So I batch sparge and usually use a 8 gallon pot for heating strike water and boil my wort in a keggle. I am creating a recipe in beersmith that is high gravity. The amount beersmith says to heat for strike water is about 11 gallons which is too much for my 8 gallon pot. Is it possible to move some of that water to the sparge step so I can use the 8 gallon pot or will that mess with my conversion?
Pot used for strike water not big enough for recipe
- Thread starter Threetall
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What is the size of your boil kettle? I would just heat some of the strike water in that.
how many total pounds of grain is this? I always do 1.25 qt/lb of grain on my big beers so 8 gallons of water could easily strike 25-26 lbs of grain.
how many total pounds of grain is this? I always do 1.25 qt/lb of grain on my big beers so 8 gallons of water could easily strike 25-26 lbs of grain.
Threetall
Well-Known Member
Looking at about 35 pounds of grain for this recipe. My boil kettle is 15 gallons so I could use that, but I prefer to not mess up my work flow. Just seeing if it's possible.
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broadbill
Well-Known Member
at 1.25 qt/lb, that is 35 lbs of grain. That is alot of grain....is that a 10 gallon batch? The simple answer is you are outside your capacity, scale down the recipe to your limiting vessel...in this case your HLT/strike water pot.
You could overheat your smaller quantity of strike water to boiling, then blend with tap water to reduce temp. and increase volume.
You could also reduce the strike volume to 8 gallons, but with 35 lbs of grain, and only 32 qts strike water you are at .9 qt. / lb, a very stiff mash, perhaps too stiff.
You could also reduce the strike volume to 8 gallons, but with 35 lbs of grain, and only 32 qts strike water you are at .9 qt. / lb, a very stiff mash, perhaps too stiff.
I would absolutely use my boil kettle if I had to. I too realize it messes with your workflow, but you can probably get away with it. The only issue I question, because I truly have the same question, is when I sparge, wouldn't you need more than 8 gallons to sparge or is that absurd to think? In that case, even if you batch sparge, you're slightly screwed, no?
I have a 15 gallon kettle and a 5 gallon pot that is my HLT. I've been considering what I need to do a 10 gallon batch because I don't think the 5 gallon pot is going to cut it. So I get your concern.
I have a 15 gallon kettle and a 5 gallon pot that is my HLT. I've been considering what I need to do a 10 gallon batch because I don't think the 5 gallon pot is going to cut it. So I get your concern.
With a grain bill this huge you would not be able to sparge or sparge very little otherwise you are going to have to boil for 2-3 hours to get down to target volume and gravity.
With a beer this big you should really be planning to make a 5% abv beer with the second runnings!!!
kombat
Well-Known Member
Just use your boil kettle to heat your strike water. It won't mess up your workflow at all. You heat up 11 gallons of water in your boil kettle, then transfer it to your mash tun and dough-in. 35 lbs of grain will absorb 3.5 gallons of water, meaning your first runnings will be 7.5 gallons, minus whatever dead space is in your mash tun. It looks like you won't need to sparge at all - your first runnings should already give you all the wort you need, unless this is planned to be something like a 3 hour boil.
cluckk
Well-Known Member
I use a 10 gallon cooler for a mash tun and with some really big beers there is just not enough room for a ration of 1.25 qt/pound. Those I adjust down to 1:1. It makes stirring harder though, but I have had it filled within a half inch of the top.
kombat
Well-Known Member
I broke down and bought a second cooler and converted it to another mash tun. I now have a 48-quart (12 gallon) that I use for low-to-medium gravity 5 gallon batches, and a 70-quart (17.5 gallon) that I use for high-gravity 5 gallon batches, and 10 gallon batches. Now I don't have to comprimise my water/grist ratio.
You could sparge with cold water if that helps your workflow. It takes longer to reach a boil, but as long as you stir thoroughly, you won't take an efficiency hit.
You could also replace some of your base malt with cane sugar to reduce the size of the grain bill. I've done that with barleywines and IIPAs with good results.
Oh, and you should definitely make a second beer with the grain before throwing it away. At the very least sparge it into a container and freeze it for making starters in the future.
You could also replace some of your base malt with cane sugar to reduce the size of the grain bill. I've done that with barleywines and IIPAs with good results.
Oh, and you should definitely make a second beer with the grain before throwing it away. At the very least sparge it into a container and freeze it for making starters in the future.
bajaedition
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Threetall
have you ever read the book Scotch Ale?
there is a very interesting process put forth
it is about the double mash, but best of all it creates 2 brews
what happens is you split the grain bill, and mash the first 1/2
then you sparge, actually you sparge twice
first run is for your high gravity beer, you collect half of the amount of your boil amt for the high grav, then collect 1/2 the amt for the little beer
then you take the rest of the grain and mash
the sparge again, fist runnings finish up the high grav beer, and the second finish up the other beer
then you have 2 beers for the same grain bill as the high grav.
get the book, it has a lot of points to consider about high beers such as fermentation temps and all
anyway, good luck
have you ever read the book Scotch Ale?
there is a very interesting process put forth
it is about the double mash, but best of all it creates 2 brews
what happens is you split the grain bill, and mash the first 1/2
then you sparge, actually you sparge twice
first run is for your high gravity beer, you collect half of the amount of your boil amt for the high grav, then collect 1/2 the amt for the little beer
then you take the rest of the grain and mash
the sparge again, fist runnings finish up the high grav beer, and the second finish up the other beer
then you have 2 beers for the same grain bill as the high grav.
get the book, it has a lot of points to consider about high beers such as fermentation temps and all
anyway, good luck
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