An AG trilogy of stupid questions

[cwrw]

Stupid question no1,but is it possible to batch sparge for a brew length of 46 litres if your masher is a 30l vessel ?
Stupid question no2, Has anyone ever tried to boil one batch within the other by having a floating metal bucket within the main boiler?
Stupid question no3, Could the cooling effect post boil be achieved efficiently by floating a metal bucket (again!) containing icecubes in water, within the boil vessel? :wha:

Cheers,
Cwrw :drink:

 

[Moley]

Stupid question no.1: I only fly sparge, but I'm sure your answer is yes. I can't give you batch volumes though.

Stupid question no.2: I suspect the inner bucket wouldn't reach a rolling boil.

Stupid question no.3: Sounds feasible but you'd have to keep emptying and refilling the inner bucket every few minutes.

 

[CptnCrackoff]

Can i add a..

4. Cold break and chilling... i just dont get it, are you stopping something from forming, trying to get something to form to remove?? is it something to do with proteins??

(not that i'm being tempted over to the dreaded darkside!! :whistle: )

 

[Moley]

Yes, you're trying to get something to form, and I think it is to do with proteins, then the spent hops settle over the strainer to form a filter bed and most of the break material should get left in the boiler.

I only saw that for the first time with my last brew and up until now cold break has all ended up in my FV, but it gets left behind with the yeast sediment and isn't a problem. However, I've got a cooler coil now and will be using it in future.

 

[CptnCrackoff]

thats good then....

5. most people have a rectangular copper pipe-rectangle with slits in in the bottom of their mash tuns... could you not just pop a little mesh over the outlet?
:hmm:

 

[danny]

If you have an AG set up using say 50L to 100L HLT, MT etc is it feasible to make small batches (say 5 gal) and then as confidence grows you have the capacity for bigger brews with out the need for upscaling your equipment....?

:

 

[Parva]

If you have an AG set up using say 50L to 100L HLT, MT etc is it feasible to make small batches (say 5 gal) and then as confidence grows you have the capacity for bigger brews with out the need for upscaling your equipment....?

Yes of course. My only regret is that I didn't start with a bigger mash tun, the rest of my gear can do 10g brews but I'm limited to 5g brews by the mash tun now. When you're spending 6-8 hours making 23 litres and could make double that volume with an extra 45 minutes to an hour invested you can see the appeal.

 

[cwrw]

Cheers for the uptake Moley :thumb:
Following-up on Parva's mash tun entry - what is the best (affordable) masher size available out there to handle 10g brews ?
Cwrw

 

[jonewer]

Regarding the cold break.....

The hot break is caused by proteins that are normally soluble being denatured by the heat and coming our of solution as a precipitate.

Some, but not all, of these proteins will return to their native state if allowed to cool slowly.

So by cooling quickly you prevent the proteins returning to solution and giving you a cloudy beer. :thumb:

 

[CptnCrackoff]

Thanks jonewer, just one of the small things i need to get right in my head before i jump in!!
jon

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Thanks jonewer, just one of the small things i need to get right in my head before i jump in!!
jon

Jump in Cptn

 

[Parva]

Cheers for the uptake Moley :thumb:
Following-up on Parva's mash tun entry - what is the best (affordable) masher size available out there to handle 10g brews ?
Cwrw

Seems your thread has created a multitude of questions from others. :) Here is where the answer can be as easy or as complicated as you want. :)

I use the standard Hop & Grape 10G brewery and part of this kit is the 28l Thermos mash tun. Now I've heard that it's 28l, 30l and 32l so which is true I don't know. :) What I do know is that batch-sparging 46l brewlengths of 5% beer (my usual intended target) is just a no no. The grain bill itself (10Kg for 46l of 5%) would fill the mash tun to a very high level and would make batch-sparging a huge challenge. However, if you were to fly-sparge then yes, it's possible to do so.

I'm not saying that it's impossible to make 46l brewlengths on my equipment but I would definitely need to fly-sparge or use a hybrid version of batch and fly-sparging to manage it and would likely have a big efficiency hit too.

I would aspire to use some of the lovely Nordic Optical bain maries that many use here but alas I don't have the cash to splash and brewing is on the back-burner for me at the moment. However, if I were to get one piece of my H&G brewery swopped I would get a Coleman or Igloo coolbox off of Ebay. I forget the quantities they hold now but they are way bigger than my Thermos effort and can easily do 10g brews even when batch-sparged.

 

[cwrw]

Cheers for the uptake Moley :thumb:
Following-up on Parva's mash tun entry - what is the best (affordable) masher size available out there to handle 10g brews ?
Cwrw

Seems your thread has created a multitude of questions from others. :) Here is where the answer can be as easy or as complicated as you want. :)


I would aspire to use some of the lovely Nordic Optical bain maries that many use here but alas I don't have the cash to splash and brewing is on the back-burner for me at the moment. However, if I were to get one piece of my H&G brewery swopped I would get a Coleman or Igloo coolbox off of Ebay. I forget the quantities they hold now but they are way bigger than my Thermos effort and can easily do 10g brews even when batch-sparged.

Thanks Parva.
It's a little bit like when I'm talking ...someone else always railroads over me :rofl:
I've been looking at the Igloo type coolboxes over the past day or so and I think they rate better than the Coleman type - I might plump for a new 45-57 litre one (as price difference between used and new is not that great on ebay).Anyone savvy with connection types to the spigot? I was thinking of running a tube to a filter from the box (unusual but should be practical in principle),whilst rendering the box still fully functional for normal use :drink:
Any thoughts re this would be appreciated!
Cwrw.

 

[Screwy]

Stupid question no1,but is it possible to batch sparge for a brew length of 46 litres if your masher is a 30l vessel ?

Maybe I can help with this one:

For a brewlength of 46L @ OG 1.052

90 min Boil with a boiloff around 7L P/H

9.45Kg of grain with a potential extract of 1.036

Total 67.89 L water for brewing

Mash in with 22L of strike water will require a total mashtun volume requirement of just over 28L

No mashout step, drain mashtun to kettle and begin heating to facilitate mashout (heat to above 77 deg)

Sparge water temp will need to be high enough to raise the grainbed to 76 deg after draining. Maybe as high as 95 deg.

Batch Sparge Round 1: Sparge with 11.47 L of water
Vorlauf and drain to kettle with first runnings and continue heating
Batch Sparge Round 2: Sparge with 11.47 L of water
Vorlauf and drain to runnings in kettle and continue heating
Batch Sparge Round 3: Sparge with 11.47 L of water
Vorlauf and drain to runnings in kettle and continue heating
Batch Sparge Round 4: Sparge with 11.47 L of water
Vorlauf and drain to runnings in kettle and continue heating

Messy but can be done, be easier with a lower OG batch.

Hope this helps

Screwy

 

[cwrw]

Thanks for that screwy .....I think you answered a question which a few members will find useful :thumb:
Cwrw