How do we better exploit our equipment

You can also split the batch to an even 3.25 gallons each in 2- 5 gallon BBs. No reason why primary has to have the beer up to the neck like bulk aging. If you are making a Barleywine, then you would want to transfer them to a single 5 gallon and a 1 gallon after primary is finished, but for a Pale Ale, Stout, Amber, IPA, etc, anything that is only fermenting for a week or 2 and then dropping clear before packaging, no reason why you have to split them into uneven amounts and try to get the fermenter as full as possible.

EDIT: Splitting them evenly also makes it easier to pitch the yeast, make a 2L starter and split it in half.

 

I try to use my equipment to it's full capacity, but I don't consider this "exploiting," just fully utilizing. Semantics tho, irrelevant to the point.

I've had a few batches where I got considerably less than what I should have, but I have learned how to overcome those problems by maximizing yield per brewing volume. For instance, The boil pot can only go so high before boil-overs are a near certainty. However, if you know where that maximum capacity line is, you'll get the most for your grains without boiling over.

adding a bit more water to the pre-brewing equation for extra-hoppy beers is another way to ensure max yield. True, you may have to adjust your grains too if you use more water to make up for hop absorption, but an extra fidy cents worth of grain is certainly worth another 2-3 bombers of finished beer.

Basically, know your system, and tweak it out along the way.

 

I thought this was going to be about getting multiple uses out of our equipment. My kettle does a great job holding a bunch of glass jars for canning fruits and vegetables from the garden, and the propane burner keeps the excessive heat outside when we do strawberries and blueberries in the summer.

And I don't even start the smoker before i have my Thermapen handy.

But as for brewing slightly larger batches, I use the plastic buckets to ferment and routinely net 6 gallons if I add a little grain and sparge a little more. No problems with adding a gallon or so.

 

Only an issue for secondary...or if you plan on leaving the beer in primary for a few months.

 

Not sure if this is along the lines you were thinking, but I get more use out of my equipment by using it to make soda for the family. I have made a lemon/lime and a ginger ale from fresh ingredients. Taste is very good, it uses much less sugar, and has no artificial ingredients. Added bonus, the family likes it and it has become an enjoyable activity for the whole family. Up next, an all natural root beer from scratch. I have 2 kegs that are dedicated to soda, so there is almost always one on.

 

My understanding is that this is only an issue when you are aging for some period of time beyond primary fermentation. During primary the yeast are creating tons of CO2 which is constantly blowing off and filling the head space, all Oxygen is pushed out. Once the fermentation is done and you start swirling the carboy or pulling samples you are allowing O2 into that massive head space. If you plan on fermenting for 2-3 weeks, leaving it alone, then kegging, there shouldn't be a problem. If you are going to taste it after 1 week every few days then it probably won't work. If you are doing a Barleywine, and tossing in oak chips after primary is done and bulk aging it in primary for a month, then this won't work well either (just transfer both into one).

 

I exploit my equipment with partigyle batches and/or making larger batches by doing a larger mash in my boil kettle (w/ false bottom of course) then running off into my regular MLT + HLT where I boil in both at the same time. It's given me the option to increase my typical 11.25g batch size to 16.50g for most gravities without much effort.

 

Combine the pre-boil and post boil hydro-samples with a a small volume from a third (batch) sparge to make a quart or two of wort for liquid yeast starters.

Never buy DME again!

 

^^^I do this and cook down the third running so that it takes up less freezer space. I put this on the sove during the main kettle boil and double up on my time. I add water to thin it to 1.040 when I'm making my starter.

 

Thank you for the kind words. Just be very mindful of all the volumes you will need in every pot at every stage. Think it all through in advance and make sure you can pull it off. Use this link to help determine if you have enough space for your grain and water in a single kettle...

Click the link and scroll down to the "Can I mash it" calculator....

http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml

You will need to be extra mindful of the following volumes:
Can I fit all the sparge water I need into my HLT
Can I fit all the grain + all the strike water in my boil kettle
Can I fit all the wet grain (after collecting the 1st runnings) + all the sparge water in my boil kettle
Will my HLT and "normal" MLT have enough head space (after filled with runnings) to avoid boil overs when I boil in them? Fermcap is a wonderful product and will really help you with this one.

Ultimately my 3 kettle system (15g HLT, 15g MLT, and 20g BK) gets used as follows:

While mashing (in my "normal" boil kettle) I heat up my sparge water (in my HLT)
Then I collect my first runnings in my "normal" MLT and start heating it up to a boil
Then I add my sparge water to the grain in my "normal" Boil Kettle
Then I collect my 2nd runnings in my HLTand start heating them up

Now if doing a partigyle batch, just proceed to prepare each batch separately.

If doing one big batch, you will have to mix the runnings that are now in your HLT and your "normal" MLT

I do so with use of 2 pumps

After they are "mixed" thoroughly and distributed evenly amongst your HLT and your "normal" MLT, boil them at the
same time, prepare them in the same way, etc.

 

Having three identical sized kettles means you would be limited to low / mid gravity beers if you used this method to try to produce bigger batches. But I think it could be done on your system despite only having two burners. If you insist on keeping your mash tun on a burner, you would then need to move your mash tun off the burner after you collect your second runnings and then move the kettle with the second runnings onto your now empty burner for boiling. Might be worth it to instead build an insulated mash jacket for your mash tun so it doesn't need to be placed on a burner. You could also convert an igloo cooler into a MLT and use that since it will retain the mash temperature very well compared to metal pots.

 

By getting by with a minimalist approach...and spending the savings on quality ingredients : )

 

I came to the same conclusion a few years ago after buying a house and getting kicked outside on brewday - but instead of 30% more beer for just a little more effort, I went with the 100% more beer option. ;-)

 

I personally do 10 gallons at a time, regardless. I will mash big and do a partigyle for a large beer and small beer. I will mash big and run off enough for 10 gallons then split the boils, or boil as one batch and split the fermenters. I've done Wee Heavy and 80-, Wee Heavy and Bitter, IMP Stout and Orange Cinnamon Stout, Bavarian Hefe and Pineapple Wheat IPA and sour mashed Belriner, Wit Bier and Gumball Head Clone, IPA and Black IPA, Imperial Red IPA and Oud Bruin (steeping grains), a White ISA and a Brett B Wheat ISA, German Pils and Saison (lagered one, high temp on the other). Brewing up a split ferment Flanders Red on Columbus day, 7.5 gallons @ 1.081, 4.5 staying 1.081, the other getting 3 gallons plus 1 gallon of water to 4.5 gallons @ 1.056. Should have a nice 10% Imperial Flanders Red (think Dissident) and a standard one @ 6%. I figure I can get twice the volume of beer for minimally more effort.