Going all grain

[chask31]

I am thinking of going all grain soon since it seems easy and cheap to build an MLT. I have two simple questions.

1 - I plan to do full boils but in two pots. Currently I chill my wort in the fridge with ice and then add cold water. What is the best way to chill quickly now that I will have two pots?

2 - I wash yeast. Do all grainers (I made that name up) use dme to make their starters or do you make starters with grain? I think that once I go all grain I wouldnt really want dme around because it makes everything sticky!

 

[shroomzofdoom]

I also do a two pot, all grain boil. I use an immersion chiller to quickly cool the wort.

When the boil is over I turn off both flames and begin chilling Pot #1 while leaving Pot#2 covered with a lid. Chill pot #1 to 70 degrees, then chill Pot#2. Put in your fermenter and aerate (I use the ultra high tech egg beater method)

I suppose some purists make mini worts for their starters, but I just use DME..it's instant wort! Just add water!

 

[Marsdude]

I am also getting ready to do my first all-grain brew. Good luck with yours.

You could still use the fridge for the one pot and put the other pot in your sink that is filled with cold water and ice. That is the way I first cooled my wort.

 

[Hammy71]

I make my starters with dme. If you buy 5 pounds and keep it in the fridge (in a Ziploc bag)......it'll keep for a long time. One big pot will serve you better in the long run, especially with the cooling. Do a search on chillers. If you decide on a counter flow chiller, I guess you could run one pot through it at a time.

 

[chask31]

I plan to eventually brew in one large pot but for now I need to brew inside and I already have the two pots I will be using. Right now I live in an apt, so I think outside brewing would be frowned upon.

If I pick up an immersion chiller for the pots I have now, will I need a taller one when I get a larger pot?

 

[chs9]

You can just get a tall one, it doesn't matter much if only half of it is in the pot for the time being. I built mine, just get some copper tube coil and form it to your needs. It stays pretty malleable so when you upgrade, just reform your chiller a little bit to fit your new pot.

Regarding inside brewing, I have an electric stove and it's impossible to get enough heat for 5 gal out of one coil. If you're in a similar situation, when you finally buy your brew pot consider getting one with a wide base so you can put it on 2 (3? 4?!?!) burners.

 

[spareparts]

Do all grainers (I made that name up) use dme to make their starters or do you make starters with grain?

I either freeze or pressure can starter wort. When I'm getting to the point of needing starter wort I just scale up a high gravity beer slightly so that I'll have about two extra quarts of wort left over after I boil. Water down those two quarts to about 1.030 and end up with anywhere from a gallon to a gallon and a half of starter wort (depends on the OG of the original two quarts). I haven't bought DME in 5+ years.

 

[chask31]

Spareparts, that is a great idea. Thanks!