Is it possible to split batch for hoppy and not?

[brewzombie]

I'll soon be scaling up to a 10 gal system and plan on doing some split batches. I'm a hops-forward kinda guy and my wife is more of a belgian blonde or wit kinda gal. I've tried to develop her hop-taste and she's coming along somewhat, and I certainly love my blondes/wits, but I wonder if it would be possible to split one batch and have two drastically different flavors so we could brew together and taste each others beer (cue: "awwwwww"). I know it's relatively straightforward to make IPA/BIPA from the same wort etc., but I wonder to what degree I could make a hoppy (flavour more than bitter) beer AND a belgian blonde from the same wort.

Obviously I can change up the yeast (e.g. american vs belgian) and dry hop in one (for hop aroma), but how would I get the hop flavor and IBUs in the hoppy beer? Hop rocket-type device for flavor? Maybe a hop tea for IBUs?

I'll be working with a 50L braumeister.

Ideas? Anyone attempted this? Would one of the beers just be too mediocre as a result of having to compromise?

 

[Jayhem]

As long as you will be boiling each wort separately and hopping them separately you can absolutely do this! Just make a wort up to suit the lighter style and then design half of the volume as an IPA and do 2 separate boils and you are good to go. This would save you a lot of time having to mash and sparge twice. If you just split the wort in half the gravity will obviously be identical. If you want your beer a bit stronger just use more of the first runnings in yours and then split the second runnings to even up the volumes. Could have all sorts of fun with this!


EDIT: If you are planning to hop these together and boil as one batch then you will have to at least separate the wort after the boil to do a whirlpool hop steep in the hobby beer to impart more IBU's which means a second pot so you may as well boil in 2 pots from the start.

 

[brewzombie]

As long as you will be boiling each wort separately and hopping them separately you can absolutely do this! Just make a wort up to suit the lighter style and then design half of the volume as an IPA and do 2 separate boils and you are good to go. This would save you a lot of time having to mash and sparge twice. If you just split the wort in half the gravity will obviously be identical. If you want your beer a bit stronger just use more of the first runnings in yours and then split the second runnings to even up the volumes. Could have all sorts of fun with this!


EDIT: If you are planning to hop these together and boil as one batch then you will have to at least separate the wort after the boil to do a whirlpool hop steep in the hobby beer to impart more IBU's which means a second pot so you may as well boil in 2 pots from the start.

Thanks. I was trying to avoid 2 boils because I'm working with a braumeister and only have capacity for one large volume boil..., but maybe I can remove 10-15L or so in the last 20 minutes and continue its boil on the stove-top to hop it. I'd have to chill it separately though (ice bath or something) before mixing it with the rest of the hoppy wort after removing the chilled blonde-destined wort (chilled with an immersion chiller).

 

[kingwood-kid]

Just pull your wife's portion off the boil after 45 minutes. The hop utilization after 45 minutes is almost identical to 60, and the beer will turn out fine. Add hops to the remaining half and boil another 15 to get a few IBUs and some flavor.

 

[brewzombie]

Just pull your wife's portion off the boil after 45 minutes. The hop utilization after 45 minutes is almost identical to 60, and the beer will turn out fine. Add hops to the remaining half and boil another 15 to get a few IBUs and some flavor.

Maybe that would make more sense. I mean, I could boil a full hour, tap her 5 gal and then boil another 15 min with hops. My portion will just end up a little higher in gravity. Any issue with transferring hot (boiling) wort into a separate vessel to immersion chill?

 

[FarmerTed]

You don't necessarily have to boil longer. You could knock out 5 gallons, then add hops and whirlpool for 20-30 minutes.

 

[Jayhem]

Any issue with transferring hot (boiling) wort into a separate vessel to immersion chill?

No issue. Just use a sanitized sauce pan as a ladle and transfer as much of the hot wort into the separate, sanitized vessel to chill. Make sure you heat sanitize your immersion chiller first. I like to stick it in to the boil in the last 5 minutes.

 

[kingwood-kid]

I make 5 gallons, but I have an extra 3 gallon pot I use for mash water that I use if I need to split batches. I just pour from the big pot into the small. As Ted alluded to, a near boiling hop stand will add mostly flavor, but also some IBUs, although I've no idea how many. The only issue with transferring is the vessel; metal is better than plastic, which is better than non-preheated glass.

 

[bbrim]

I definitely think removing half and then doing a whirlpool is the ticket.

 

[dyqik]

Another option to add flexibility is to add isomerized hop extract (pretty much pure bittering addition e.g. from Hoptech - this is not a hop shot though) or hop tea after the boil as well as whirlpooling. The hop extract would give extra bittering in a clean way, plus what ever aroma and flavour you add from whirlpooling.