Batch Sparging a Barley Wine (@1.115)????

Hi,

I'm making my first Barley Wine. I'm aiming for a 1.110-1.115 OG. I'll be using around 26 lbs of grain*. I can handle the large grain bill in my 15 gallon cooler no problem.

My concern is about water volumes and efficiency though. My schedule will look like this:

Mash in with 1.2qts/lb = 31 qts
(less 10.5 qts for absorpotion)
So I'll collect 20.5 qts of first runnings.

I'm going to do a longer boil so I'll want about 32 quarts pre-boil, as opposed to my normal 28 qts. But if I use my normal calculations that means I'll have to batch sparge with a VERY thick 12 qts to 26lbs of grain. or .46 qts/lb. Will that even do anything!!???

Let me know any tips or tricks for these monsters! It's important that I get pretty close to the desired pre-boil gravity - as you all know. I can make up small difs with LME


Notes*:
I expect 70% efficiency normally, and I brew 6 gallon batches.

When I do a beer of that gravity, I don't usually sparge at all due to the volume of mash water I need. I simply do it as a no sparge batch and accept the lower efficiency, which usually is about 55%. To compensate for that, though, I do a second runnings beer by adding more water to the grain. So I get 2 different beers out of one mash.

+1
I brewed a 1.100 barleywine with my brew club and we took second runnings for a small beer. Did the same thing with the 1.090 scotch ale I brewed awhile back.

Agree. Fix your mash thickness so that you get your desired preboil from the first runnings. With 26lbs of grain, that's about 10.5 gallons to get 7.5g of wort preboil. You can use table sugar additions to the kettle to boost OG if necessary. Figure this efficiency to be somewhere between 55-60% for 1.100.

Sparge with about 6.5 gallons to get a small beer. This efficiency will be close to 20% (in reference to 26lb grain bill) for about a 1.040 OG.

Denny said:

When I do a beer of that gravity, I don't usually sparge at all due to the volume of mash water I need. I simply do it as a no sparge batch and accept the lower efficiency, which usually is about 55%. To compensate for that, though, I do a second runnings beer by adding more water to the grain. So I get 2 different beers out of one mash.

Click to expand...

That's exactly the type of answer I was looking for. No wonder people say so many good things about ya! I'll aim for 55% and post my results.

And if I have the time I will make two beers out of it also, 'unfortunately' there is an IPA tasting at my LHBS when I'm brewing on Sunday, so I might be 'forced' into that.

Cheers - Adam

Bobby_M said:

Agree. Fix your mash thickness so that you get your desired preboil from the first runnings. With 26lbs of grain, that's about 10.5 gallons to get 7.5g of wort preboil. You can use table sugar additions to the kettle to boost OG if necessary. Figure this efficiency to be somewhere between 55-60% for 1.100.

Sparge with about 6.5 gallons to get a small beer. This efficiency will be close to 20% (in reference to 26lb grain bill) for about a 1.040 OG.

Click to expand...

More great help! I was just going to take the OG I was given on the 2nd runnings. What math or tool did you use to calculate the 2nd running OG? (I believe you - I just don't want to have to ask next time!)

Also, I plain on using corn or table sugar regardless (1lb). I just want to be within 10-15% of my desired preboil gravity with my mash, and not way off, I find it's depressing even if you can fix it.

Cheers again

It's a little bit of experience, guessing and magic.

When I do this, I tend to get about 10% better efficiency than normal when considering both worts. So, if you're normally getting 75% on small beers, you'll get a combined 85% this time. I'm pretty sure it's due to the increased boil time and thus slightly more sparge.

If you get 60% eff on the big beer runoff (which is about right for a no-sparge at 1.6qts/lb ratio), 25% is the rest of the 85%. How long were you planning to mash for? I'd go 90min at 149F.

Bobby_M said:

How long were you planning to mash for? I'd go 90min at 149F.

Click to expand...

Cool. And that is exactly what I'm planning. I usually go 90 mins for anything below 150F.

Bobby M
Your great I love reading your simple answers. down to earth any one can follow your posts.

Update:

So I did this Barley wine on Saturday (long brew session too!). I didn't make a second beer though.

Anyway. My mash tun was PACKED. I'll post a picture if I can. 47 qts of water went in, which is apparently the limit on top of 30lbs of grain!!

Hit 1.100 with about 50% efficiency.

Thanks for the help - She's bubbling like crazy in the cellar!