Mash Plan for BCBS Kit (5 G, 25 lbs of grain)

[Hwk-I-St8]

I'm going to brew this big kit that I got on sale and I'm working up the mashing/sparging plan. I know efficiency will drop, but I'd like to mitigate that as much as possible. I usually hit about 70% brewhouse with 14 lbs of grain as an example.

I plan to work with more water than usual and do a 120 minute boil. With my equipment profile (Cooler MIAB), I'll use almost 11 gallons of water for a 5.5G batch. I've been going back and forth on the best approach. I usually target even first and second runnings volumes, but I'm thinking of mashing pretty thick with this to leave more water for the sparge, which I'll do in 2 batches. Using Brew265, the numbers look like this:

1 qt/lb mash thickness, 6.31G for the mash. Mash for 90 minutes
That leaves 4.6G of sparge water, which I'll do in two 2.3G batches.


Is this a good approach to maximize efficiency, or should I just go with my usual equal runnings approach?

 

[wilserbrewer]

That looks like a reasonable approach, also known as a double batch sparge.

Looks like all three runnings are close in volume?

Which would be ideal for a double batch sparge, which has three separate runnings.

Might actually be enough left in the grain for a fourth runnings to make 2-3 gallons of low abv session ale...if your up for the experiment.

 

[GeoHawk]

Go Hawk I Brewing!

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

@wilserbrewer Thanks for the feedback. I'm going to go with this and see what happens.

@GeoHawk - what part of the state are you in?

 

[bigdawg86]

So what have you decided? I have the same kit and will MIAB using a 60qt retangular cooler that I converted.(https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/attachments/20180113_161415-jpg.553575/)

I will be using a RIMS tube for the first time which may be interesting...

I too am not afraid of a long boil but haven't decided if I want to batch sparge, fly sparge, or full volume recirculating like the Brutus 20.
Since I only have 2 vessels, I'll just have my runnings go into buckets until my BK is freed up from HLT duty.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I was going to do the double batch sparge, but half the sparge water looked too dry, so I added it all. I used extra water and did a 3 hour boil. I got 69% brewhouse efficiency. I mashed with 1 qt. per pound.

 

[bigdawg86]

I was going to do the double batch sparge, but half the sparge water looked too dry, so I added it all. I used extra water and did a 3 hour boil. I got 69% brewhouse efficiency. I mashed with 1 qt. per pound.

Cool... I will attempt the same. I did the extract version a few months ago and they have been in the bottle 34 days, lord hopes they bottle carb (I did repitch yeast for bottling)
This time I am splitting the batch between two carboys as I lost almost 3/4 gallons of beer due to blowoff. I will be using TYB Dry Belgian Ale this time as WLP007 pooped out at 1.042. We'll see what happens!

I think I am gonna split the brew day for time sake... mash one day, boil next morning.

 

[bigdawg86]

@Hwk-I-St8 I forgot to ask... what yeast did you use and what was your OG and FG?

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

@Hwk-I-St8 I forgot to ask... what yeast did you use and what was your OG and FG?

It wasn't the plan, but I had to compromise on yeast...1098. OG was 1.128. FG is TBD...just brewed Sunday. I'll take a sample tomorrow.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

@bigdawg86 , FG looks to be 1.036. Right at 12%.