AG: how long is your normal brew session (milling grain to fermenter)???

[old_tx_kbb]

I used to think about improving my brewing efficiency and being as well prepared as possible. If I bought the right gear it would cut down the time of my brew day. If I laid everything out....if my water was already in my MLT and adjusted for my brew....and my grain was already milled.

It's like how long did it take me to drive from Nashville to North Carolina last time? Maybe this time I can set a new record if i get my tires inflated just right and rotated, get my oil changed, maybe even wash my truck. Heck I bet I can shave 10 minutes off my time if i don't take a bathroom break.

But if I'm concentrating on getting to the finish line faster; I may not be enjoying the scenery as much.

I'm 60 years old now and have been brewing for 20 years. I'm in no hurry to get done. I enjoy the process and I'm ready for whatever changes I have to make as my brewday goes along. It'll get done when it get's done.

What's that old matra that Charlie used to say...oh yeah...relax...yada yada...

 

[Golddiggie]

I'm moving my brewing inside (basement) so that I won't need to fight the sun (or it going down on me) moving forward. Just means I can brew whenever I want and not worry about things. :rockin: Just need to make, and install the air vent setup and give it a test run.

 

[geosteve]

But if I'm concentrating on getting to the finish line faster; I may not be enjoying the scenery as much.

I'm 60 years old now and have been brewing for 20 years. I'm in no hurry to get done. I enjoy the process and I'm ready for whatever changes I have to make as my brewday goes along. It'll get done when it get's done.

I like this. Brewing is my hobby, and though I take it seriously, I'd better enjoy it or it'll become yet another job... and I have a demanding job and family life, so I get the pressure to get things done. I just feel like brewing is my art, so I'll take my time if I can.

 

[FATC1TY]

I usually do it in 4 hours, but thats me just putzin around too included. I crush my grain at the LHBS. I do however, buy bulk hops, and do water adjustments, so I have to measure out leaf hops and salts, and stuff too.

I'll drag out my gear, which seems like forever, but now I've started pulling the kettle out and burner and getting the strike water going while I bring out the stand and table and whatnot. Once it's ready, I mash in real fast, and then I continue to pull out the stuff, make a batch of sanitizer, and clean up all the stuff real good.

Once I'm ready to drain and sparge, I have it all out, hops are in their cups for the schedule, and everything is going along. Once I'm boiling, I'll start cleaning up the other stuff.. Empty the mash tun out, wash it out, put it away early before I get busy adding hops late in the boil.

Once I fire up the chiller, I start putting it all away.. Mash tun, HLT, burner, table.. all the small stuff. I leave out my hydro, thermapen and refract and put it all away there.

By the time I whirlpool, have it chilled down, and come back to drain the kettle off, I've got most of it all sprayed down and put away in the garage.

Once I transfer, everything but one stand, and my kettle remain out there to be cleaned up.

I try and rush it, but remind myself to enjoy it. I'll fire up the outdoor speakers, and drink a couple of beers to slow it all down.

 

[khugs21]

I always make sure im prepared and usually do more than one thing at a time. Heating mash water and crushing grain, weighing hops and heating sparge, ect. but I try not to rush to much and enjoy it.

 

[Spartan1979]

I brewed today and it was right around 5-1/2 hours. That's from the time I started hauling the equipment out of the basement thru cleanup. That's for a 60 min mash and a 90 boil. The only thing not included was crushing the grain which I did last night. I could probably cut out an hour out if I had too, but I'm happy with that and I'm not pushing myself.

 

[Brewitt]

Can't seem to get it below 5 hours from dragging the keggle and burner out to cleaning up and putting everything away. It sometimes runs 6 hours if I need a long boil, mash or both.

 

[Bradinator]

Really depends on the brew day and how focused I am, but from start to finish (cleaning included) rarely takes more then 3.5 hours. Mind you I usually do some prep work the night before, like measuring water and sometimes milling the grain, and I am a BIAB, stove top full boiler plus I 'no chill" which all help save time.

 

[huntingohio]

<3 but im doing 1 gallon biab so it takes next to no time to heat, cool and clean.

 

[Xpertskir]

But if I'm concentrating on getting to the finish line faster; I may not be enjoying the scenery as much.

Very true, about most things in life. In line with that I generally try to set my goal as enjoying the journey as opposed to getting to the finish line. At 28, sometimes life gets in the way of beer production which is part of the hobby. Im brewing 5 gallon batches(for now) for my girlfriend and I, and sometimes I need to cram a brewday into the thick of things, so my 3ish hour turnaround is a nice capability to have in my back pocket.

 

[Agent]

My biggest slowdown is the extra 45 mins-hour I need to boil in order to get down to volume. Slow boiling 6.5 gallons in a 7 gallon pot takes a bit of extra time. Theoretically, I could use a good bit of extra grain to cut down on my boiling time, but grain is 'spensive while electricity and time is cheap.

 

[rcbishop]

I'm right at the 3.5 hour mark now, but it used to take more like 8 or 9 hours. At one time, that was fine (I was in college and had a lot of time on my hands), but now, not so much!

Almost every upgrade I've done in the last couple years has been aimed at cutting the brew day down, as much as possible, to just the "brew" part.