What’s your rhythm – brewing/bottling/storing?

[pkfrerich]

I brewed my first batch on Monday and can’t stop thinking about/planning my next brew day. I’m considering doing my second batch on the day I bottle in a few weeks. Is that too ambitious?

I’d hate for my fermenter to get too lonely. I’m thinking my process would be to bottle, get the wort rolling, then clean and sanitize the fermenter. I’d then put both the bottles and batch #2 back in the closet. For now, I’m going to start with two batches at a time, staggered in some way.

I see several auto signatures from members with several batches fermenting, bottled or kegged. For those with multiple babies at different stages, do you have a particular rhythm?

Thanks for sharing.

 

[greeneyed]

If using the same type of yeast, you can just dump on top of the yeast cake in the bottom of fermenter, and bypass having to buy new yeast.

 

[GrumpyJed]

I generally have one batch going at a time which is enough to keep my pipeline consistent. However, I had ankle surgery about a year ago and knew I wouldn't be able to brew for 4-5 months so I wanted to get ahead beforehand. I brewed a batch about once each week. While I had grains mashing for a new batch I would move one batch from primary to secondary. After finishing the new batch and pitching I would bottle a batch if it was ready. I managed to get 4 batches done to help me through my 'recovery'.

 

[EvilGnome6]

I don't overlap my brewing and bottling days. Both of them are quite a bit of work and I prefer to be focused on one task at a time. I have two fermentation fridges and try to do a 3 week primary and 1 week secondary for each brew. Sometimes it takes a week more or less, but that's about average. This way I'm churning out a batch about every 3 weeks:

 

[pkfrerich]

thanks EvilGnome - so looks like you stagger such that your transfer to secondary triggers a brew day, generally speaking. Makes sense.

 

[Trevor57]

I have 4 fermenters. I brew 20 gallons once a month. I leave them for about 4 weeks in primary, then bottle a 5 gallon batch a day (in bombers) near the end of the month. I did this after many other variations, and like this way best. You only have to clean up once. It's also good in winter, since I would be sitting around watching football all day anyway. Now I just have to get up once in a while and stir/add/cool etc.

 

[EvilGnome6]

thanks EvilGnome - so looks like you stagger such that your transfer to secondary triggers a brew day, generally speaking. Makes sense.

Generally speaking, yes. My fermentation schedule is ultimately determined by the hydrometer. If it needs an extra week or two to fully ferment out, I'll delay transferring to secondary until it is completely done. Sometimes that shifts those two relative schedules a bit but you get the idea. I just try to keep the pipeline going as best as possible without overloading myself any single day.

 

[Hammy71]

I basically do as Evilgnome. I bottled and brewed on the same day once.....too much work for one day. During the summer I was brewing about every other weekend. On the other weekends I was kegging/bottling, transfering to secondary, etc. etc. I have at least 4 primary carboys and 3 secondary ones so....there's always something to do. Now that winter is here my schedule is more based on weather predictions for the weekends. Been freezing or below last couple weeks and, well, I'm a wuss when it comes to the cold and since I'm all grain w/propane...I gotta be outside. So I have the supplies waiting to make my Irish Red....I'm just waiting for a good day to brew.

 

[ramthebuffs]

For the past month or two I've been keeping 1 brew in the chamber for like 5-8 days untill its well past any major activity. Then I brew a different brew for the fermentation chamber and put the older brew in a room I know will be in the 70-75 range until its finished. Repeat and Rotate...

On a side note, tomorrow will be interesting, I'll be bottling 3 different 6gals that happened to finish about the same time and brewing another. What I do is set everything up, then start the mash. During the mash I'll bottle(this time I'll be bottling into the sparge as well). Clean up during the first half of the boil, sanitize everything for racking the wort in the second half. The garden hose for the chiller is already in the house tonight to thaw out because it won't happen fast enough during the brew process tomoz.

 

[northernlad]

Every once in a while a brew day coincides with a bottling day. After I bring the wort to a boil and make my first hop addition I bottle a batch of beer. No better way to spend the hour.

 

[MattHollingsworth]

Mine's like this:

Brew: Every two weeks.

Primary for 3 weeks, no secondary.

Bottle at 3 weeks.

Unless I'm using other slurry or another yeast, I then use the slurry from this for the week 4 brew session.

Bottles into warm fridge at 72-73 for 3 weeks.

So, I end up brewing every other week, then bottling every other week, on alternating weekends. Some beer activity every weekend. Unless I'm traveling or something.

 

[Want2Brew]

What I do is set everything up, then start the mash. During the mash I'll bottle(this time I'll be bottling into the sparge as well). Clean up during the first half of the boil, sanitize everything for racking the wort in the second half.

I like this idea, think I will try it this weekend. Usually I brew every other weekend (and work the others). I have 2 fermenters going most of the time. I do a 4 week primary, that works out well for my schedule and bottle to free up the fermenter on brew day. I have been bottling before starting the mash but ramthebuffs way sounds like a winner to me.