's an English brewing technique for getting the most out of the grain when making a higher gravity beer. You make a giant mash and use the first runnings for the high gravity batch and then the later runnings for a low gravity batch. Like a barley wine and a mild. The trick is both beers have the same grain bill.

A friend of mine did this recently and made 5 gallons of Belgian triple and then 5 gallons of pilsner from the same mash.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone. What about if you are just making a moderately high gravity beer. For example the beer I made had a post boil gravity of 1.071. But after getting twelve gallons preboil I ran off some more sparge and my gravity was 1.040. So I am not really wanting to get a huge grain bill to make a super high gravity beer and then make a light one for extra. I am just talking about making a normal beer with all the normal procedures and then doing an extra sparge with about 2-3 gallons to get an extra 2-3 gallons of beer that I presume would end up around 3-4.5% abv (I just got a 3.5 gallon glass carboy from a yard sale for $5 so I am trying to put it to use).Has anyone done this consistently? Or is this still considered 'partigyle'? I am a newb so I am not totally familiar with all the lingo yet.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone. What about if you are just making a moderately high gravity beer. For example the beer I made had a post boil gravity of 1.071. But after getting twelve gallons preboil I ran off some more sparge and my gravity was 1.040. So I am not really wanting to get a huge grain bill to make a super high gravity beer and then make a light one for extra. I am just talking about making a normal beer with all the normal procedures and then doing an extra sparge with about 2-3 gallons to get an extra 2-3 gallons of beer that I presume would end up around 3-4.5% abv (I just got a 3.5 gallon glass carboy from a yard sale for $5 so I am trying to put it to use).Has anyone done this consistently? Or is this still considered 'partigyle'? I am a newb so I am not totally familiar with all the lingo yet.

It's the same thing more or less. Go for it. Boil it the same as any other beer.
 
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