Mashing R Us

[El Pistolero]

What method of sparging did you use El. P? Have you got a wirley gig sparger?

I did a fly sparge, but without the whirley gig...I just used a qt pitcher to pour water in the top, with a plastic lid floating on the top of the water to keep from disturbing the grain bed. I'm not sure why I did a fly sparge...I'd been planning on doing a batch sparge all along, but changed my mind at the last minute.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

Felicidades, Señor Pistolero. AG does take longer, there's no way around that, but there are ways to streamline the process. I use the mash time to get my ducks in a row for boiling and fermenting, but that could be done in advance which would leave some downtime during the mash (at least for a single infusion). Batch sparging cuts down on the time a bit.

For a single infusion I can get through the process in 4 hours now, which includes cleanup. So basically, if I wake up at 8 on Saturday I can be done by 12 when SWMBO wakes up and wants attention

 

[Walker]

For a single infusion I can get through the process in 4 hours now, which includes cleanup.

Really? Hmmmm.... that's not much longer than my extract batches take. I start at 9pm and usually finish cleaning up at 12:30am or so. I'm sure I could speed up the process with a propane burner (my electric stove sucks), but since I'm already comfortable with going to bed between 1am and 2am, maybe I COULD give this a shot.....

damnit....

I think I'll wait until this fall and give it a go. I want to get settled into my new house and get the brew station all set up in the garage.

-walker

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

Just get in your house, and I'll come over with my stuff and we'll run through it. That way you won't be away from the walkerlets too long. Maybe we can convince the other GRABASSes to do a group brew.

Turkey fryer is key...I'm boiling <15 minutes after runoff. As you can imagine, I can get my mash and sparge water up to temp fairly rapidly, as well.

 

[Walker]

Just get in your house, and I'll come over with my stuff and we'll run through it. That way you won't be away from the walkerlets too long. Maybe we can convince the other GRABASSes to do a group brew.

Sounds great! But I think the proper term is GRABASSholes.

Turkey fryer is key...I'm boiling <15 minutes after runoff. As you can imagine, I can get my mash and sparge water up to temp fairly rapidly, as well.

Maybe I should start a thread about whether the aluminum pot that comes with the fryer is suitable for boiling my wort in?...

Seriously, I would probably use the pot that comes with it. I don't want to shell out the $ for a big ass SS pot.

-walker

 

[uglygoat]

good deal on the ag el pistol. it's very satisfying to piddle around with grains and make beer.

i always have an extra gallon or two of sparge water ready on the stove in the kitchen whilst mashing/sparging/boiling out in the garage or driveway. it's nice that the garage walks right into the kitchen.

once i get about half a gallon of wort into the kettle i start boiling it as i'm still sparging... i'm usually removing hot break before the kettle is half full. and it's at a rolling boil when i'm done sparging. i don't care much about og and sg... i take a reading after the boil and that's about it, if i remember.

 

[Dude]

Seriously, I would probably use the pot that comes with it. I don't want to shell out the $ for a big ass SS pot.

-walker

You have to do a full boil with AG though, so your pot has to be at least 8 gallons, better yet even more to prevent boil overs.

 

[Walker]

You have to do a full boil with AG though, so your pot has to be at least 8 gallons, better yet even more to prevent boil overs.

yeah, I know. I've been talking to the Baron in the side about this. I need to track down a keggle someplace....

-walker

 

[BlightyBrewer]

Go for it Walker! It's great fun...honest.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

You can do it with a 7.5g pot, but it's a pain. I've been doing it that way for over a year, but recently jumped on a keggle somebody on the greenboard was selling. Just need fittings. You should have seen my general demeanor last weekend while trying to boil 7.25g in a 7.5g pot while looking at a keggle with no tap.

 

[El Pistolero]

I was just playing around with Beer Recipator to see if I could figure out what my efficiency was. Using the grain bill and the actual measured hydrometer values (sorry Janx...couldn't help myself) Recipator tell me my efficiency was 85%! Talk about beginner's luck.

Actually I'm assuming the good efficiency is mainly cuz I'm slow. Palmer says to sparge at 1 qt per minute, but looking back it look like I was going more like 1 qt every 2.5 minutes.

 

[BlightyBrewer]

Smart ass lucky git! I hate you El. P!

What really hurts is you did all this and went to softball in the middle of your first AG too!

I gave it my full attention and cocked it up!

 

[bikebryan]

You have to do a full boil with AG though, so your pot has to be at least 8 gallons, better yet even more to prevent boil overs.

I got hold of a 10 gallon stock pot. When boiling 7 or 8 gallons, I still have to be alert for boilovers. A squirt bottle of water works fine to stop them, but without it I'd have lots of clean up to do.

 

[justbrewit]

if i'm reading all of this right, this 14 gallon italian stock pot i'm gonna get from northern brewer should be big enough for AG then right??

 

[Dude]

if i'm reading all of this right, this 14 gallon italian stock pot i'm gonna get from northern brewer should be big enough for AG then right??

yeah it'll be big enough, BUT good GAWD, F that!

Yeah it will be big enough, but you can buy a sabco for less. For almost the same price you can get a sabco keggle and a thermometer for it fo rthe same price. The go to ihomebrewsolutions for a cheap sightglass kit. You'll get all those extras for essentially the same price!!!!

SABCO

 

[El Pistolero]

I've got to second the Dude on this...that fine italian kettle sure is sweet, but I think you get a lot more with a keggle for the same price.

 

[justbrewit]

its not that bad for brand new(i gotta thing for shiny new), yeah the sabco keg is a bit cheaper, but its reconditioned and it doesn't have the tap already on it, sure it has a hole for it, but its not on there, i'm not to worried about the price though, i get to spend $2000 on brewing gear and suopplies once i move back to cali. i'm figuring about 11 pounds of hops, 55lb bag of DME, 50lb bag of rahr 2 row, like 15 lbs of specialty grains, about 15 types of yeast, 10 kegs, 6 carboys, 3 more plastic fermenters, the cheap AG kit from NB and a few more toys and i'll be all set. not to mention my chest freezer that will hold about 10 to 14 beers on tap at once!!:rockin:

 

[Sir Sudster]

EL P. , you once asked the question "why do you guys call it the Dark Side" .
Any more questions? I have one..What time did you finish?

 

[subwyking]

yeah, I know. I've been talking to the Baron in the side about this. I need to track down a keggle someplace....

-walker

i bought my keg for 15 bones and all the fittings for a spigot for about 10. you throw in the cost of a good cutting wheel for a side grinder, it cost me about 30 bucks. much cheaper than sabaco, and WAY cheaper than an italian (scuse the italics) stock pot.

 

[weberju]

if i'm reading all of this right, this 14 gallon italian stock pot i'm gonna get from northern brewer should be big enough for AG then right??

I have that same kettle, and I love it.