Brewed our first parti-gyle batch over the weekend; much fun, a bit hectic managing 2 simultaneous boils, but worth the trouble! Much nicer to have higher efficiency both with grain extraction and with time invested! Took about 6hrs vs. our typical 4hrs for a 10gal batch. Main constraint now is the chiller time; still have just a tube chiller, takes about 30min to cool 10gal down from boil. We'd need to either add a second pre-iced chiller loop, or go for a plate chiller.
However, I don't expect we'll be doing a lot of parti-gyle, so not too worried about chasing that right now.
So we mashed in 33lbs, mostly 2-row, aiming to make an Imperial IPA and a sort of Pale Ale (with peppers and ginger). First 1/3rd came in great, 6 gal at over 22 Plato (over target), second 2/3rds was a touch weak (11.5gal at around 8 Plato IIRD), and had to cut it short just before reaching our 12gal target due to running out of liquid - grain was starting to run out in bulk!
It did run wonderfully clear during the sparge, I must say (photo)...
So we'd aim to mash a bit more hot liquor next time...
So to compensate the weak 10gal batch, we blended a bit of the 5gal back in, got back on target back up to 10 Plato pre-boil, still had a good 22 Plato in the 5-gal for the Imperial, still above target.
Then back up to boil; got a bit hectic trying to stay on top of the hopping at the end, with the two batches going, as mentioned, but it'll definitely be beer! Hopped mostly with Cascase and Centennial, but also Warrior, Columbus and a bit of Citra in the IIPA as well...
Finally, a group photo of most of our beer in-process... the two 5.5's of Pale Ale in front, the Imperial IPA in the back on the left, then a Vanilla Bourbon Porter (BIAB kit), and our Magnitude 3.1 F-up back right (now getting a hickory bourbon infusion)... (not shown, a 5-gal keg of Vanilla Porter, no bourbon, in secondary).
Busy day, 30 gal of beer now on the hoof awaiting its turn on-tap... a good day's work!
However, I don't expect we'll be doing a lot of parti-gyle, so not too worried about chasing that right now.
So we mashed in 33lbs, mostly 2-row, aiming to make an Imperial IPA and a sort of Pale Ale (with peppers and ginger). First 1/3rd came in great, 6 gal at over 22 Plato (over target), second 2/3rds was a touch weak (11.5gal at around 8 Plato IIRD), and had to cut it short just before reaching our 12gal target due to running out of liquid - grain was starting to run out in bulk!
It did run wonderfully clear during the sparge, I must say (photo)...
So we'd aim to mash a bit more hot liquor next time...
So to compensate the weak 10gal batch, we blended a bit of the 5gal back in, got back on target back up to 10 Plato pre-boil, still had a good 22 Plato in the 5-gal for the Imperial, still above target.
Then back up to boil; got a bit hectic trying to stay on top of the hopping at the end, with the two batches going, as mentioned, but it'll definitely be beer! Hopped mostly with Cascase and Centennial, but also Warrior, Columbus and a bit of Citra in the IIPA as well...
Finally, a group photo of most of our beer in-process... the two 5.5's of Pale Ale in front, the Imperial IPA in the back on the left, then a Vanilla Bourbon Porter (BIAB kit), and our Magnitude 3.1 F-up back right (now getting a hickory bourbon infusion)... (not shown, a 5-gal keg of Vanilla Porter, no bourbon, in secondary).
Busy day, 30 gal of beer now on the hoof awaiting its turn on-tap... a good day's work!
