Hello everyone,
This I my first question hoping I can get some clarification. I am interested on brewing higher gravity barlywines,double ipa, etc.. Beers over 1. 70-1.1000. After looking through forums the general answers are that people are using smaller kettles I.e 50L. And it's difficult to keep efficiency up, also not having room for the amount of grain and the water. Also people mention sparging, doing double or triple mashes with 1st and 2nd running as liquor.
My question is : will the problem off efficiency and surger extraction be solved by using a bigger kettle say 80L instead of 50L or will i run into the same problems ?
Hope everyone can help. By the way greetings from Pennsylvania USA. A new convert .
Post #2 made 14 years ago
Hello bellywasher, I really can't answer you question from experience because I don't make big beers.
My assumption would be that a larger pot with more liquor would help to maintain good extract efficiencies. However, having more liquor will also mean that you will need to boil longer to concentrate the sugars for the style of beer your trying to make. Is that a fair trade off?
The only time I made a Barley wine (1070), I made a 5 litre batch so it was nice and easy.
My assumption would be that a larger pot with more liquor would help to maintain good extract efficiencies. However, having more liquor will also mean that you will need to boil longer to concentrate the sugars for the style of beer your trying to make. Is that a fair trade off?
The only time I made a Barley wine (1070), I made a 5 litre batch so it was nice and easy.
"It's beer Jim, but not as we know it."
Post #3 made 14 years ago
Hi hashie thanks for the response. I'll give an example. I have never done biab just extract and steeping but I am researching the limitations of biab and getting a feeling for the equipment I would need and new brewing processe. I am looking at a American barleywine recipe in zymurgy.
2.7 kg Maris otter
5.4 kg u.s two row
454 g orange blossom honey
227 g caraVienne
227 g crystal 40
113 g crystal 60
57 g crystal 120
57 g special b
I am excluding hop Amts.
The OG is 1.109 @ 70% efficiency and the final gravity is 1.033 with a 90 minute mash at 67 deg C .
Would this be possible with biab for a 5 gallon batch with a 80 L kettle straight sided? Or would I have way to much wort that would be wasted ?
2.7 kg Maris otter
5.4 kg u.s two row
454 g orange blossom honey
227 g caraVienne
227 g crystal 40
113 g crystal 60
57 g crystal 120
57 g special b
I am excluding hop Amts.
The OG is 1.109 @ 70% efficiency and the final gravity is 1.033 with a 90 minute mash at 67 deg C .
Would this be possible with biab for a 5 gallon batch with a 80 L kettle straight sided? Or would I have way to much wort that would be wasted ?
Post #4 made 14 years ago
I say yes will be possible.
I've done a 12KG bill in a 50L pot to make 55L
Was not easy. An 80L pot would've made all the differnce
I've done a 12KG bill in a 50L pot to make 55L
Was not easy. An 80L pot would've made all the differnce
Fermenting: -
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III
5/7/12
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III
5/7/12
Post #5 made 14 years ago
I occasionally - very occasionally as I prefer to keep out of the psych ward - make an American Malt Liquor 8% ABV and BIAB handles it ok, however there are two points:
I use 600g of white sugar in the fermenter
I cereal mash a kilo of rice and a kilo of maize (polenta) and these grains are noted for virtually "disappearing" in the mash, so they get turned into fairly pure extract.
I wouldn't be all that confident in using say a 8 kilo all malt grain bill in my 40L urn, but to answer the OP, a bigger pot would help, and a two hour boil to concentrate the wort. Czech breweries do/did 2 hour boils all the time, didn't do any harm. My mate "Scruffy" at the Brisbane club makes 9% headbangers using all malt and BIAB and has a bigger pot, gas fired. However I believe the efficiency isn't too good.
I use 600g of white sugar in the fermenter
I cereal mash a kilo of rice and a kilo of maize (polenta) and these grains are noted for virtually "disappearing" in the mash, so they get turned into fairly pure extract.
I wouldn't be all that confident in using say a 8 kilo all malt grain bill in my 40L urn, but to answer the OP, a bigger pot would help, and a two hour boil to concentrate the wort. Czech breweries do/did 2 hour boils all the time, didn't do any harm. My mate "Scruffy" at the Brisbane club makes 9% headbangers using all malt and BIAB and has a bigger pot, gas fired. However I believe the efficiency isn't too good.
Post #6 made 14 years ago
FWIW, this one was easy by Maxi-BIAB. IIRC, it was actually 21L of 1.070 from a 19L pot, albeit helped along with some dextrose. If kettle volume is limited, by all means, go to a lower L:G ratio (i.e. less water, more grain), sparge to keep efficiency respectable and if necessary, post- boil dilution.
As an aside, the final bottle of that batch has been conditioning in the fridge for about three months, reckon when the weather cools off it will be quite a welcome treat.
However, I'm with Beachbum, too many of these could easily translate into admission to the psych ward!
As an aside, the final bottle of that batch has been conditioning in the fridge for about three months, reckon when the weather cools off it will be quite a welcome treat.
However, I'm with Beachbum, too many of these could easily translate into admission to the psych ward!
Last edited by Ralph on 17 Mar 2011, 07:06, edited 5 times in total.
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Post #7 made 14 years ago
Your expectations are to brew a big beer. If you want to brew in a near perfect BIAB manner then follow the advice from your friends here. If you just want to brew a big brew than anyway is fair game. Use your grain bill to get the flavors correct. Use a can of extract or dry malt extract to kick it up a notch. Table sugar as a last resort. The object here is a big beer. "All's is fair in love and beer"!
tap 1 Raspberry wine
tap 2 Bourbon Barrel Porter
tap 3 Czech Pilsner
tap 4 Triple IPA 11% ABV
Pipeline: Mulled Cider 10% ABV
http://cheesestradamus.com/ Brewers challenge!
tap 2 Bourbon Barrel Porter
tap 3 Czech Pilsner
tap 4 Triple IPA 11% ABV
Pipeline: Mulled Cider 10% ABV
http://cheesestradamus.com/ Brewers challenge!
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- SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From United States of America
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Post #8 made 14 years ago
I have a big 60 quart kettle that I mash in with 7-8 gallons of water. I generally come out a little short of the 5 gallon batches I shoot for, but I just pour boiled and cooled water on top to bring it to the desired level.
Anyway I have done this with beers with an OG of 1.045 up to over 1.100 and the efficiencies have been good. I was using a bag that was a little small for my pot and was getting like 70 percent but recently made a much bigger bag and got an OG of 85 percent. So I guess the conclusion is in my experience you can get plenty good results with big beers as long as your equipment is big enough
Anyway I have done this with beers with an OG of 1.045 up to over 1.100 and the efficiencies have been good. I was using a bag that was a little small for my pot and was getting like 70 percent but recently made a much bigger bag and got an OG of 85 percent. So I guess the conclusion is in my experience you can get plenty good results with big beers as long as your equipment is big enough
