nyer
Well-Known Member
I always do a single sparge.
I'm trying it Friday when I make a rye IPA. I was thinking I would get less efficiency with a single sparge but I recirculate during the whole mash so maybe it will work fine.
I always do a single sparge.
Equipment setup, weighing , milling, 60 min mash, fly sparge, 60 min boil, chilling , pitch yeast, cleanup(I clean as I go as well)....5 hrs. Used to be 6 or 6.5. I try to always have the next step either in progress or ready to go immediately. I just don't see 3 hours as possible . 4.5 maybe. But that's my setup and my process, and I don't like to rush, it just leads to mistakes.
let me back up.I'm trying it Friday when I make a rye IPA. I was thinking I would get less efficiency with a single sparge but I recirculate during the whole mash so maybe it will work fine.
Does anyone do a single batch sparge instead of a double? I have a new (only 2 batches so far) 3 vessel single tier with 1 pump. For 5 gallon batches I could easily drain my mash to the boil kettle and then do 1 sparge. I always did 2 in the past and I would love to cut one out to save time. Anyone??
Another one for "No Chill". I just turn the burner off at the end of the boil, put the lid on the pot and go on with my day. Pretty sure the 1-3 gallons of star san in the fermenter doesn't lose sanatizing capability overnight. Next morning, I dip the airlock in the bucket, dump the sanatizer into my swamp cooler, pour the beer in violently, pitch the yeast.
After that all I have to do is hose out the pot and funnel I pour my wort through.
No chillers to unclog/drain/clean/store. No kettle valves to clean hop scum out of. No wasting gallons upon gallons of chiller water.
It cuts down on A LOT
2 hours on brew day.
1/2 hour day prior.
Friday- Grind the grains and put in ziplocs. Then put recipe and hops in 5 gallon bucket and put lid on. Get mashtun all ready for next day for water and grains. 1/2 hour total time drink 2 beers .
2 Hours Brew Day
Sat- Go to beach from 10-3 get the water to 170 on the kitchen stove.
Add grains and water to mush tun and check temp, off by 1 degree, oh well, wrap up in blanket and let mash go for 90 minutes. Make dinner on the grill, everyone is full and dishes all done. Check water on stove for Sparging.
Check temp lost 2 degree's from 158 to 156, oh well who cares. I won't lose sleep over it. Start draining and sparging, get 4 gallons in first bucket and start the boil in the keggle. While the boil is starting the other 3.5 gallons collected, add that in keggle. Wow that took 30 minutes. Add 60 minute hops set timer have a beer. Water plants and then add flavor hops, have a beer. Add Irish moss and final hops and then turn off. Cover with lid, close garage.
Sunday-1/2 Hour
Siphon to primary and pitch the the yeast. Clean keggle all done.
Been doing this for 17 AG and never had a problem, and the time is under 3 hours.
I like to boil water on the kitchen stove, while saving my propane for just boil wort. It makes for a easy brew day.
I'd have to disagree with your accounting here and call this WAY more than 3 hours of time involved to make beer. Yes, you are not sitting there and watching the pot, but the clock is still running.
If you are only counting the time that your hands are busy, then I would say that it takes me under and hour to make beer and that's with a 60 minute mash (because I am just sitting there and it doesn't count) and a 90 minute boil (which I am only actively throwing hops in for maybe a minute.)
let me back up.
I have a HERMs system, so I am also recirculating the whole time. I used to have a 10 gallon MLT. I was forced to do a double-sparge on 10 gallon batches made with that 10 gallon cooler. I simply could not get all of the sparge water in there at once.
My efficiency on single-sparge is about 75%. On double-sparge, it is closer to 80%.
So, in my experience, you will lose about 5% efficiency going with the single sparge.
I single sparge also. I always got around 70% eff and never really cared until recently, so I have started stirring the mash half-way through. I'm now in the 75% range, and happy with it. My friend suggested trying a second sparge but I don't think its necessary.
