All Grain with two pots.

[deathtomacro]

Hey, guys. I've been brewing some partial mashes for the last few months. (using DeathBrewers method) With awesome results! Well, for the last couple of beers I've decided to just brew All Grain using this method. I used about the same amount of grain for both batches (9.4lbs). The first, I pulled out 70% efficiency. The second, only got about 60% and I'm pretty positive that a few pounds of my grain weren't milled fine enough, because my procedure did not very.

Using two 22 quart pots:
I've been mashing 1.25Q per LB. Strike water at 166F comes down to a comfortable 152-153F. Mashing for an hour and fifteen minutes. My sparge pot is filled with 2.5 gal of water heated to 173F. I'll stir and "tea bag" for 10-15 minutes.

Well, I'm trying to improve my efficiency without getting an all grain setup (I'm a very cheap bastard). I've been reading some forums and most guys agree on 1.5Q per LB. So, I'm going to try to give this a shot:

English IPA

5 gallon batch (topped off in the fermenter)
9lbs - Maris Otter (seems to be milled well)
1lb - Briess Crystal 60L
.5lb - Carapils

60 mins 1.0oz East Kent Goldings pellet 5.4%
30 mins 1.0oz East Kent Goldings pellet 5.4%
5 mins 2.0oz East Kent Goldings pellet 5.4%
1 min 2.0oz East Kent Goldings pellet 5.4%
dry hop 2.0oz East Kent Goldings pellet


Safale S-04 re-hydrated.

75 minute Mash - 4 gallons of strike water at 166F for a target of 152-154F

Sparge - 2 gallons at 173-175F for 10-15 minutes

75 minute boil.

You guys think that will be enough sparge water?

What method might you tweek?

Or maybe a better question: Bets on my efficiency?

 

[RukusDM]

I started using the 1.5 Q/lb ratio when I tried Brew in a Bag. I ended up going to 2.0Q as I though the Mash was a bit too tight and it was difficult to stir.

I've tried Spargeing by putting a large collinder over the top of my bottling bucket and slowly pouring sparge water over the top of the grain. I then added this to the boil pot.

That worked, but I got better efficiency when I put the bag with the grain into a pot holding the sparge water and stiring intermittently for about 5 to 10 min. I then pull the bag out and put it into a collinder over the sparge water to drain.

 

[CidahMastah]

I started using the 1.5 Q/lb ratio when I tried Brew in a Bag. I ended up going to 2.0Q as I though the Mash was a bit too tight and it was difficult to stir.

I've tried Spargeing by putting a large collinder over the top of my bottling bucket and slowly pouring sparge water over the top of the grain. I then added this to the boil pot.

That worked, but I got better efficiency when I put the bag with the grain into a pot holding the sparge water and stiring intermittently for about 5 to 10 min. I then pull the bag out and put it into a collinder over the sparge water to drain.

Rukus - thanks for this tip - I am going to attempt my first BIAB all grain batch this weekend - this info is a huge help. I am looking forward to killing my costs with all grain, and hopefully better beer of course

Not sure if you are interested (Rotchester) but we are trying ot get a bulk grain buy going in Syracuse area - if you want info and can't find the thread I will post it. Not too far a drive for you (especially if you get a couple brewer buddies to come along).

 

[cockybitz]

I would mash thinner. 1.25 max so that you can use more sparge water. When I initially worked that setup I used a large mixing bowl to assist in my sparge. I would move my bag-o-grain to the mixing bowl and press it out. Dump water in boil pot and re-rinse. I suggest another pot so that you can use your original 22 qt for sparge and dump that water to a pre-boil of 7 gallons or so.

 

[cheezydemon3]

I dump back and forth between 2 big pots through the large colander/grain bed.

I get great efficiency and much less sediment.

I go back and forth (heating constantly) until there is little to no sediment.

 

[jjones17]

I do this all the time with two pots at 1.30 qt / lb and I get 80-83% efficiency everytime - no exceptions. Your crush must be terrible if you are at 60%. If you nail that down, you should top 80% easily as long as you stir your mash/sparge enough. Tea bag for a max 10 mins during your sparge, make sure you are around 165F. When you mash in and sparge, always have a half gallon of water that is boiling, and a half gallon of cold tap water kicking around. This way, if you miss your target temp you can easily adjust by slowly adding tiny bits to bring your temp up/down. Works like a charm, cuts out the "OH CRAP I MISSED THE TEMP" panic attack, and ensures extraction consistency.

Get that grind fixed.

 

[deathtomacro]

jjones, thanks for that info. I just sealed up the fermenter on this one. I brewed by the schedule I have listed and it came out with 80% efficiency! I spent a lot more time (about five to six minutes) stirring the mash. Got rid of any clumps that I could find. I sparged out at 175F and stirred it crap out of it for almost the whole ten minutes.

I went a little over the target temp (settled in at 155-156F). Which, it should be okay being that it's an english style beer.

 

[Mermaid]

I do 4 gallon AG batches using BIAB and 2 5 ga. pots. I mash at 1.25 qts per lb. and sparge at a little more than 1.5 qt. per lb. I also use a colander after sparge to get every last drop of goodness out of the grains. Has worked great so far, just using the 2 kettles.

 

[jjones17]

jjones, thanks for that info. I just sealed up the fermenter on this one. I brewed by the schedule I have listed and it came out with 80% efficiency! I spent a lot more time (about five to six minutes) stirring the mash. Got rid of any clumps that I could find. I sparged out at 175F and stirred it crap out of it for almost the whole ten minutes.

I went a little over the target temp (settled in at 155-156F). Which, it should be okay being that it's an english style beer.

Awesome! Glad to hear it - its so weird how much that extra stirring helps. Try having the cold water & boiling water on hand next time, that way there is no more "Oops I am a few degrees above what I want" experiences. Your beer will probably be great, but just sayin...