8 brews in the next 2.5 months. Can I do it?

[MBasile]

In the next month I'll be brewing 4 batches, 1 for pleasure, 3 for competition. Then I'll be brewing 4 more batches to fill my kegerator with by late August/early September and have ready to drink by my graduation in late September. Can I do it??? It is definitely going to be a challenge since the next quarter will be all about building my portfolio for school and networking for a real job! All while still working my regular job too.

Thank god there is currently no SWMBO

 

[djsethall]

Ummm, you could do it with no problems. 4 hour brew day times 8 is only 32 hours of brew time

 

[MBasile]

Sorry, forgot to mention I only have two fermenters, and can only temp control one at a time. I'm sure I can do it, but I'm going to be pushing my fermentation equipment to capacity for longer than I have in the past two years. I'm looking forward to it!

I wish I could get my AG brew days down to 4 hours, but with setup, brewing, and cleaning it is more like 7 hours.

 

[wildwest450]

Yank them out of fermentation once the krausen drops and let them finish at room temp, that will save some time.


_

 

[MBasile]

Yank them out of fermentation once the krausen drops and let them finish at room temp, that will save some time.

_

Yup, that's the plan! I should be able to get each one a decent amount of time in the fermenter.

 

[1ratdog]

Yank them out of fermentation once the krausen drops and let them finish at room temp, that will save some time.

gonna try that. i only have room to control 2 also. i love this site. i use every1s ideas and every day, every batch, my brewery falls into place.

 

[Homercidal]

You really need to have at least one large ferm chamber, or two smaller ones. Upgrade immediately!

 

[HokieBrewer]

Even with cleaning and setting up I my all grain time is right around 4:30. Try writing your process down on paper to see where you can combine tasks or shave time off.

 

[MBasile]

You really need to have at least one large ferm chamber, or two smaller ones. Upgrade immediately!

At some point this summer I'm getting the garage cleaned and organized, which will leave me with ample room for a second chest freezer, which will become the new fermentation chamber. At that point the mini-fridge (currently running main fermentation duties) will become a lagering unit.

 

[HexKrak]

I've been brewing 5 gallons a week for the last 4 weeks (life interfered and bled my pipeline dry). I'll keep going at one a week until I run out of bottles. If my kegging stuff comes through before I run out of bottles, I'll fill those too... Then, depending on how many people show up for the 4th of July, I might have to back off a bit

You can definitely do it!

 

[Homercidal]

At some point this summer I'm getting the garage cleaned and organized, which will leave me with ample room for a second chest freezer, which will become the new fermentation chamber. At that point the mini-fridge (currently running main fermentation duties) will become a lagering unit.

Nice! That's about what I have planned. Currently fermenting a lager, and when that needs to be lagered, I'll have to find another place to keep it if I want to ferment an ale.

 

[kpr121]

Man if I didnt have a SWMBO I would be brewing like twice a week, 10 gallon batches.

Even if I complain about it every now and then, shes the one who keeps me grounded, and she's the sane one when it comes to my beer brewing obsession.

I would say you should at least get one or two more fermenting buckets, that way you can go 1 week in temp controlled chamber, and 2 or 3 weeks bulk conditioning at room temp. Otherwise you are going to be locked up after two weeks. Thats what I see as a cheap fix to your kink in the pipeline right now.

 

[bad coffee]

Split up your brew days. Measure/grind the grain, measure hops and water at night. Have everything ready to go, so when you wake up all you have to do is start the fire.

Basic Brewing just had a segment with a guy who mashes at night, and then keeps the pot warm overnight. So his brew 'day' starts with the boil. I like the idea and I'm going to try it one of these days.

B

 

[wedge421]

Damn that would be a lot of beer to be had though! If you have the room for it go for it.

 

[MBasile]

Split up your brew days. Measure/grind the grain, measure hops and water at night. Have everything ready to go, so when you wake up all you have to do is start the fire.

Basic Brewing just had a segment with a guy who mashes at night, and then keeps the pot warm overnight. So his brew 'day' starts with the boil. I like the idea and I'm going to try it one of these days.

B

I always aim to start around 9am, but never really get going until noon

 

[milesvdustin]

I am on orders in Quantico right now, but before I left I did four five gallon batches of beer and two 5 gallon batches of apfelwein in three days. Thankfully I was not at the house for the rhino fart situation from two batches of apfelwein going, but swmbo assured me that it was awful!