6 replies to this topic

[shmgeggie]

Last weekend, I figured I'd brew an extract brew and an all grain brew in parallel with each other. I figured I'd be able to brew both beers in about the same amount of time it took me to brew one all grain batch. I started by steeping the grains and starting the water boiling for the extract batch. The plan was to have the extract batch cooled and in the fermenter by the time I needed a 2nd pan to heat sparge water for the all grain. It worked out pretty well at first. Got the extract boil going and started heating mash-in water about that time. Mashed-in and started heating mash-out water, then finished up the extract boil with hop additions, etc. Then I started cooling the extract batch. Before I added the mash-out water, I wanted to have sparge water close to ready, so I just let the mash sit until the extract batch was cooled. This was when I realized I had a problem. I do late extract additions and I had forgotten to add 1/2 of the extract. Fortunately, I hadn't added make-up water yet, so the problem was fixable. So, I finished up mashing and sparging the all grain batch, but after it had cooled, I still needed to fix the extract batch. I fixed it by heating about 1 gallon of water to 180+, then adding the extract, making sure it was heated to pastuerization temp (170), then cooling and adding it to the fermenter.So, because of my mistake, it really didn't save me much time by doing 2 at once. It would not have been very different for me to do them in series. Probably took me over 5 hours. The nice thing is that I was busy the entire time. There was really no waiting for anything. Forgetting the late extract addition was probably a result of doing too many things at once but I'm also probably capable of making that mistake without an excuse. I may try this again but I'm not sure. It's been a while since I've done extract without at least a partial mash, so I'm curious how this will turn out.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Last weekend, I figured I'd brew an extract brew and an all grain brew in parallel with each other. I figured I'd be able to brew both beers in about the same amount of time it took me to brew one all grain batch. I started by steeping the grains and starting the water boiling for the extract batch. The plan was to have the extract batch cooled and in the fermenter by the time I needed a 2nd pan to heat sparge water for the all grain. It worked out pretty well at first. Got the extract boil going and started heating mash-in water about that time. Mashed-in and started heating mash-out water, then finished up the extract boil with hop additions, etc. Then I started cooling the extract batch. Before I added the mash-out water, I wanted to have sparge water close to ready, so I just let the mash sit until the extract batch was cooled. This was when I realized I had a problem. I do late extract additions and I had forgotten to add 1/2 of the extract. Fortunately, I hadn't added make-up water yet, so the problem was fixable. So, I finished up mashing and sparging the all grain batch, but after it had cooled, I still needed to fix the extract batch. I fixed it by heating about 1 gallon of water to 180+, then adding the extract, making sure it was heated to pastuerization temp (170), then cooling and adding it to the fermenter.So, because of my mistake, it really didn't save me much time by doing 2 at once. It would not have been very different for me to do them in series. Probably took me over 5 hours. The nice thing is that I was busy the entire time. There was really no waiting for anything. Forgetting the late extract addition was probably a result of doing too many things at once but I'm also probably capable of making that mistake without an excuse. I may try this again but I'm not sure. It's been a while since I've done extract without at least a partial mash, so I'm curious how this will turn out.

Takes me 5 hours just to do an AG batch. I think I'm too anal about my mash temps...

[wertydc]

Forgetting the late extract addition was probably a result of doing too many things at once....

I almost always do multiple batches simultaneously. Sometimes with a helper and sometimers,less often, on my own. I have found that having multiple timers with alarms around is mandatory to remind me about water additioins, hop additions, etc. I have a few old Timex Ironman watches with timers on them, set the timer, and put the watch by the kettle or hops that are on deck.

[CaptRon]

I did two all grain batches last weekend. I was so busy running around trying to keep things going I forgot that I had my 7 gallon pot filling up in the kitchen. Now I need a new kitchen floor. SWMBO took it surprisingly well, although I think she was kind of relieved that we are being forced to kind of re-do our kitchen because we hate it. She still could have had my nutz in a jar though and I couldn't really say anything about it. haha

[shmgeggie]

I almost always do multiple batches simultaneously. Sometimes with a helper and sometimers,less often, on my own. I have found that having multiple timers with alarms around is mandatory to remind me about water additioins, hop additions, etc. I have a few old Timex Ironman watches with timers on them, set the timer, and put the watch by the kettle or hops that are on deck.

That's a good idea. I usually have my laptop out when I'm brewing. I could just run a timer app on my laptop to set multiple alarms. I can also set alarms on my phone.

[wertydc]

At one time, on the other board, someone posted a little Windows timer app that was pretty handy. If anybody here remembers it, maybe you can resurrect the thread or link to a download site. I will try to find it later this evening.

[ColdAssHonky]

At one time, on the other board, someone posted a little Windows timer app that was pretty handy. If anybody here remembers it, maybe you can resurrect the thread or link to a download site. I will try to find it later this evening.

BreweryTimer