Making small beer.

[Grealish]

I am going to brew 10 litres of golden ale and 10 litres of small beer from 2KG MO and 250g Vienna. Essentially I will follow the usual schedule for a 2 step batch sparge as if I was making a 20 litre brew, but the second batch sparge (i.e. half the brew length) will go to make the small beer. I will add some crystal malt to help add some flavour.

Looking at BIAB efficiency, I am expecting to get about 1045 for the first batch, does anyone have any idea what the second batch is likely to come out at?

 

[Dutto]

Hmm! If the Golden Ale is mashed and sparged to give a reasonable ABV then I reckon that 2.25kg of grain for a 20 litre brew will be too small to get any significant body or ABV from the Small Beer mash and sparge.

Alternatively, cheating on the Golden Ale will probably bugger up both brews!

Personally, I would raise the Grain Bill up to +/- 3.0kg minimum, do the first Mash for one hour at 65*C and Sparge at the same temperature, then increase the temperature for the second Mash to give two hours at 68*C and then Sparge at 80*C for Mash Out.

Of course, as usual, I may be very wrong!

 

[Drunkula]

Between 1.012 and 15.

 

[Grealish]

Hmm! If the Golden Ale is mashed and sparged to give a reasonable ABV then I reckon that 2.25kg of grain for a 20 litre brew will be too small to get any significant body or ABV from the Small Beer mash and sparge.

Alternatively, cheating on the Golden Ale will probably bugger up both brews!

Personally, I would raise the Grain Bill up to +/- 3.0kg minimum, do the first Mash for one hour at 65*C and Sparge at the same temperature, then increase the temperature for the second Mash to give two hours at 68*C and then Sparge at 80*C for Mash Out.

Of course, as usual, I may be very wrong!

I think I went for brevity at the expense of clarity... I will mash the grain as normal, add the first sparge water and drain c 12 litres for the Golden Ale. Then I will add some crystal (or munich) and c12 litres to draw off a second batch to use as small beer.

 

[Grealish]

Between 1.012 and 15.

Thanks, that's about what I was hoping for.