I might be stuck inside brewing again on Monday. Brewday takes longer, so I may as well get what I want out of the day. Here's my thought: I want to make a Germanesque Lager and I want to make a Cream Ale out of the same mash. I'll split the boils and I'll split fermenters with 2 different yeasts. All I'd need to do is draw out the first runnings and back them down with water to get my German lager. I can then add my flaked corn and rice into the mash tun to get conversion and draw a second runnings for the Cream Ale. Typically when I parti-gyle I'm just adding preconverted grains. I don't know enough about Diastatic Power (DP) to know if there's enough to convert a few pounds of flaked malt after I pull the first runnings. I'm aware that this will take another 45-60 minutes and wonder if I need to add more base malt as well. Thoughts? I might blend some German pils with some Am 2 row and a touch of low crystal for the grainbill. I'll hop with Tettnanger.
Hmmm. A lot (probably most, depending on your initial mash thickness) of the enzymes are going to be in your first runnings and therefore not available to the second mash. Are you planning to add more water for the second mash? If not, it's going to be very thick...maybe too thick. Also, you'll be racing against the clock. All mashes do, but it's usually not a close race. In your case, you'll be counting on a relatively small amount of enzymes to finish the second mash before they denature. I think I would not let the first mash go too long before starting the second. But really, I dunno.
What would happen if I don't do a mash out on the first or second runnings and I do a BIAB kind of thing for the second runnings? I'll steep/mash the flaked malts in 6 gal of second runnings at 152F? Heh. Seems like I'm spending an awful lot of energy trying to be lazy.
Just a thought, mash it all together and boil together, and then ferment different to get a CAP and Cream Ale? You can also do a separate mini mash of the flaked and add to one kettle.
I have a few small 4 quart coolers that I use to conduct side mashes in cases like this. If you have the equipment and an extra 8-16 oz of 2-row or pils, add it with your adjuncts to the side mash tun along with 2 quarts of strike water. After you drain your first runnings, add your side mash to the main mash. I batch sparge, so I would add the sparge water a at this time, too.
Get another copper and do two boils, not much more extra time then even if you blend the worts to make three or four beers
Spending extra time for something I don't want. Plus, there is no party. I thought there would be a party going on.
Upon reflection, I see your points. Parties are over-rated. There are usually people there. Who needs 'em? They distract you. Before you know it, you missed a hop addition or your kettle has boiled over. I've only done parti-gyle-like brewing a few times, and I agree about the extra time. 2x as much starter to make, 2 boils to monitor instead of one, 2x as much stuff to sanitize, 2x as many transfers, 2x as much cooling, etc. The first time I did it, I was so tired when I was finishing up that I pitched both my starters in the same wort. WLP001 and WLP530. It wasn't a bad beer. But that other one that didn't get any yeast, that kind of sucked I know a lot of people try to knock out 2 beers in one day, but it's not for me.
I think most people who attempt parti-gyle are doing it wrong (my opinion only). It doesn't need to be a combination of a really big beer and a watery mess. Blending the runnings pre-boil can solve what I think is your main issue with the technique. I have yet to attempt one myself (that's about to change), but I see it as a way to double output with incremental input. I've considered doubling my batch sizing but I don't want to lose the variety that I have with my current batch sizing. For the OP, have you considering trying a mini stovetop mash and using that to cap?
This is another reason why parti-gyle sounds unappealing after I realized there would be no party. My favorite ABV is 7%. A typical parti-gyle would be something like a 9% and a 4.5% beer. So I have to compromise twice in a row. Of course, DME can be added to the weak batch. The only double brew day I have ever considered is two different grain bills made on the same day with two kettles. Then I remind myself I don't need that much beer. Then I consider there are maybe two times a year where this would be a worthwhile endeavor. Then I determine I ain't buying another kettle setup for twice a year. And so it goes...
Drunk post recipe and F/U Follow-up Recipe for 10 gal of beer: 19# German pils malt 2# Munich malt 1# Aromatic malt .5# Naked Oats ground with a coffee grinder (I've had lots of luck grinding a handful of rice in my coffee grinder to try to get the cumin scent out of there. Maybe instant potatoes next time). Mash @ 150F for 60 min. I did a no-sparge. I finished my mash and peaked out my 60qt mash tun with hot water. I had to gently add a gallon of water as the runnings drained. Just too much for my blue rectangle cooler. I pulled 2.5 gal of ~13 brix 1.052 wort aside. I did not do a mash out on this wort. I added 1# flaked rice and 1# of flaked corn into a paint straining bag and then into the 2.5 gal of wort. It sat in my preheated stove for 20 min before I did a conversion check. Not yet. After 45 min the iodine test came out bronze. Sweet success. I converted flaked malt with drawn out wort and didn't need to mess with the mash tun anymore. I later added my 2.5 gal of rice corn wort to the remaining wort from the mash to do my second 5 gal batch. <---- Makes sense in my head anyway. Hops-25 IBU with Tettnanger over 90 minutes. Two 5 gal batches indoors. Long brew day. I think it took about 6 1/2 hours on the stove elements. I hope you learned something from this. I did. Even though the efficiency probably suffered a little by using a bag and a small stock pot, this would be a good way to make another flavored wort for a second batch or potential blending. This would come in especially handy when you are maxing out your mash tun and you have an extra stock pot in the kitchen.
