Thickest mash you can get away with with decent efficiency?

[kharper6]

I'm having to split my mash into two mashes due to my grain bill. 14lbs for a 4 gallon batch (Double jack type beer).

So I was going to split it so it would fit in my mashtun (5 gal cooler), 7lbs for a 2 gallon batch x 2.

To do this at 1.25qt/lb I would be at 2.25 gallons, which leaves me no extra to sparge with, this will take a big dump on my efficiency I'm sure.

Any ideas? Could I mash lower or would it just be too thick?

Another option would be to go BIAB (I have two 5 gallon BIAB bags). I could fill my pot up with about 4 gallons, mash 7lbs of it for an hour, do my temp raise mash out, stir, drop the temp back down to 151~, then repeat the process with another 7lbs in a new bag, use the remaining two gallons I'd need to sparge out the bags afterwards then add it to the wort?


Another option is to just max out my 5 gallon mash tun with about 9-10lbs of grain, go as normal with a 4 gallon batch, get my pre boil volume, then do a second mash with BIAB in the entire volume at about 151 degrees for another hour and just stir, stir, stir. Check at 60 minutes and make sure my gravity is where it needs to be, then continue as normal?

 

[shelly_belly]

I did 13.75 pounds in my 5 gal cooler @ .98 quarts/pound and got 70% efficiency. I usually get around 79% with 10 pound grain bills and 1.25-1.5 quarts/pound.

 

[kharper6]

I did 13.75 pounds in my 5 gal cooler @ .98 quarts/pound and got 70% efficiency. I usually get around 79% with 10 pound grain bills and 1.25-1.5 quarts/pound.

This seems promising.

I may do this and just double sparge...

Get a bit more wort than I need and just do a 120 minute boil instead of 90. :rockin: