100L split batches

[rockeye84]

Hi all, in the process of upgrading my 50L setup to a 100L setup.

Was toying with the idea of brewing 100L of a pale style wort suitable for pale ale or lager with a bittering addition upto about 20-25ibu.

At end of boil before chilling draw off 50L of wort to a separate vessel and add about 10-15ibu worth of flavour/aroma as a 30-60min hop stand.

While the hops stand is happening I will chill the remaining 50L left in the kettle and rack off to my 1st fermenter. This part of the split will be fermented with a lager yeast.

Return the remaining hot wort after the hop stand to my kettle and chill. This part of the split will be fermented with an ale yeast.

I need to be wary of infection when transferring back to my kettle to chill the ale part of the split, but with hop stands of 30 min my wort temp stays up around 85c+ so it should be ok.

Basically trying to get a pale ale & a lager out of one brew day.

I currently have 2x 60L fermenters & have no facility or single vessel that can ferment 100l, at this time anyway(future upgrades)

Anyone else doing anything similar to this?

Anything else I need to consider?

Thanks Rocki

 

[sp0rk]

Why not no-chill and cube hop each cube with different hops
That'll give you 4 (or 5, depending on your batch size) different beers out of a 100L batch
Plenty of members here do this method

 

[time01]

Hi spork, do you do this process? I've been thinking of doing this. If so has it effected your efficiency or any other steps?

 

[michaeld16]

I wish i had the brewhouse capacity to brew 100l at the same time, if i did i would stick with no chilling in 20l cubes and experiment with cube hopping and different yeasts.

 

[Judanero]

I do this sometimes (when I plan ahead-I push out two cubes from a 50L pot with a bit of juggling and help from a stovetop boil concurrently).

Use a grist suitable for a lager- in my case majority is Heidelberg- 92%, Carapils 7%, Acidulated 1%.. Bitter with Saaz to ~23IBU in the main pot as a 60 min addition.

Into the pale ale cube I add the contents of ~5L with ~200g Light/med xtal mix that has been steeped for 40 mins or so, boiled for 15 mins, add whatever hops of choice E.g 30g Cascade. + cube hop with whatever hop again e.g. 40g Amarillo.

Easy and works well.

 

[idzy]

You are thinking like a brewer no doubt about it.

I wouldn't think you would need to worry about infection at those temps, 85+ should be fine. Like sp0rk suggested, plenty of people no-chill into cubes and that is a viable option. For instance the last case swap we split a 500l batch into 25 or so cubes. People either chose to use the suggested hops or different. A few of us are doing a similar thing with 240 litres of pale on Saturday, All no-chill into cubes. Just subtract 20 minutes from your addition calcs and you should be about right.

The other option, not sure of your setup, but you could chill using your HLT and add the hops into the kettle after you have drawn off the 50 litres.

 

[rockeye84]

Cheers for the info lads, doing some renos on the brew room, so a month or so until I commission the new brewery for a test Batch. Go no idea on no chilling, never done it, plenty of water where I live. Looks like I got some homework to do.

 

[sp0rk]

Hi spork, do you do this process? I've been thinking of doing this. If so has it effected your efficiency or any other steps?

Yep, I cube hop all the time
No efficiency problems
If you want, move your hop additions 15 minutes closer to the end of the boil
I don't bother and I've enjoyed every beer i've made this way

 

[idzy]

Cheers for the info lads, doing some renos on the brew room, so a month or so until I commission the new brewery for a test Batch. Go no idea on no chilling, never done it, plenty of water where I live. Looks like I got some homework to do.

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/articles/article56.html is a good place to start reading.

 

[Tahoose]

Have done a few split batches now. The easiest way is a pale ale grist and hop each cube individually. However you are only limited by your imagination. This is one I have done a couple of times.

Grain bill 88% pils 12% wheat
OG 1:050
Cube 1 - cube hopped with Galaxy & citra - 22 ibu dry hopped galaxy and citra - us05 steam ale

Cube 2 - cube hopped with Amarillo to 15ibu us05 - summer ale
Option 2 for cube2 - cube hop to 20ibu and then dilute with 5litres of water before fermenting this will put you around OG1:040 and 15ibu.


Cube 3 - draw 5ltrs from the mash when you start filling the kettle mini boil for one hour with East Kent holdings, hops calculated for 30ibu/25ltrs wort. Mini boil into cube 3 then fill from the kettle. Ferment with belle saison.

One brew day 3 totally different beers.

 

[Diesel80]

I brew this way often.

Generic / neutral bittering addition at 60 for say 15 ibu. then 10 to 15 ibu in cube of hops.
last time round was EKG @ 60 then fuggles / cascade in the cubes. UK ans US yeast respectively and 2x different beers!

Cheers
D80