Time to brew.

[Orfy]

I just read a thread from someone stating they were thinking of selling their brewing equipment because family commitments wouldn't allow them to spend one of their weekend days brewing. Others have stated that they can't get it down bellow 6 - 7 hours.
It obviously depends on the methods and techniques you use. A lot of the sophisticated brewing methods were designed when malts were not as highly modified as they are today. Some brewers have wonderful systems designed to adjust the wort profile exactly as they want. That's fine but those systems will probably take longer to use and the brewer has taken that choice to dedicate more time to brewing.

The good news is you can still adjust the profile of your wort using quicker easier methods. I ease of brewing and time is an issue the batch sparging will help on both counts.
Any way here's how I can brew in under 3.5 hours if required. No jiggery pokery, short cuts or loss of quality or quantity involved. I don't have a CF or Plate chiller or an high BTU burner, these can reduce the time by a few more minutes.

How to brew All Grain in under 3.5 hours. (Batch Sparging)​

Heat Mash Water 30 minutes.
In this time prep all ingredients, set up mash tun and kettle and rehydrate my yeast.

Total Time Brewing 30 min

Mash for 40 minutes, modern malt will convert in around 20 minutes I give it 40 because I don’t trust the 20 minutes.
In the mean time heat the mash water.

Total time 1h 10 min

Batching takes me up to 30 minutes (You can knock this down to 2 X5 if needed but why push it.
Batch Sparge for 10 minutes per batch x 2 (I have a small cooler)
I had the runnings to the Kettle and start to heat whilst still sparging

Total time 1h 40 min

Transfer to Kettle, FWH and Bring to boil 20 minutes after last wort added.

Total Time 2h

Boil for 60 minutes, add the wort chiller 10 minutes before flame out.
In the mean time clean and store all equipment used. Prep the fermenting equipment..
I actually do this while the wort is chilling so I can use the hot water but it’s tight time wise and take practice.

Total Time 3h
Chill wort for 20 minutes.
Use this time to put away any last items you’ve used. Store the spent chill water for cleaning the kettle.

Total time 3h 20m

Drain wort into Fermenter and Pitch yeast. Fit airlock.
I have an aeration device fitted on to my kettle drainer and use dry yeast so I don’t need to aerate further.

Job done.

Time Start to finish 3.5 hours​

I have brewed in under 3.5 hours but don’t push it and normally take around 4 to 4.5 due to answering phones, keeping the wife and dogs happy etc.​

 

[Hops-4-Life]

Mash Time 40 minutes - I followed the LHBS on the mash time of 60 minutes - I'm going to give 40 minutes a shot this coming weekend

Clean up during the rolling boil - Duh - I was staring at the wort the whole time with a grin on my face (newb!)

I won't take as many pictures next time either and I'm going to mash in at a higher qts / lbs ratio so I can do a single sparge. I'm going to try and do a under 4 hour brew next weekend.

Thanks orfy!

 

[turfguy1969]

I started this summer 06 brewing using kits and have gotten my routine down. After making over 60 different gallons last year, I am even walking away to read to my kids on Saturday (my wife says it's not babysitting when they are your own kids), while water is boiling, wort is chilling, etc. I stir a little, then listen for the timer. I wash/sanitize in the dishwasher and walk away. I believe with experience comes efficiency. It is WORTH the trouble to have the finest beers.

 

[Dude]

I could easily do an AG batch in 4 hours--it is just that I take my time during the day and I'm never in a hurry. When I decide to brew--I know I'm committed for the day.

You can shave lots of time off the day if you do certain things. The main thing is clean as you go. Saves me a ton of time after the beer is done.

 

[Lil' Sparky]

Good run-down orfy. I'm right there with you. Less than 4 hours is easy to do, and you don't even need to rush things. I see some guys mashing for 60-90 minutes, sparging for 60 minutes, boiling for 90 minutes, etc. And I agree, cleaning along the way is key. Plus, everything's easier to clean when the wort hasn't had time to harden onto everything.

 

[Bugeaterbrewing]

If I'm going to be short on time to brew, I generally don't brew. If I brew anyway, I will set up my HLT the night before as well as weigh and mill my grains. I use an electric heatstick plugged into an appliance timer so I can have the water for the mash ready when I get up in the morning. I can then mash in and then get dressed, make coffee, and eat some breakfast. This way I can be ready to sparge (batch) before most people are ready to start heating their water. The rest of my shortcuts have been covered in the previous responses.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

 

[ajf]

Nicely done.
I usually take 6 - 7 hrs, but I could cut an hour off by batch sparging, and another hour by using propane to heat the mash and sparge water instead of the kitchen stove (but propane comes from the brewing budget, wile the gas bill comes from the household budget.)
But during the brew session, I usually keg a batch, and rack another batch.
I also have to wash the kitchen floor afterwards.

-a.

 

[RichBrewer]

I'm going to attempt a shorter mash on my next brew. I wouldn't mind shortening the brew day and I want to test a theory on oxidation during the mask stated in this thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?p=217530#post217530

 

[brewhead]

I usually take 6 - 7 hrs, but I could cut an hour off by batch sparging

i'm not sure what you guys are doing in 6-7 hours. we did 30 gallons yesterday - 15 gallons of alt - 15 gallons of spring ale- in around 8-9 hours - that's two back to back 15 gallon batches - no real shortcuts - doing a fly sparge on both

to me it's a relaxing 9 hours - it's work - but it's fun so i'm relaxed. i am organized and know what my system will and won't do. so it's a matter of making it happen

 

[the_bird]

Including all cleanup and putting everything away, I've been around 4.5 hours (batch sparging). Not sure how much more I could cut that down, and not sure that there would be muhc benefit (unless, as Rich is experimenting with, a shorter mash leads to better results). Now that I have my process down, brewing isn't an all-day affair anymore, which is great.

 

[ajf]

i'm not sure what you guys are doing in 6-7 hours.

Initial prep and heat mash water - 1 hr
Dough in - 10 min
Mash and heat sparge water - 1 hr
Mash out and vorlauf - 15 min
Sparge - 1 hr 30 min
Bring to boil - 15 min
Boil 1 hr 15 min
Rack to primary and pitch - 15 min
Clean up kettle and CFC - 45 min, and wash kitchen floor
Total - 6 hrs 25 min

-a.

 

[Orfy]

When it comes down to it, there's nothing wrong with a 6-7 hour day.
I'm just trying to help those short on time by illustrating how to brew AG in under 3.5 hours if you want to.
I've posted this before but we've had a couple of recent treads questioning it.

 

[ajf]

I completely agree. You said so in the OP. I was only answering brewhead's question.
On the rare occasions when I do need to hurry things up, I do batch sparge, heat the mash water with propane instead of the wimpy stove, cut back a bit on the mash time, skip the mash out by using hotter sparge water, and add the bittering hops before the hot break, finish in about 4 hours, and still have a fairly leisurely brew session.

-a.