MindenMan
Well-Known Member
At the suggestion of a Senior member to document this idea, here it is.
I did an AG using a brewing bag, okay, they were paint strainers, the reason I tried this method, was to save myself from lifting nearly full, very heavy pots.
I brought my mash water to temp like usual, but inserted the empty filters, (one inside the other) added my grain stirred like crazy, insulated the pot, and set my timer. I built a "Zapap" tun a long time ago, and still have not bought any type of insulated cooler. I pulled the bag out of my BK, set it into my Zapap tun, and poured the mash water over it, gave it a good stir, and drained off the first runnings. I poured 4 gallons of strike water on the grain, gave it a stir, and let it rest for 15 minutes. I then put the second runnings in with the first, and cranked up the heat. Since none of my BK's have valves, and lifting heavy pots is not for me anymore, this was my answer I thought. The bag idea came to mind when I was getting splashed with hot wort going into my Zapap tun my last brew day.
Now that I write this, I see something I didn't notice before; A "regular" AG brewer would have already had their Mash tub/cooler preheated, put in the grain followed by the mash water, and walked away for 60 minutes or so, then vorlaufed, then sparged, and fired up their BK.
So then, what did I gain by changing up my regular method?
1) I got 15+ pounds out of my BK before I lifted it Phew!
2) I didn't worry about recirculating the wort until the wort was basically clear and setting the grain bed, saving me at least 20 minutes.
3) I usually fly sparge, and having to keep the sparge water heated is somewhat of a pain. Once again, saving time, almost 60 minutes.
4) Just because **** happens during my brewing day, the "perfect" day for me never happens, as yesterday's brew day is a good example.
The short version is, I started at 10:30 am, and at 10:00 pm, I began to chill my wort. Shortcuts or not, this is typical of my brew days.
My efficiencies are always good, and I wondered if my "new" method would cost me gravity points or not. My predicted O.G. was 1.064, and my actual was 1.066. No more fly sparging for me. I hope this post helps someone that hates fly sparging as much as I do.:rockin:
I did an AG using a brewing bag, okay, they were paint strainers, the reason I tried this method, was to save myself from lifting nearly full, very heavy pots.
I brought my mash water to temp like usual, but inserted the empty filters, (one inside the other) added my grain stirred like crazy, insulated the pot, and set my timer. I built a "Zapap" tun a long time ago, and still have not bought any type of insulated cooler. I pulled the bag out of my BK, set it into my Zapap tun, and poured the mash water over it, gave it a good stir, and drained off the first runnings. I poured 4 gallons of strike water on the grain, gave it a stir, and let it rest for 15 minutes. I then put the second runnings in with the first, and cranked up the heat. Since none of my BK's have valves, and lifting heavy pots is not for me anymore, this was my answer I thought. The bag idea came to mind when I was getting splashed with hot wort going into my Zapap tun my last brew day.
Now that I write this, I see something I didn't notice before; A "regular" AG brewer would have already had their Mash tub/cooler preheated, put in the grain followed by the mash water, and walked away for 60 minutes or so, then vorlaufed, then sparged, and fired up their BK.
So then, what did I gain by changing up my regular method?
1) I got 15+ pounds out of my BK before I lifted it Phew!
2) I didn't worry about recirculating the wort until the wort was basically clear and setting the grain bed, saving me at least 20 minutes.
3) I usually fly sparge, and having to keep the sparge water heated is somewhat of a pain. Once again, saving time, almost 60 minutes.
4) Just because **** happens during my brewing day, the "perfect" day for me never happens, as yesterday's brew day is a good example.
The short version is, I started at 10:30 am, and at 10:00 pm, I began to chill my wort. Shortcuts or not, this is typical of my brew days.
My efficiencies are always good, and I wondered if my "new" method would cost me gravity points or not. My predicted O.G. was 1.064, and my actual was 1.066. No more fly sparging for me. I hope this post helps someone that hates fly sparging as much as I do.:rockin:
