Easy Stovetop All-Grain Brewing (with pics)

[DeathBrewer]

That's incorrect there, hucky...efficiency can be measured at any stage after the run-off...you just need to account for the volume

EDIT: I can't fvcking wait to brew tonight. Got a hefeweizen going and gonna by some commercial examples for inspiration

 

[agenthucky]

That's incorrect there, hucky...efficiency can be measured at any stage after the run-off...you just need to account for the volume

But did he? That was my quesiton. 82% seems pretty good. He mentioned a large boil off, so I was curious. If he hit that I would love to know the details. I could save a few bucks a batch.

I brewed 2 gallons of a Belgian Dubble IPA on Tuesday and I got the worst efficiency so far with this, 65%. I account it to the large headspace, I only have a 5, 5.5, and 1.5 gallon kettle, and the temp went from 155F to 145F in an hour. Now that I think about it, the temp loss was most likely from stirring it. I stirred maybe 2 or 3 times over the hour, and each time that headspace goes almost back to room temp. I wonder if I would of had better efficiency if I didn't stirr at all and kept a better temp. I guess it is more of just a Belgian IPA now, I didn't feel like boiling anymore off. Usually I don'lt loose more than 1-2F with 5 gallons.

EDIT: I can't fvcking wait to brew tonight. Got a hefeweizen going and gonna by some commercial examples for inspiration

Oh I love to do that! Just did it yesterday with my simcoe ipa and my amber with stone levitation (great beer btw). And I couldn't find a commercial cream ale for the life of me. But I went to a local GoodWill store and found some long 5 and 6 strait wooden candle holders (yankee candle kind) and went to the next isle to grab a bunch of small glasses and had a little tasting with a friend. Good fun.

And the dead guy that I did to first try this method is almost ready. Got me some dead guys in the fridge!

 

[DeathBrewer]

And I have some dead hookers in my chest freezer. Ahh, life is good :cross:

 

[jimba009]

rocking this method today for a RWS. I forgot how much fun the stove top is, that and my house smells of delicious wort!!

 

[agenthucky]

that and my house smells of delicious wort!!

Hmm, a contender for the joy of putting your nose right on your airlock during fermentation....I love brewing...

 

[Stuntman]

Hmm, a contender for the joy of putting your nose right on your airlock during fermentation....I love brewing...

Dang, I thought that I was the only one! SWMBO asked through the door of my manroom, "Are you on the floor looking at your beer, again?" She knows me so well, I like to see approximately how many bubbles a minute I am at, so I can plan the next step.

Is this too much? I always toast the fermenter as soon as the yeast gets pitched.

 

[agenthucky]

Dang, I thought that I was the only one! SWMBO asked through the door of my manroom, "Are you on the floor looking at your beer, again?" She knows me so well, I like to see approximately how many bubbles a minute I am at, so I can plan the next step.

Is this too much? I always toast the fermenter as soon as the yeast gets pitched.

Indeed, it quickly becomes an obsession! I do love it.

and I just tested my first batch of beer using this method, a dead guy clone....mmmmmmmm.

 

[DeathBrewer]

Dang, I thought that I was the only one! SWMBO asked through the door of my manroom, "Are you on the floor looking at your beer, again?" She knows me so well, I like to see approximately how many bubbles a minute I am at, so I can plan the next step.

Is this too much? I always toast the fermenter as soon as the yeast gets pitched.

"toast"? Not quite sure what you mean there. However, I wouldn't rely on your bubbles to determine when your beer is finished or as any type of indicator.

I recommend swirling the carboy for the first few days of fermentation, waiting the time necessary for fermentation and conditioning to complete, and taking readings to ensure it is finished.

 

[binaryc0de]

yeah I know the ritual well... It's not so much that looking at the airlock is to determine the timing (I use those tasty hydrometer readings for that ) as it is to smell the output and look at the carboy and try to imagine what it will taste like when it is done. Then the next thought is what I'm I going to brew next and then after that and then...

 

[DeathBrewer]

Ahh...gotcha. I didn't realize until last night how long it's been since I made a stout! The aroma was fantastic Can't wait to taste it...I think I made it a little too bitter for a true-to-style Oatmeal Stout (those mash hops really came through), but it will be a great beer, I'm sure.

 

[damdaman]

Planning on using this method to do my first AG batch (Yooper's Dead Guy clone recipe).

