To those who have done double brew days

I have a bit of a problem. You see, the last couple of weeks I had planned to brew but, was unable to for whatever reason. Now, I have two kegs getting low and nothing to replace them with. I'm planning a double brew day this weekend and am wondering how much more time to budget?

I know I can shave some time by overlapping the mash and boil a bit. Although, I don't want to be cooling wort when it's time to sparge.

Any other time saving tips? Or any suggestions at all to help my brew day run as smooth as possible? Thanks!

I can only speak for myself but I usually start my second mash with about 20-30 minutes left in the boil. So I figure when the 60 minutes are up by then I will have my first batch cooled and in the fermenter as I am starting run off from the 2nd mash. Assuming I start the mash with 20 minutes left that gives me 40 minutes from flameout to cool down, clean the leaf hops out of the kettle, oxygenate, and get my carboy in a swamp cooler. I also want to try running off enough wort for 2 batches of the same beer, however with a 10 gallon kettle this will still require 2 boils but I would keg one and bottle the other.

born3z said:

I have a bit of a problem. You see, the last couple of weeks I had planned to brew but, was unable to for whatever reason. Now, I have two kegs getting low and nothing to replace them with. I'm planning a double brew day this weekend and am wondering how much more time to budget?

I know I can shave some time by overlapping the mash and boil a bit. Although, I don't want to be cooling wort when it's time to sparge.

Any other time saving tips? Or any suggestions at all to help my brew day run as smooth as possible? Thanks!

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I use the kitchen stove to help heat up water. Just start the next mash once you're done sparging. You're gonna boil and mash for an hour anyway. You'll be done cooling before the second boil is done.

You need two pots to save time. It really does only add an hour or so if you can time it perfectly. The key to that is having all your water at the right temp ready to go, all your ingredients ready to go.

I can do a double in only 60-90 minutes longer than a single.
This is on a 5 gal BIAB setup and I mash in a normal, unconverted cooler while I heat strike water for the 2nd batch.

I'm actually doing doubles now to free up a weekend day and minimize cleanups.

The plate chiller saves time cooling 13gal of wort. Start early in the day, first light if you can. Mill the grains the night before. Thats all I got. It would helpfull to know your set-up; Keggel with a goal of 24-28gal?

mikescooling said:

The plate chiller saves time cooling 13gal of wort. Start early in the day, first light if you can. Mill the grains the night before. Thats all I got. It would helpfull to know your set-up; Keggel with a goal of 24-28gal?

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I'm doing 5 gal batches in a 10 gal pot. Mash in a rectangle cooler. Brewing two separate beers. A shandy and an APA.

I plan on using the stove to heat strike water while I'm boiling the first batch and starting the second mash with about twenty minutes left in the boil as suggested.

I'll definitely have my ingredients ready with the grains milled ahead of time. Also, will have all my water volumes calculated so I know what I will need for the strike and sparge.

I'm guessing when I add the time to reach boil temp, the 60 min boil time and the time it takes to cool, I'll be looking at about two hours extra.

I recently did my first double batch, and it added another 2 hours to my brew day. I'm sure that will get better as I improve the process...

It sounds like your doing great. I like that your doing 2 different beers. I did 10gal of stout and now I am sick of it. You may have to hit several temps and times for hop additions. Get a game plan for how the brew's are going to go. I use a dry-erase board for my game plan. I use my I-phone as a multi-timer. Make notes of how long things took and why. For example, I had a blocked drain because I used fresh hops and that added 2hrs to my brew day.
Good luck, Mike

mikescooling said:

It sounds like your doing great. I like that your doing 2 different beers. I did 10gal of stout and now I am sick of it. You may have to hit several temps and times for hop additions. Get a game plan for how the brew's are going to go. I use a dry-erase board for my game plan. I use my I-phone as a multi-timer. Make notes of how long things took and why. For example, I had a blocked drain because I used fresh hops and that added 2hrs to my brew day.
Good luck, Mike

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I like the dry erase board idea. I usually write my process on paper but, having it easy to see seems like it would be helpful.

Thanks for the suggestions! Got some preparing to do. Can't wait to brew all day, enjoy some homebrew and sit in the sun!

I honestly didn't read much of this thread but saw one poster who basically hit it on the nail for the process I do.

I currently do double brews every time I brew. I give around 30min left on the boil to start the next mash so I have time to cool and clean equipment for the next boil. it takes us about 5 hours with a good process maybe 6 overall and this is assuming 60min mash time and 60min boil time. So depending on your process, basically start your next mash with enough time between finishing and cooling your next boil so it can be set up for the next brew.

I agree with others that starting the mash about 20-30 minutes before the boil ends should give you enough time. Another thought is doing an AG and a Extract. You can start the extract about 30 minutes after you AG is boiling. You can do it on a stovetop, I have done this several times when I have let the stock run low during the heat of the summer here in GA. You really only add a little length to the overall day doing this as well, but you need to keep track of 2 brews at once (so keep the drinking to a minimum).

I have nothing much to add. I did a double brew on Wed night and I was exhausted by the end of it. Just be sure to start early enough to not be still brewing at 1am. The tiredness factors into getting things done right at the very end.

I agree with ajbram, double brew days are exhausting. You hardly sit down for a second. Good for cranking out some brew quickly, but not preferred to single batch relaxing. Your first time you should only need an extra 2 hours. But after a few tries like others said, you can cut it down another hour or so. Go with your planned method and you'll get things done right.

I usually plan an extra 2 hours, but if you are smart and plan correctly it won't take that much more time. It kind of depends on your personal setup too, and the beers you are brewing.

Most people could mash for a shorter time than the 60+ minutes. No sparge, or single sparge is more time efficient than a dual sparge. Batch sparge is supposed to be faster then fly sparging too.

Cleaning as you go saves me lots of time, and most importantly planning the brew in advance and preparing ingredients and equipment the day before can really shave time off.

I heat up strike water as I start the first boil. I finish sparing just as my first batch is cooled. I don't think i will ever go back to single brew days unless I have to. I even now think about the triple brew day

somebody mentioned milling grains ahead of time...on that same note, if you have enough containers, you can also measure out water quantities the night before. I do so with sticky notes on the kettles, pots or buckets that also designate temperature/purpose of water. One less thing to space out and miss on a busy brew day.

Its also been suggested that chloramine in water can dissipate naturally overnight, but I have not seen the science on this.

A solution I use for double/triple even quadruple beers is I mash once with a 50/55# base malt grain, split the worts up to suit the OG you want, than steep your crystals, chocolates etc just like doing extract, than proceed as normal
Takes a lot of water to start, sparge and by having 4 burners I try and time all beers boiling and cooling within 15 mins of each other
always makes for an interesting day
Cheers
Paul

ajbram said:

I have nothing much to add. I did a double brew on Wed night and I was exhausted by the end of it. Just be sure to start early enough to not be still brewing at 1am. The tiredness factors into getting things done right at the very end.

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Actually, I work nights so I'm used to being up late so, I may be brewing at 1am!

Besides my two old brewing pots, I only have pickle buckets so, I'll pre measure strike water for the first brew. Don't really feel like leaving water in pickle buckets. Not sure if it will matter, though?

I'll be planning everything out tonight after work and then get everything ready on Saturday. This way I'm ready to rock on Sunday!

born3z said:

I'm guessing when I add the time to reach boil temp, the 60 min boil time and the time it takes to cool, I'll be looking at about two hours extra.

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I would budget for at least three just in case. That and do as much prep work the day or night before as possible.