Typical Brew Day?

Collo · Oct 18, 2024

So I've read some of the threads on here and watched loads of YouTube vids, but I'm curious how long a typical brew day is for you? I will be doing my first AGB in the next couple of weeks, and wanted to know how much time realistically i need to plan for.

Thanks :)

Collo · Oct 18, 2024

I may have posted this in the wrong section - sorry, if i have could a mod/admin move it for me please.

klaus · Oct 18, 2024

This is the "Brewdays" section so right place - you are a bit early in the day.

I have done a few AG brews - it all depends how organised you are and if there are no issues/accidents.

I generally made sure there would be no distraction, reserve the kitchen for all morning.
Haven't done full size AG for a few years but from memory started around 6 am and finished by 12 noon, including cleaning and tidying up.

What helps is to get everything together the evening before and put in situ if possible. Weigh out ingredients and label containers. Check out anything electrical you are going to use mains/battery just in case.

Good luck ... and don't have a beer on the side whilst brewing .... perhaps consider cooling the wort overnight.

Clint · Oct 18, 2024

First...do a "dry run" on what you intend to do...where your kit will go,the order you will do things etc.
Get a brew sheet or note book to..keep notes!
Pick a day that doesn't involve picking kids up,going shopping,DIY!
My brew day typically lasts 5 hours...you want to add a couple on...just in case!

MashBag · Oct 18, 2024

What he said. A dry run, with water! Yup, a wet run. Many benefits.

How long... first one all day. Practised hands 5 to 6 hours.

I have given up long brewdays, but you need to do a few before you can go overnight. Woke up to boil today, took me 10mins to lift the mash out and pop my lid on, and press boil. I will nip back again in 45 minutes to add my first hops after hot break. Currently having a cuppa and typing this. Happy brewdays everyone

Collo · Oct 18, 2024

Thanks guys, i had 6-7hrs in my head, so it will have to be a weekend realistically for me.
Weighing everything out the night before is a good shout, and i intended on getting a notebook, it seems to be one of the most recommended things to do. I'm not expecting it to go to plan, so i will make sure i have the whole day free haha

MashBag · Oct 18, 2024

Get familiar with the controller to. Particularly go though what you do when... And you flick to manual mode.

You don't say where you are brewing.. Cos that can make a BIG difference.

PS. just nipped over and popped the first hops in. Now another cuppa. It doesn't have to be hard, it can & does for into modern life.

jof · Oct 18, 2024

Once you have done a couple, you'll work out what you can fit round your brew day too.
Then it becomes a matter of setting timers, like stir the mash every X(your preferred value) and hop/protofloc addition timing during the boil.

The part I find most variable is the sparge, as the rate of filtering through the grain bed can vary wildly (due to things like malt crush - did this batch come from the top or bottom of the 25kg sack)

Larse · Oct 18, 2024

It also depends on the equipment you have. I have a Burco boiler that I use to prepare my strike water and later my sparge water. I use a timer and have the strike water ready in the morning at close enough to the correct temperature,
I also have a step by step procedure printed out beforehand, just to avoid any omissions.
As others have said, have the ingredients prepared beforehand, I use those small sacks that GEB put their kits in (woven plastic with a liner - something like a coal sack, but lined). That way I can just pour into the mash tun without lots of weighing and measuring involved, just stir in gradually.

I don't use the temperature controller on my Klarstein. It's too coarse, I just make sure my strike temp is right, insulate the tun and leave, checking and stirring every 20 minutes. On 90 minute mashes I have to turn it on for a couple of minutes to keep the temp stable.

Once I have the mash going, I prepare the sparge water in the Burco, so that's ready when needed. The Burco holds about 25 litres, so ample for both jobs with a refill after strike water is decanted.

I boil outdoors, so it has to be a dry day. If I start at around 8am, the boil is usually finished before 12. I have two wort chillers, so I link them together, one at the bottom and one at the top. They get me down to pitching temp in about half an hour or so. Cleaning is done as and when items are finished with, so usually finished everything by lunch time.

MashBag · Oct 18, 2024

Wossis sparge malarkey

Larse · Oct 18, 2024

MashBag said:
Wossis sparge malarkey

Don't worry your pretty little head about it.

MashBag · Oct 18, 2024

Brewday done for me. Lid on, Fan on.
I am off to have breakfast.

MashBag · Oct 18, 2024

Ps. Probably the best beer (timer) in the world.

https://www.optimumtime.co.uk/collections/os-series

gavp1979 · Oct 19, 2024

As others have said normally 5 or 6 hours but you can normally do other things during that time. My brew days normally fall into 2 types

Early morning: Wake up while everyone is still asleep and start brewing, I would usually have a couple of brews, breakfast, get showered and dressed while brewing and be finished around lunchtime
Afternoon: This is more in the summer on a nice day where I will brew and just sit in the sun (maybe with a beer or 2) while the kettle is doing it's thing

On your first brew you will probably want to keep more of an eye on what's going on though. Good luck and let us know how it goes

YeastFace · Oct 19, 2024

As it's your first allow for a good portion of the day, and don't forget about cleaning everything and tidying up too.

Sorting out the grain, water, and any water additions the night before really does help cut down the time on brewday.

marshbrewer · Oct 19, 2024

If I start at 9ish I'm done by 3ish. I know this because I used to fit it around the school run when the kids were younger.

Catching Swans · Oct 19, 2024

Start to finish I can be done in 3.5 hours these days, but I cut a lot of corners!

Deadhead · Oct 19, 2024

My brew days can be anywhere from 4-8 hours, depending on how long I'm mashing, boiling, doing whirlpooling or fixing all my f**kups that inevitably happen wink...

MashBag · Oct 19, 2024

I have them too. Classic was.. why is the impeller for the pump on the wall in front of me FFS!

allotment_fox · Oct 19, 2024

My advice as most above have said above 5 + hours but yes a dummy run, but your first real brew keep it simple to get used to your equipment & keep notes if you were to buy an AG kit from say the malt miller it would be pre weighed and in one or two bags and ready to go with the hops pre weighed also.
It's a great hobby just enjoy it and drink your mistakes along the way :beer1:

it's the only way to get experence

Typical Brew Day?

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