Brian2can: I am in your boat, so to speak. I love my hobby and my wife thinks I am obsessed with it. It is a learning process on how to break up the brew day so you can be a family man.
This is slightly Has anyone ever tried to mash one day and boil/add hops on a different day??
Do you recirculate with a pump during the mash? I'm assuming you don't since you stir? I love having the pump and recirculating instead of stirring all the time, the wort clears up fast.
I do notice when brew buddies are over, the whole process takes longer. :cross:
When I am alone, I never make mistakes
Good point... I think of that when I make my first mistake
I did forget to take an OG reading on my last brew, I guess that counts, right?
If you are not that into it there are other hobbies out there.
Airborneguy said:Its a real shame that people have this outlook in this hobby. Its rare, but I am somtimes surprised by the reactions I see from certain topics: secondaries, "do you save money", "where can I save time", "do I need a starter"... Inevitably, these types of threads always bring out the people who criticize for no identifiable reason...
How many times do you brew a month Mike? do you have kids? Have you ever considered that some people absolutely LOVE this hobby, but might not have the time to dedicate 5-6 hours every time they brew?
The best way to maintain your family man status and brew is do 10G batches back to back. If you do this with Friday prep (measure hops, grains, crush get equip out and ready) you can easily brew 20G in 5-6 hours. I do this with my buddy and we split it up. You can get a great variety plus, brew less often so the wife is happy. If my buddy misses, guess who gets more pipeline?
I would much rather brew doubles less frequently than rush like crazy each week and have the wife complaining. That said, my wife is pretty darn accepting of this obsession.. er "hobby".
That would be sweet for me. Two 15 gallon batches back to back, but I would need another chest freezer for temp control.
I may add 10 gallons of Saison to my next brew day since I can leave it at room temp before lugging it upstairs to my 85 degree hallway.
My last brew day was 2 ten gallon batches and im doing it again saturday. I just ordered a 50' x 1/2" IC, after leaving mine in the shed over the winter. Chillng was the most time consuming. I get to brew a bunch of beer once or twice a month and still get to spend a bunch of time being daddy. 2 ten gallon batches is the new method for me.
I also try to do all the other brew duties (kegging, racking, line cleaning...) at the same time so I can make the most of my 1 day of free time a month. Plus I can use the same cleaners/sanitizers I'll need for the brew days I'm green that way (I mean cheap).
I've done double 10 gallon batches but I decided it's really too much like work. I'll do an occasional low gravity 15 gallon batch. But I find that a 10 gallon batch once or twice a month is plenty.The best way to maintain your family man status and brew is do 10G batches back to back. If you do this with Friday prep (measure hops, grains, crush get equip out and ready) you can easily brew 20G in 5-6 hours. I do this with my buddy and we split it up. You can get a great variety plus, brew less often so the wife is happy. If my buddy misses, guess who gets more pipeline?
I would much rather brew doubles less frequently than rush like crazy each week and have the wife complaining. That said, my wife is pretty darn accepting of this obsession.. er "hobby".
However, I'm not quite so jealous in the winter when I'm brewing in sunny 50-60 degree weather and you are buried under 3 ft of snow.
I've done double 10 gallon batches but I decided it's really too much like work. I'll do an occasional low gravity 15 gallon batch. But I find that a 10 gallon batch once or twice a month is plenty.
When I used a single propane burner in the garage a 5 gal batch took around 8 hours. Once I got my 3 tiered system built I knocked that down to an easy 5 hours for 10 gallons.
My wife is very supportive of my addiction and my kids are both grown and gone. When they were little I had a very flexible work schedule and could brew in peace while they were in school and the wife was at work.
I'm jealous of guys in the North who can still quickly chill wort in July using just tap water and not having to mess with pumping ice water thru the chiller. It's a pain in the arse and it takes me an extra 30-45 minutes to chill now.
However, I'm not quite so jealous in the winter when I'm brewing in sunny 50-60 degree weather and you are buried under 3 ft of snow.
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