Split batch (not what you think)

[m00ps]

I had an unfortunate accident with my electric BIAB setup and ended up frying some circuits in my controller unit, as well as likely damaging my heating elements. Im getting fixing/replacing it figured out, but in the meantime...

I havent missed a weekend brewing since I started again back in April. I have my old BIAB setup but im not sure I can use it. I got the electric setup because I moved and my new place has an electric stove which isnt powerful enough to boil for a 5gal batch.

I was thinking, could I divide my grains in half and do like two ~2.5gal batches on consecutive days? Like chill the first one down, get into the fermentor, pitch my yeast, then do the same thing the next day? Just dump the 2nd days wort on top of the (hopefully by then) fermenting wort?

thoughts?

 

[Gavin C]

Drauflassen is what the Germans call what you are planning. Different reasons but the same outcome. it would seem it's ommon practice on a commercial scale.

Here is a link describing it better.

 

[m00ps]

Drauflassen is what the Germans call what you are planning. Different reasons but the same outcome. it would seem it's ommon practice on a commercial scale.

Here is a link describing it better.

Awesome. Thanks for the info. I would hate to have seen all my yeast starters go to waste. THough I suppose I could continuously decant and feed them

 

[Gavin C]

No worries. The Germans always seem to have a term for anything brewing related.

That's a fine selection of cultures there.

 

[m00ps]

half of them are sour and wild projects. But I am a fan of blending yeasts for batches so im constantly playing musical chairs with all those vessels. Im just glad I didnt build up those saison yeasts for nothing!

 

[specharka]

half of them are sour and wild projects. But I am a fan of blending yeasts for batches so im constantly playing musical chairs with all those vessels. Im just glad I didnt build up those saison yeasts for nothing!

Airlocks on the sours / foam on the saccs?

Incidentally I did just this with my previous batch of barleywine, with great success. Could not (and would not try to) fit the 34 lb of grain into my MLT, so I ended up splitting it and brewing two 3-gallon batches on consecutive days, no worse for the wear.

Let us know how the fix goes.

 

[Mer-man]

I have done something similar, with adding wort that had been chilled for 24 hours to drop the trub out. Absolutely no problems.

(Patent pending Pricelessbrewing)

 

[m00ps]

Airlocks on the sours / foam on the saccs?

Yeah for the most part. I dont have foam stoppers small enough for the larger bottles I'll use for very small starters. Its basically just a mess of stuff Im trying to step up or repropogate vs stuff Im actually going to be pitching

im gonna try the split batch thing this weekend. I may just end up cramming all the grains in ~4 finished gallons and topping it off the next day or something. I dunno, ive only ever done full volume stuff

 

[m00ps]

I got another question, should I just split the hops too and do the same hopping schedule for the consecutive half batches? or just use the original amount in the first half batch?

Not that it may matter though. I have a hoppy saison and a dubbel that I need to brew this way. I figure I'll do the dubbel first because the hop schedule is about negligible as it is. 2 whole oz of saaz....

 

[m00ps]

wait one more, should I aerate the 2nd wort before dumping it in? I would think you wouldnt need to since the first wort should be chugging away by then...

 

[specharka]

wait one more, should I aerate the 2nd wort before dumping it in? I would think you wouldnt need to since the first wort should be chugging away by then...

It's not necessary, but it definitely wouldn't hurt anything in terms of diacetyl production / oxidation. It's what commercial brewers do for super high gravity beers, anyway.

 

[m00ps]

It's not necessary, but it definitely wouldn't hurt anything in terms of diacetyl production / oxidation. It's what commercial brewers do for super high gravity beers, anyway.

OK cool thanks. Im thinking Ill just vigorously dump the 2nd wort into the already aerated first wort