OK, so I have used two different methods when it comes to brewing a parti-gyle. One, is the simple first runnings for one beer, second runnings for another beer (done this a couple times). The other was the last one I did where I actually blended first and second to reach the gravities I wanted (1.075 & 1.050), using an inaccurate refractometer. In my lack of sleep last night the thought came to my head to do an Imperial Pilsner/Blonde Ale parti-gyle where the mash will be treated as a 5 gallon no sparge. Based on my recipe (100% Pilsner malt), I would need about 9.5 gallons of water to collect about 6.5 gallons. Now I am only collecting 4 gallons for the pilsner (2.5 gallon batch to be bottled). The other 2.5 gallons would remain in the tun and I may cap it with some carapils (30 more minutes), then I would sparge as normal for 5 gallons of a blonde ale. Knowledge for me is that my one no sparge beer (Ordinary Bitter) was a much lower gravity beer and I got 65% efficiency, so I am going to use a 60% efficiency as my target on the first beer. With sparging on the second beer I am going to use an assumed 70% efficiency. Ideas on this process?
It sounds like you got it down. I pretty much exclusively partigyle. I've done about every combination and capping you can think of. I've even done a stout/PA gyle where the first runnings was the stout, figure that one out. To ensure you get the gravity you want from the first runnings I would either fly sparge or use less water for the first batch sparge. I would only add enough water to get the first gyle at 4 gal and then add more water and cap for the second. Could you post your imperial pilsner recipe? I've been playing around with one. Brewed it a few times but now with adjustments its more like a double pilsner. I'd like to compare notes
A stout PA would work if you just keep the specialty grains away from the mash. I'd threaten to steep them in the first runnings and call it good enough. Maybe a paint bag in the mash and pull it out before fresh sparge water. There are soo many possibilities with partigyles.
As I understand it you're basically blending your first and second runnings to make the second beer but rather than blending two separate vessels of runnings you're just leaving behind part of the first runnings and then dumping it with additional sparge water. It wasn't clear whether you plan on dumping the latter half of the first runnings before adding the sparge water. I think you will get better efficiency completely draining the remainder of the first runnings before sparging. That might have been your plan already. Otherwise, the plan seems ok but I would test the gravity of the first runnings you get for the bitter before cutting off the flow and capping the mash. Your first, first runnings might be of a higher or lower gravity than the other portion left behind. I've never tested the change in gravity midway through draining off runnings but that's something I would consider. Good luck
I feel as if just doing the first four gallons as the mash would result in a gravity higher than what I am aiming for, hence the additional mash water to try and get as close as I can to my target gravity (1.075). I could blend also, but thought I might try a new process. The initial recipe I am working with: 1.075 OG, 1.016 FG, 70 IBU 100% pilsner malt Belma to about 50 IBU 2 oz Czech Saaz (5 minutes) 2 oz Hersbrucker (whirlpool) 2 oz Czech Saaz (dry hop) WLP802 Yes, the process you explained is basically what I am thinking of. I was thinking of keeping the latter of the first runnings in the mash tun and capping at that point, and maybe adding a bit more water to get the temp up if needed (and treating that as a basic mash). Then batch sparge as normal. Gravity is taken often whenever I do parti-gyle brewing. I have a crappy cheap inaccurate refractometer, but it usually gives me a good enough idea of what I am working with.
