Splitting up Brew Process

[lukehgriffiths]

Okay so cutting to the chase I have a 3 week old son plus two other kiddies. I also want to get an AG done but 7 hours needed are hard to come by.
In terms of splitting the process is it okay to mash and sparge then leave un boiled wort until the next day to boil and finish. This splits the time in 2 and has the benefit that you are not over mashing or leaving boiled wort to cv contaminated. Pleas let new know if this is really bad and alternatives.
Luke

 

[RITiger1060]

I say thats a bad idea unless you like sour beers. I mean I don't have any experience with doing what you propose, but I'm pretty sure you're taking a huge risk for infection.

 

[graysalchemy]

Why don't you do an overnight mash? before you go to bed set the mash going.

Do it as normal but make sure you wrap the mash tun up with more layers than you would normally do to minimise heat loss. In the morning get up put the HLt back on and sparge then do your boil.

Doing it this way breaks it up into 2 days safely and also knocks about 2 hrs off the whole process. If you mash and sparge you are leaving wort cooling for a long time and bacteria can get in and start spoiling the wort potentially leaving off flavours, even though you are boiling and sterilising some off flavours could potentially develop when the wort drops below 55c.

When I do an overnight mash (which is all the time now) I start the mash going at about 5pm and don't sparge until about 10 am the next day. I usually lose about 10-15c.

Another plus side ius that you can achieve much higher efficiencies my mash efficiency used to be 75% but it is easily 85%+ with overnight mashes.

:thumb:

 

[jonnymorris]

Which ever way you split it you'll find you won't need a solid 7 hours. I'm only on AG#4 but find plenty of time during the process to do other stuff. I appreciate that babies may not fit in around your brew day particularly well but don't be put off by the fact that 'it'll take 7 hours'.

GA... is there any downside to the mash loosing 10-15 degC overnight? I appreciate the sugars will have been converted in the first 45-60 mins but was wondering if anything detrimental happens when the temp drops below 60?

 

[graysalchemy]

GA... is there any downside to the mash loosing 10-15 degC overnight? I appreciate the sugars will have been converted in the first 45-60 mins but was wondering if anything detrimental happens when the temp drops below 60?

I worried about this I have read on american sites that if the temp drops below 55c hen it is open to infection and bacteria even though they will get killed in th eboil may do damage to the wort ie leave off flavours. However I have not had any problems and my mashes are typically 14 -15 hrs a lot longer than if I was doing it at home just before going to bed.

As you say all the sugars are converted in the first couple of hrs when your temps are probably on target so no loss of quality of wort IMHO.

 

[puravida]

I am in the same position (two small children and hectic job etc).
Leaving the unboiled wort overnight is absolutley fine and I do it myself lots.

Any infection that might start to rear its head gets killed off during the boil. The risk, as pointed out above, is off-notes develop that will remain throughout the boil and fermentation. I have never experienced any off notes brewing this way though.

 

[RITiger1060]

Any infection that might start to rear its head gets killed off during the boil. The risk, as pointed out above, is off-notes develop that will remain throughout the boil and fermentation. I have never experienced any off notes brewing this way though.

Good to know.... You probably cover the wort immediately to keep out any unwanted nasties. Do you chill the wort before leaving it over night or do you let it sit hot/warm?

 

[JKaranka]

I've done this once before with partial mash. I mashed Munich malt and from a quick boil I left it in the fermentor for the brew day the day after (when I did a specialty grain steep, boil with extract, hopping, and pitching the yeast). Turned out perfectly fine...