What to do when batch sparge runnings are at 1.045?

[cank]

So I did my biggest 5 gal beer today, a total of 19 lbs of grain. I was hoping for a IIPA with an OG of 8.7 but it was more in the low 7's.

I should have known something was off when my first runnings were 1.075 and my second runnings were 1.045. But I had reached my pre-boil volume of 7.5 gal and I had some friends over from the local homebrew club and I wasn't thinking, so I didn't do a second batch sparge.

Should I have done that and then just boiled longer? I'm not sure what to do in this situation. I guess I could have collected more wort and done a smaller batch like a partigyle but I really wanted this beer to be higher in ABV.

What would you have done?

 

[morticaixavier]

So I did my biggest 5 gal beer today, a total of 19 lbs of grain. I was hoping for a IIPA with an OG of 8.7 but it was more in the low 7's.

I should have known something was off when my first runnings were 1.075 and my second runnings were 1.045. But I had reached my pre-boil volume of 7.5 gal and I had some friends over from the local homebrew club and I wasn't thinking, so I didn't do a second batch sparge.

Should I have done that and then just boiled longer? I'm not sure what to do in this situation. I guess I could have collected more wort and done a smaller batch like a partyguile but I really wanted this beer to be higher in ABV.

What would you have done?

I would have done a partigyle but that would have required more grain. Collecting more and boiling longer is the answer.

 

[Cbaddad]

Would have added some DME to bring it up to my desired gravity and then done the partigyle like you mentioned. When batch sparging higher gravity beers, I know that my efficiency is going to be off even more than normal, so i just throw extra couple pounds of 2 row in. I also have DME on hand if needed. You could collect more volume and boil longer, but the price of extra pounds of grain or even DME is cheaper than my time and the propane. Give it a try next time.

 

[cank]

Thanks guys I will try that next time. But man, having that much grain and 7gal of water in my 10gal cooler, it was almost maxed out! I guess I could have used less water initially and mashed a little thicker?

So is that pretty typical for second runnings of a big beer to be that high? I'm used to my second runnings being close to 1.01.

 

[morticaixavier]

Thanks guys I will try that next time. But man, having that much grain and 7gal of water in my 10gal cooler, it was almost maxed out! I guess I could have used less water initially and mashed a little thicker?

So is that pretty typical for second runnings of a big beer to be that high? I'm used to my second runnings being close to 1.01.

Oh yeah, didn't realize you only had a 10 gallon cooler. I've got a 72 qt coleman extreme. a 20+lb grain bill partigyle more or less maxes out my tun. you should have gone with another batch and a longer boil.