2 Brews In 1 Session

I have brewed two beers in one session several times before. I have always used the parti-gyle method and have had very good results. You can brew some very different beers using this method and can brew an extra beer with minimal added time.

For my next brew session I am thinking about brewing an Irish Red and a Stout. I want the Irish to be in the range of 1.055-1.060 and the stout to be in the 1.070-1.075 range. By parti-gyling I will not be able to hit OG’s that are that close together and still come out with two quality and to style beers. Originally, I planned on doing two totally separate mashes and having a long brew day.

The more I got to thinking about it I was wondering if I could mash the Irish first and add the stout grains on top of the first mash? Then do a full 60 min mash for my stout. Would this process extract more sugar from the first mash thus giving me a higher OG or will the grains from the first mash inhibit the second mash in any way?

There won't be much left from the first mash if it's a 1.055 beer. Not worth the uncertainties concomitant with parti-gyles. I don't think those two make good parti-gyle pair. It would be better to make 2 separate mashes.

csamson said:

I have brewed two beers in one session several times before. I have always used the parti-gyle method and have had very good results. You can brew some very different beers using this method and can brew an extra beer with minimal added time.

For my next brew session I am thinking about brewing an Irish Red and a Stout. I want the Irish to be in the range of 1.055-1.060 and the stout to be in the 1.070-1.075 range. By parti-gyling I will not be able to hit OG’s that are that close together and still come out with two quality and to style beers. Originally, I planned on doing two totally separate mashes and having a long brew day.

The more I got to thinking about it I was wondering if I could mash the Irish first and add the stout grains on top of the first mash? Then do a full 60 min mash for my stout. Would this process extract more sugar from the first mash thus giving me a higher OG or will the grains from the first mash inhibit the second mash in any way?

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That sounds like a bad match to me. You would want to do the bigger beer first (stout), but you also want to do the lighter beer first (red). T

Right, I'm not going to partigyle it. I am asking whether I can extract more sugar from the original grains by leaving them in my mash tun for the second mash. I am doing both beers regardless. Just wanted to know if leaving grains from the Irish red in the mash tun and adding the grains for the stout for a totally new mash. What affect will this have?

csamson said:

Right, I'm not going to partigyle it. I am asking whether I can extract more sugar from the original grains by leaving them in my mash tun for the second mash. I am doing both beers regardless. Just wanted to know if leaving grains from the Irish red in the mash tun and adding the grains for the stout for a totally new mash. What affect will this have?

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You could do that, but it might be better to sparge the first down to 1.012 and keep then end runners for use as the mash and first sparge water for the second beer

Nice hadn't thought of that. I will probably go that route. It's not that big of a deal I just like to get the most out of my grains. Thanks for the help guys!

csamson said:

Nice hadn't thought of that. I will probably go that route. It's not that big of a deal I just like to get the most out of my grains. Thanks for the help guys!

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I'm the same way. Another trick is to take the end runnings and freeze them for yeast starters.

I wish I had room in my freezer for that! She's full of milk jugs of ice to control my fermentation temps with the plastic tub and water trick.

csamson said:

I wish I had room in my freezer for that! She's full of milk jugs of ice to control my fermentation temps with the plastic tub and water trick.

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yeah, mines full of old bones to make stock with

Best thing to do with late runnings (after you have your beer) is run them into plastic milk cartons, then freeze for starters. Boil before using. I wish I did that, but my wife isn't gonna go for that. 3 teenagers require all the freezer space we have! I've got to score a pressure canner and jar the stuff.

passedpawn said:

Best thing to do with late runnings (after you have your beer) is run them into plastic milk cartons, then freeze for starters. Boil before using. I wish I did that, but my wife isn't gonna go for that. 3 teenagers require all the freezer space we have! I've got to score a pressure canner and jar the stuff.

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I've had luck with short term canning not using a pressure cooker (I have one, but that's another step). When I make a starter I can 1/3 of it of it before adding all the water so I can pitch into a low gravity starter and up the sugar once it takes off.
Anyway, the way I do this is by heating the canning jar under hot tap water. Then I dump boiling wort into it and seal it. I then rap it in a dish cloth for insulation. The idea is that the heat from the wort will sterilize everything effectively canning it. Not as save for long term storage as it's not really sterilized as it was only at 212F minus the heat that was absorbed by the 120F jar.

You can do a slightly better job of this by using a stock pot like a canner. Still not the 250F you get at 15PSI, but usually works. If your wort is more on the acidic side it would be better. Never use canned goods that do not have a vacuum inside when opened. This is a sign of something living in there. Sure you'll boil it, but if it happens to be botulism it's toxins will still be there.

DrJerryrigger said:

Never use canned goods that do not have a vacuum inside when opened. This is a sign of something living in there. Sure you'll boil it, but if it happens to be botulism it's toxins will still be there.

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I believe botulism toxins are neutralized by boiling. So, if you boil before using it doesn't matter what was growing in the jar. I think....

passedpawn said:

I believe botulism toxins are neutralized by boiling. So, if you boil before using it doesn't matter what was growing in the jar. I think....

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One of the leading sources of botulism in the US is black tar heroin, which is boiled to some degree before use. Maybe with a 20 min boil it would be different, I don't know that much on the subject.

So dont use black tar heroin in your beer

janivar123 said:

So dont use black tar heroin in your beer

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Good call!