However, I bought a second 7.5gal kettle and plan to use a propane burner. I'm hoping the larger kettle and propane burner (allowing for more water to be used) should get me better efficiency. Also going to make an insulated jacket for the mash kettle to help keep temp steady.

I'm excited, hoping this works!

 

[DeathBrewer]

Should work great! If you have a colander, you can further improve efficiency by holding the grain in a colander, and pouring a small amount of the sparge water through them before you dunk them in the sparge water.

 

[damdaman]

Should work great! If you have a colander, you can further improve efficiency by holding the grain in a colander, and pouring a small amount of the sparge water through them before you dunk them in the sparge water.

Great, thanks, I'll give that a try.

 

[gak27]

DB,

Just wanted to thank you (and the others) who provided writeups for stove top AG brewing. For the most part I followed your procedure (only minor modifications) to make a 3 gallon batch of a Bell's Best Brown Ale clone:

- my mash temp was within a degree of my target
- I used my oven to maintain temp and stirred the mash every 20 minutes
- the calculations I found through you and others for water holdup, boiloff, etc. were right on; I wound up putting almost exactly 3 gallons into the fermenter
- using BrewTarget and my measured OG, I had an efficiency of 72%
- and most importantly, it was fun (as if I didn't think it would be)!

Thanks again and happy krausening!

 

[gak27]

Should work great! If you have a colander, you can further improve efficiency by holding the grain in a colander, and pouring a small amount of the sparge water through them before you dunk them in the sparge water.

I found an expandable colander at Bed, Bath and Beyond that fits across the top of my fermenter (should fit over brew kettles too); holds quite a bit of grain quite nicely for this process.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=11951678

 

[DeathBrewer]

Excellent idea! Just don't try one of those cheap plastic colanders with binder clips to hold it on to the pot. They like to collapse under the weight of grain and splash hot wort everywhere.

 

[431brew]

I found an expandable colander at Bed, Bath and Beyond that fits across the top of my fermenter (should fit over brew kettles too); holds quite a bit of grain quite nicely for this process.
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I hate shopping, but when my wife wants to go to a BB&B, I go with her. There must be some subliminal marketing going on there to get us guys to visit.... Colanders, thermometers, pots, and I bought Mr Beer refills there when I first started brewing.

Okay..back to OT. Seems like some people are lacking capacity with their pots, but can get the temps they need from their stove. I have just the opposite. I have two 7-8 gal pots, but cannot boil over two gallons of water on my ceramic countertop stove. It just won't get that hot, even straddling two eyes. But, I only have one gas burner for my fish/turkey cooker.

So which is the biggest PITA.....cooking from the stove in 2 gallon increments and then trying to cool and transfer multiple pots of liquids, or cooking in the garage with the gas cooker with the ability to heat only one pot at the time? I can boil 5 gals of wort on my gas cooker quicker than I can boil 2 to 2.5 gals on the stove. So, I am thinking the overall brewing process will be a little faster for me using the gas. I can be heating the sparge/boil water while mashing, and use the stove to heat a smaller amount in case I blow a reading and adjustments are needed. Sound like a plan?

 

[DeathBrewer]

I would use your burner. I do this method all the time with one burner. You should never heat the pot when there are grains in it, anyway.

1. Heat mash water...mash in. Set mash pot aside and cover with blankets to keep warm. Do not set on concrete...it'll suck the heat right out of it.
2. Heat sparge water while you are mashing.
3. Sparge.
4. Mix pots together.
5. Heat and boil.

As for corrections...if you use the proper calculations, you shouldn't need any corrections. Use the green bay rackers site for good calculators.

 

[damdaman]

Just an FYI my Dead Guy clone first AG attempt using this method on a propane burner with two 7.5gal pots worked fairly well. I made a bigger mess than normal, but hit 62% efficiency when all was said and done, and the beer is bubbling away nicely for the 3rd straight day.

Planning on doing a MO/Amarillo SMaSH this weekend, hoping to fine tune the process and spill less wort this time!

 

[lady_brewer]

I am curious how long you are waiting to see if your water will boil?

I did 4 gallons of water on my stove the other day just as an experiment... at half an hour the pot was still cool to the touch. At 50 mins it had reached strike water temps, at 1hour it was boiling. It wasn't super fast, but it did get there.

Granted your stove may not do it... but mine is old and cheap, so I would be surprised if it is better than average.

