Mashing twice biab?

[bobdozer]

I searched this and found only one thread with no results.

I have a friend/ brewing partner who wants to make a 1.100-1.200 barleywine but we are currently limited to a 40 qt pot and biab method. I can only fit about 12 lbs of grain with my current setup and without looking up exact recipes I would assume I need about 20lbs or more.

Would I be able to mash 10lbs remove the bag and mash another 10lbs and get the same or similar efficiency to really up the gravity or would there be no or little conversion on the second mash?

I am thinking we may just need to do a partial mash or extract with steeping grains if not. But we thought it would be fun to extend brew day by another hour or so.

 

[RM-MN]

There should be no reason that the second addition of grain would not convert. You might lack a little on the efficiency as you will already have some sugars in the water and might not be able to get as much out of the second mash. A small sparge step on the second bag of grains might be worthwhile.

 

[BradleyBrew]

use a five gallon bucket and and wrap it up in a sleeping bag. You would need to boil off more water but thats not a probably for a barleywine as a lengthy boil is desirable for such a big beer. So mash 10 in the pot and 10 in a bucket.

 

[bobdozer]

I might try mashing in the bucket. Thanks

 

[chickens4life]

the double or reiterated mash is a technique that several other people have actually done be for, it is actually desirable especially for lighter colored big beers, as it also negates the need to boil for and extremely long time to concentrate the wort.

What I would do is start with your normal amount of water for the first mash, then sparge a small amount as suggested before on the second mash to compensate for grain absorption, that will also up your efficiency.

Personally I would also try to get a second running beer by dunk sparging both mashes in another container of water and then boiling that after. should be able to get a pretty good IPA wort out of the "spent" grains.

 

[mtnagel]

How about a 2.5 gal recipe

Or can't you mash half the grains and half the water in your 10 gal pot and then put it into some other container and mash the other half grains and half water in your pot and combine both of them to boil? Of course it will take you 1-2 hours longer, but I think I've heard of people doing that. Or buy another pot and bag.

 

[JoppaFarms]

Or can't you mash half the grains and half the water in your 10 gal pot and then put it into some other container and mash the other half grains and half water in your pot and combine both of them to boil? Of course it will take you 1-2 hours longer, but I think I've heard of people doing that. Or buy another pot and bag.

Wouldn't this just make 2x the volume of the same gravity beer? 1st Mash to get 5G of 1.050 beer. 2nd Mash to get 5G of 1.050 beer. Combine = 10G of 1.050 beer.

Of course, then you could boil off to concentrate the wort, but then you may end up with a darker-than-desired beer.

 

[mtnagel]

I meant that it would be 2.5 gal to get 1.100 beer and 2.5 gal to get 1.100 beer that you combine to make 5 gal of 1.100 beer.

 

[JoppaFarms]

I meant that it would be 2.5 gal to get 1.100 beer and 2.5 gal to get 1.100 beer that you combine to make 5 gal of 1.100 beer.

*slaps forehead* doh, my mistake.

 

[Bithead]

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