deadwolfbones
Well-Known Member
I'm a full-volume/no-sparge BIAB brewer. I use a Robobrew V3 (no pump).
I recently picked up a 5 gallon whiskey barrel, and I'm going to be making a big-ass pastry stout to fill it with—6 gallons total, estimated OG 1.120.
Since I'll never fit 24 lbs of grain in the Robobrew for a full-volume mash, my initial thought was to do two mashes in sequence and combine in the kettle before boiling. But that would take a long time.
Then I thought, I can ask someone at the brew club to borrow their kettle/bag and do two mashes concurrently and combine in the boil kettle (the Robobrew, in this case). I got someone to loan me their Blichmann 10g kettle and matching bag. Cool!
Then I realized that I could do the entire batch in the 10g kettle if I do a little less than full volume and do a dunk or pourover sparge. Say, 6 gal mash and 3 gal sparge.
I'm not sure which would be the best course of action. The first would take more time but keep me with equipment/processes I know and trust. The second would take less time, but involve using unfamiliar equipment. The third would take less time, but involve using unfamiliar processes.
Anyone have tips on how to proceed, considerations I might have missed, etc?
I recently picked up a 5 gallon whiskey barrel, and I'm going to be making a big-ass pastry stout to fill it with—6 gallons total, estimated OG 1.120.
Since I'll never fit 24 lbs of grain in the Robobrew for a full-volume mash, my initial thought was to do two mashes in sequence and combine in the kettle before boiling. But that would take a long time.
Then I thought, I can ask someone at the brew club to borrow their kettle/bag and do two mashes concurrently and combine in the boil kettle (the Robobrew, in this case). I got someone to loan me their Blichmann 10g kettle and matching bag. Cool!
Then I realized that I could do the entire batch in the 10g kettle if I do a little less than full volume and do a dunk or pourover sparge. Say, 6 gal mash and 3 gal sparge.
I'm not sure which would be the best course of action. The first would take more time but keep me with equipment/processes I know and trust. The second would take less time, but involve using unfamiliar equipment. The third would take less time, but involve using unfamiliar processes.
Anyone have tips on how to proceed, considerations I might have missed, etc?