 

[peachwein]

Thanks for the thread.. I'd love to try this

 

[431brew]

I am curious how long you are waiting to see if your water will boil?

I did 4 gallons of water on my stove the other day just as an experiment... at half an hour the pot was still cool to the touch. At 50 mins it had reached strike water temps, at 1hour it was boiling. It wasn't super fast, but it did get there.

Granted your stove may not do it... but mine is old and cheap, so I would be surprised if it is better than average.

The last time, I spent about an hour on about two gallons. It boiled, but it was a PITA, and have been using my little cooker since. I think I was doing an extract, and I think I boiled the water pre-syrup and then post-syrup for actual brewing, and I just didn't have the patience for it anymore. I even tried putting the pot on two eyes, but I do not get good contact with one of them because of the shape of the bottom of my pot.

You get lulled to sleep with it taking forever, step away for a second, and then have a boilover.

My older stove was much faster than the newer one I have now. I think the new one must have a timer or something on the thermostat...not fun.

 

[431brew]

I would use your burner. I do this method all the time with one burner. You should never heat the pot when there are grains in it, anyway.

1. Heat mash water...mash in. Set mash pot aside and cover with blankets to keep warm. Do not set on concrete...it'll suck the heat right out of it.
2. Heat sparge water while you are mashing.
3. Sparge.
4. Mix pots together.
5. Heat and boil.

As for corrections...if you use the proper calculations, you shouldn't need any corrections. Use the green bay rackers site for good calculators.

10-4, DeathBrewer....that is what I had in mind and glad to see I am on the same page as you.

I have this brew session all out of order. I posted a week or two ago that I saw an AG recipe I liked, so ordered the ingredients. Then, realized that although I had PM'd before, I had never AG'd and may not have the equipment. I started looking for help. Found your thread, lost your thread, then found it again and have been reading it over and over. I was feeling pretty good about my equipment....my two "large" pots, my monster sized grain bag that reminds me of what I used to put my football gear in, and my gas burner.

That is when I realized that I sold my IC on ebay. I built it for the experience of building it, never used it because I was only brewing 2 gals at the time, so thought I would try to sell it. The guy who bought it loves it and sends me an email from time to time. Now I need it back since I'm going to 5.5 gal volume. So just bought more copper! (I know I can put it in an ice bath, but I wanted to give it a 110% on this first attempt.)

Is that not backwards or what?! I was a little impulsive on this move to AG. It took me about 45 seconds to decide I was going to be an AGer. And I only have this weekend to get it brewed or I am going to have to wait a few more weeks.

 

[DeathBrewer]

Splitting the wort can help.

 

[petergriffen]

Can I make this work with a 4 and 5 gallon pot?

 

[DeathBrewer]

Absolutely. You'll probably maintain heat better.

Just check the "can i mash it calculator" here: http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml and ensure you have at least 3/4 gallon headspace to work with (stirring and bag)

Split between the two pots for your boil and it should work fine.

You will not get great efficiency, however, and your grain is limited, so extract may be required if you're doing anything other than a very light beer.

 

[petergriffen]

By saying grain is limited do you mean in weight? I'll max out of room?

 

[DeathBrewer]

Yeah, you can't use enough water with a large amount of grain to get great efficiency. So you will either get low efficiency or not use enough grain to get you to a high gravity.

You need X amount of grain to get to a high gravity and you need Y amount of room to use X amount of grain. If either X or Y is limited, you're going to suffer efficiency.

Remember when sparging that the grain absorbs a lot of the liquid from the mash, so your sparge cannot be too full either.

 

[wcarter1227]

Brewed up Biermunchers cream of 3 crops cream ale recipe the other day. Panicked a bit when i was too hot for my mash temp, added some cool water and got it down and managed to hold temp for a 90 min mash only loosing 3 degrees. I used the green bay rackers calculator for my water volumes and hit pre boil and post boil volume. And for my first AG attempt got 82% efficiency! Cooled to 60 degrees and pitched notty and was showing airlock activity in 3 hours!!!

Best part was that it really wasnt much more work than an extract batch, plus no boilover since I didnt have to add dme or lme.

Cant wait to brew again

 

[StarCityBrewMaster]

I'm brand new to homebrew but would like to try this all grain approach. This may have been asked somewhere throughout this long thread but I'm going to ask. If I have a 7.5 gallon pot, can I just use this for everything (strike water, steep