What Are The Best Ag Time Savers

[coolum brewer]

In the "All Grain or Extract" thread (and others) it is obvious one of the main reasons (other than fear of the unknown) stopping extract brewers becoming AG brewers is the amount of extra time involved. I'd like to know how long it takes each of you to brew AG and what steps can you modify/delete/improve to cut back the time involved. Two that immediately come to mind are Batch Sparging and the "No Chiller" method - any others?

Cheers
Peter

 

[BoilerBoy]

Two recommendations Off the top of my head would be

1. time machine
2. Never have any children



Cheers
BB

 

[ausdb]

In the "All Grain or Extract" thread (and others) it is obvious one of the main reasons (other than fear of the unknown) stopping extract brewers becoming AG brewers is the amount of extra time involved. I'd like to know how long it takes each of you to brew AG and what steps can you modify/delete/improve to cut back the time involved. Two that immediately come to mind are Batch Sparging and the "No Chiller" method - any others?

Cheers
Peter

An electric HLT with timeclock control, having water heated to the right temp ready to dough in is handy

 

[user 384]

I don't think there are any ways to cut out big chunks of time, however the key is making efficient use of your time, eg.

1. If you are going to brew on Saturday morning, and all you are planning on doing Friday night is watching some TV and drinking beer, then take some time out of your Friday night to set-up, weigh and crush your grain etc.
2. After doughing in, you will leave the mash for, usually 1-1.5 hours. You don't need to do anything to the mash during this time, so go off and do something else. I often go do the weekly shopping.
   After sparging and while the boil is going, start to clean up. Again there is bugger all to do while the boil is happening, but unlike the mash, it pays to stick around, to avoid things like boil overs. During this time you can clean your mash tun, sanitise your fermenter, sanitise your chiller or cube for the no chiller method.

Apart from using your time more efficiently, invest in a good burner, that will get your strike water, sparge water and wort to the desired temp or boil as quickly as possible.

Cheers
MAH

 

[Batz]

Most AG brewers enjoy their brew day,time is not really a big issue,have a few beers while enjoying your hobby.
If time is stopping you from moving to AG,I suggest you stay with K&K or partials.

Please don't anyone get all funny about that, it's qiute true.

Batz

PS Sorry takes me around 5 hours per brew.

 

[dicko]

I don't think there are any ways to cut out big chunks of time, however the key is making efficient use of your time, eg.

1. If you are going to brew on Saturday morning, and all you are planning on doing Friday night is watching some TV and drinking beer, then take some time out of your Friday night to set-up, weigh and crush your grain etc.
2. After doughing in, you will leave the mash for, usually 1-1.5 hours. You don't need to do anything to the mash during this time, so go off and do something else. I often go do the weekly shopping.
   After sparging and while the boil is going, start to clean up. Again there is bugger all to do why the boil is happening, but unlike the mash, it pays to stick around, to avoid things like boil overs. During this time you can clean your mash tun, sanitise your fermenter, sanitise your chiller or cube for the no chiller method.

Apart from using your time more efficiently, invest in a good burner, that will get your strike water, sparge water and wort to the desired temp or boil as quickly as possible.

Cheers
MAH

coolum brewer,
I think you will have had to actually do a few AG's before you can trim up the time.
MAH's methods are good and very similar to what I do If I can.
A lot of time can be taken adjusting water chemistry etc and I try to do this on the night before as well.
I weigh and crush grain and all other bits except the hops which I do while the sparge is happening.

Most AG brewers enjoy their brew day,time is not really a big issue,have a few beers while enjoying your hobby.
If time is stopping you from moving to AG,I suggest you stay with K&K or partials.

Please don't anyone get all funny about that, it's qiute true.

Batz

PS Sorry takes me around 5 hours per brew.

Batz is spot on, IMO the time taken is part of the fun. Invite someone round to join in and keep you company.
It takes me about 5 hours for a brew day as well but I only watch the clock for the mash and the boil.

Cheers

 

[tangent]

yep, totally agree with MAH and Batz there.

a motorised mill would be quicker.
decoctions blow a brew day out quite a bit.

 

[vlbaby]

I absolutely luv brew days and the time taken is never a concern. I usually have the HLT preheated by timer for when i wake up. I mash in, turn on the pump for the herms, then usually go make some breakfast, or mow the lawn etc.
There's a lot of waiting on brewday, so just make sure you use it for something else.
Otherwise, try what the other guys suggested..

Batch sparge
Preheat HLT by timer
No chill method
Have the HBS crack the grains for you.

cheers

vl.

 

[Voosher]

Agree with MAH. A good burner... and good time management.

I heat the mash water while measuring and crushing the grain.
I heat the sparge water during the mash.
I fly sparge and bring the wort up to boiling during the sparge.

I don't have a good burner but can still get through brew day in 5 hours.
Most of the unnecessary waiting I do relates to heating things up... and cooling things down so I suppose a good chiller (or no chill) would be the next suggestion.
Cheers.

 

[Tony]

motorised grain mill!!! mine cracks 12 kg in 2 min

going to get a time clock for the electric HLT. thats a great idea!!!

cheers

 

[Batz]

I do have an eletric HLT on a timer,mash in temperture is ready when I get up,and I crack my grain the night before.
I have the mash happening within a few minutes,then off for a coffee and breccy.

Batz

 

[jimmysuperlative]

what size batches do you all do?

 

[Batz]

Usually double 45lt/50lt batches,or I do a double brew day and do two 25 lt jobbies

Batz

 

[vlbaby]

i usually do a 23L batch which equates to about 20L in fermenter, that equates to around 18L in keg, which equates to no bottling. yay!


vl.

 

[Kai]

Double brew days can shave hours off each brew, if you can devote a little more time to brewing two brews at once.

Start recirculating before the mash time is up so when the allotted time is reached you can run off immediately.

Make sure the sparge water is heated before you run off the first runnings.

Start heating the first runnings in the kettle while you are sparging.

There are countless other small tips a brewer can learn.

 

[bindi]

Took me 5 and half hours from go to clean-up today during the rests I was out doing other things, I was only here fulltime for the boil of 75min, an HLT on a timer is handy, so is a burner you can crank up, no pump here and gravity fed, [who says I am not a real brewer <_< without a pump] I did 'THE DRUNK ARAB' AAA [with advice from him] The recipe is posted here.

 

[Pumpy]

Time management ...........

Make full use of your downtime( clean the mash tun when the kettle going)

Nite before Pre preparation

Organise yourself ( everthing in its place )

Get an early Sunday morning start ( no interuptions)

Hose at hand to rinse down stuff with grain in it before it sticks

Immersion heater to adjust the mash temp

Pumpy

 

[Darren]

Double batches mean you brew half as often. Half the messing around is setting everything up. Whilst it is set-up might as well make another beer.

cheers

Darren

 

[jimmy01]

6 hours for a brew. Only do 23l batches as thats all my equipment allows.

I'm still a novice so haven't come up with any time savers yet except having the neighbour come over to help, chew the fat and drink a few tasty ales. Amazing how quick the day goes.

Got to say I luv brew day. Helps having the kids grown up too.


Dave

 

[dicko]

I do 50 litre batches mostly, however if fermenter fridge space is a problem I will do 25 litres if I have to.

50 litres cost no more in time and LPG. The cost for the ingredients is pro rata to the quantity produced.

I really don't think that I know anyone that is going to post that the time spent on their brewday is a PITA so an extra 30 mins will mean nothing in the overall scheme of things.

Cheers