Midweek Brew?

[earthwormgaz]

Hi lads,

I need to get my Yuletide ale brewing, can't believe I've not had the money to get the stuff!

Anyway, can I possibly make a start earlier with a 8-5:30 job?

So, if I started it tonight, I could boil the water, get the mash going and leave it over night. But can I leave it until tomorrow night?

The only other thing would be to do the sparge as well, then leave the wort in the pan on the hob ready for the boil tomorrow?

Is either practical?

 

[stevej]

Hi lads,

I need to get my Yuletide ale brewing, can't believe I've not had the money to get the stuff!

Anyway, can I possibly make a start earlier with a 8-5:30 job?

So, if I started it tonight, I could boil the water, get the mash going and leave it over night. But can I leave it until tomorrow night?

The only other thing would be to do the sparge as well, then leave the wort in the pan on the hob ready for the boil tomorrow?

Is either practical?

Bit of a funny link Fella?

 

[MyQul]

You wouldn't be able to keep the mash above 50C for 24hrs

If you left the wort in the pan it would sour. Even if you boiled it after the damage would already be done.

What about preparing/weighing out the grain and filling your pot with water ready for the morning. When you get (perhaps get up a bit earlier if necessary) up heat up your mash water then dough in and do an all day mash then carry on brewing in the eve

 

[earthwormgaz]

You wouldn't be able to keep the mash above 50C for 24hrs

If you left the wort in the pan it would sour. Even if you boiled it after the damage would already be done.

What about preparing/weighing out the grain and filling your pot with water ready for the morning. When you get (perhaps get up a bit earlier if necessary) up heat up your mash water then dough in and do an all day mash then carry on brewing in the eve

Ahh, that would have been a good idea!

In the end, I just did the lot last night, was up til 1am :)

I had to cut the latter stage a bit short, after the boil where you add the aroma hops, I only had 20 minutes instead of the 40 the book recommends. Will that be okay or should I look to dry hop?

You mention sour wort, I always leave mine to cool over night, or sometimes longer to get down to 20 degrees. Is that bad then? This time, I just pitched the yeast now after adding a bit more cold water to get the gravity about right (5.7% it should be). Usually I'd add the yeast in the morning on Monday after an all day Sunday brewing sesh.

Thanks for the tips mate! :thumb:

 

[MyQul]

Leaving your wort overnight to cool isn't bad - in fact I do it, it's known as 'no-chill'.

Grain is full of microbes and below 50C they can start to come 'alive' and have an effect on your wort. So when you do a long mash like I also do (overnigtht) you need to keep the wort above 50C. You then boil your wort which kill the majority of them so it's fine to leave it overnight to cool as long as you take precautions and cover your wort (I use cling film) so no new microbes can get in to start to have an effect

My normal 'brew day' is usually spread over 4 days. I do an overnight mash on a Friday eve. Sparge and boil on Sat. Overnight no chill but I usually leave it it monday eve then pitch the yeast (as well as adding my flavour hop addition as either a hop tea or a 'micro boil')