Freezing Wort???

[DeepWoodBrew]

This is my question?? After I mash out...and collect enough wort for my orginal recipe..I would like to mash again..collect my second runnings..and freeze the collected wort for another day...Has anyone done this...

 

[duboman]

Not sure I totally understand but once you do your first mash and collect your first boil volume there would no longer be enough sugars in the grain to even be able to collect a usable second mash

Unless I misunderstand and you plan on mashing a second batch of grain??

 

[DeepWoodBrew]

I was thinking...of making a big beer first..then mashing out a second time for a smaller..lighter beer...

 

[JimTheHick]

I don't see why it wouldn't work, but it sounds like a PITA from freezing/thawing 5 gallons for a cheapo beer

 

[duboman]

I don't see why it wouldn't work, but it sounds like a PITA from freezing/thawing 5 gallons for a cheapo beer

+1
Still not sure how you can accurately calculate the OG of the second beer unless you don't care what it is.

Why do you have to freeze the first batch, just do a double session brew day and pitch both with yeast and be done, it would take awhile for 5 gallons to freeze and I'd imagine even longer to defrost

 

[oakbarn]

I have thought about doing this. You are obviously been reading about "English Sparging". THe first runnings will be heavy and the second very light. You can measure the OG of either without a problem. Since Extract is nothing but boiled down Wort that you rehydrate, freezing should work as well. there are no cells to break down, only sugar water. We have done a double brew day and it was a little long

 

[DeepWoodBrew]

Yea...I only have time for a single brew...but I hate wasting all that grain if I can obtain a lighter beer (but yet good quality) at a later date...

 

[DannyD]

Will freeze great, with now ill effect

 

[DeepWoodBrew]

Excellent....sounds like you have done this before...

Thanks, at first I thought ...this idea was a bit crazy...

 

[DannyD]

I have doen it, to do a "speis gabe" basically to prime/bottle condition with wort. Just boil it and do as you would normaly do

sorry "Spiesgabe"

 

[gr8shandini]

+1
Still not sure how you can accurately calculate the OG of the second beer unless you don't care what it is.

Why do you have to freeze the first batch, just do a double session brew day and pitch both with yeast and be done, it would take awhile for 5 gallons to freeze and I'd imagine even longer to defrost

If you search for "parti-gyle" you can find a bunch of calculators that will tell you what to expect from your first and second runnings. As long as you're in the ballpark, you can adjust your boil-off to get the exact OG (if you care).

I do agree, however, that if you already have a container big enough, freezing and thawing the wort sounds like more of a pain than just pitching the yeast and letting it ferment.

 

[BradleyBrew]

Brewers do this after making a big beer.. they are called "small beers." I know anchor steam does this and its a pretty good beer. The 2nd running should contain some sugar enough to make some type of beer...not sure if it would be enough to brew a 5 gallon batch because of the scale we brew on being homebrewers. You could always shot for 5 gallon and take a hydrometer reading. If the OG is to low just boil the wort down.

 

[BradleyBrew]

you could always add a couple lbs. of base grain to the mash after your first running if your temperatures are in range still???

Also, I dont see a problem freezing the wort. Some people mash a few lbs. of grain and make starters and freeze them. It would suck to save 5 gallon worth. Boil it down like a condensed wort then freeze...

 

[CidCitrus]

I ran a small beer off of my 90 minute ipa. After I collected for the 90 minute I sparged with another 4 gallons and added 3 pounds of DME to bring the OG to 1.055. I used different hops and did a separate boil on my stove while i did the 90 min in my garage. It only took maybe an extra hour to do both in the same day. Still waiting to see how it tastes though.

 

[RUNningonbrew]

I think it is possible to do, but you're going have more off flavors from tannins, ive talked to the LHBS about this and they said its not worth wasting hops and yeast, you can however collect some wort and use it to make starters

 

[Yooper]

I think it is possible to do, but you're going have more off flavors from tannins, ive talked to the LHBS about this and they said its not worth wasting hops and yeast, you can however collect some wort and use it to make starters

You won't have more off flavors from tannins- unless you oversparge which you wouldn't. Partigyle brewing is NOT a new concept, and it works really well if you want to make a big beer with the first runnings, and a small beer with the second runnings. It's not uncommon to do this.

Your LHBS is wrong about "wasting hops and yeast" to do a partigyle.

 

[RUNningonbrew]

Good info, will keep in mind next time I make an imperial IPA

 

[helibrewer]

I don't think you need to freeze your second runnings, just store it below 40F, you're going to be boiling it to make your second batch so all you really want to do is prevent a wild fermentation.....get it cold and put an airlock on it....that should work fine for a couple weeks.

 

[JimTheHick]

I only did partigyle once so far and it made an awesome beer. Plus you can name the beer sparge water ale. Enticing.