nosmatt
Well-Known Member
ok, i have a 5 gallon MLT cooler that i cannot seem to get the efficiency i want out of, due to my largish grain bills.
my AG clone i had to do two seperate mashes, it was like two brew days for one batch, and i do not wanna go there again! (2 mashes, 4 sparges, 3 hours of boiling...you get the idea?
anyway, my idea was to mash in with as much water as i can fit with the grain (the particular grain bill i am speaking of is 13lbs) which is gonna work out far less than 2.0qts/lb... think it will end up closer to 1.1-1.15...
anyway, my thoughts are.... do 3 batch sparges, first bing say 160 (which will drop to very slightly above my mash temp) and do a seriously slow drain to keep conversion going, 2nd raise to 175, and last to 188 or so.
boil kettle is not a concern, quite large enough for this, but is it worth while?
second option, mash for 45 mins, drain, and mash again for say 30 mins with the existing grainbed to convert whats left in the tun unconverted...
last option i dont wanna do, is swap to 4 gallon batches, or make smaller beers (All i really drink are IPA's)
any thoughts, aside for springing for a 10 gallon cooler?
my AG clone i had to do two seperate mashes, it was like two brew days for one batch, and i do not wanna go there again! (2 mashes, 4 sparges, 3 hours of boiling...you get the idea?
anyway, my idea was to mash in with as much water as i can fit with the grain (the particular grain bill i am speaking of is 13lbs) which is gonna work out far less than 2.0qts/lb... think it will end up closer to 1.1-1.15...
anyway, my thoughts are.... do 3 batch sparges, first bing say 160 (which will drop to very slightly above my mash temp) and do a seriously slow drain to keep conversion going, 2nd raise to 175, and last to 188 or so.
boil kettle is not a concern, quite large enough for this, but is it worth while?
second option, mash for 45 mins, drain, and mash again for say 30 mins with the existing grainbed to convert whats left in the tun unconverted...
last option i dont wanna do, is swap to 4 gallon batches, or make smaller beers (All i really drink are IPA's)
any thoughts, aside for springing for a 10 gallon cooler?