Double Batches

[dropbear85]

Howdy,

So I'm a few AG batches in and im already thinking of how I can do double batches (2x18L) in my setup.

I use a 50L keg as a boiler and I BIAB with no chill.

My initial idea was to brew a concentrated wort as I have a couple of the 15L brewers selection fresh wort cubes sitting there doing nothing. I had a play with the BIAB calculator from BIABrew.info and it's looking like the total volume (including grain) would be over 60L which would be a problem.

Are there any tricks that you guys use like mashing in as much water as the keg will hold, then remove the grain and top up with more?
Also how do I go about scaling my recipe for a concentrated wort? Do I just use the same ingredients as though I was brewing normally minus the amount of water that I add when watering it down in the fermentor? Maybe up the hops a little to account for the higher SG?

Cheer,
Dropbear

 

[glenwal]

Search for Maxi BIAB, or Nick JD's stove top threads.

 

[dropbear85]

Search for Maxi BIAB, or Nick JD's stove top threads.

I've read that but I thought 2x18L batches out of a 50L keg would be different to a 23L batch out of a 19L pot

 

[PhantomEasey]

In my limited experience it's pretty much the same procedure only scaled up to your equipment capacity.

Mash with the maximum capacity that your Tun can manage, and sparge your bag post mash out in a second vessel with the remaining volume of liquor you need to gain your pre-boil volume. Add this sparging to the kettle pre or early on in the boiling stage.

 

[vortex]

Brew twice in a row?

 

[stux]

Brew twice in a row?

I used to do 2 batches out of a 50L using maxi-biab techniques.

Then I got a 98L to make it easier to do double batches... and now I do triple batches out of the 98L

Heh.

Now I've ordered a 100L esky as a mash tun

 

[argon]

Do this

 

[Tony]

I make 54 liter batches as standard so a double for me would be 108 liters

Its the same, you just need bigger gear and more malt hops yeast and water.

I also make 2 x 17 liter cubes for 19 liter kegs in a 33 liter esky and a 50 liter boiler, but i don't BIAB, im a drain and sparge boy

cheers

 

[alawishus]

Do the full 50 litre batch (grain wise) and just hop the two different (25 litre batches) with diferent hops or yeast.

results in two different beers, one brew day.

cheers

Ala

 

[dropbear85]

Do this

Thanks Argon, Thats exactly what i was after.

How did you go about scalling up your grain bill to account for the concentrated wort?

 

[Bribie G]

Another thing you can do, and no problems with scaling or diluting is:

Buy a 40L or so esky (You can get them really cheap this time of year in the BCF or Rays sales, wherever)

BIAB #1 in your boiler.
Prepare a second batch of strike water in the esky (or have it there initially and keep it warmed up)
When the bag is hoisted and drained, start boiling #1

Tip and wash the bag and mash BIAB #2 in the esky
By this time the boil should be almost complete
Cube or chill #1 while #2 hoists and drains
Wash the kettle then jug or pump wort from #2 into the boiler
Boil #2

One bag, one boiler, one esky.

As you would know BIAB consists mostly of waiting around or surfing porn most of the time punctuated by a few brief frantic periods such as hoisting or cubing. With my "piggy back" method which I have done several times you can keep busy most of the time, and at the end of the day it only turns a 4 hour brew into about 5 1/2 and you get two batches.

The only disadvantage of the Esky #2 batch is that you are limited to a single isothermal mash (or use an immersion heater if you want to do stepped) so it's easier to have your #2 for something simple like a UK bitter or APA.

 

[Nick JD]

Wait a minute. My plain old single "batch" is 16L of around 1.050 in a 19L pot.

That's a 42L batch out of a 50L keggle.

I see no reason why you need to whip out eskies and fluff about with multiple vessels.

There's no real "high gravity" stuff going on here either. All you need to do in reality is replace your boil off, rather than boiling down to volume. That's the only difference.

Mash your grain in ~48L, pull the bag and either dunk sparge or top up with water to 42L (of 1.050) and boil for an hour.

At the end of the boil add boiling water to top up back to 42L and then fill two 20L cubes.

Piss easy.

 

[stux]

Wait a minute. My plain old single "batch" is 16L of around 1.050 in a 19L pot.

That's a 42L batch out of a 50L keggle.

I see no reason why you need to whip out eskies and fluff about with multiple vessels.

There's no real "high gravity" stuff going on here either. All you need to do in reality is replace your boil off, rather than boiling down to volume. That's the only difference.

Mash your grain in ~48L, pull the bag and either dunk sparge or top up with water to 42L (of 1.050) and boil for an hour.

At the end of the boil add boiling water to top up back to 42L and then fill two 20L cubes.

Piss easy.

Prett much what nick said