High Gravity Brewing with Easy All-Grain Batch Sparge Method -Pt 1 of 2

[KSULynch]

Love how you involve the kids (not joking). You seem like a great Dad!

[donosborn]

@KSULynch Thanks!  I try. I get impatient like many people but yeah, they need to learn about beer and brewing and respect and appreciation and all that. :) cheers.

[mlschott]

@donosborn Amen! Also, I essentially do the same process with great success.

[DevonHomeBrew]

can i make a small beer from a third sparge a small beer is a 2 abv ale that i used to drink coz my grandad used to make it and i is better for u than water lol

[donosborn]

@DevonHomeBrew You probably could, provided there is enough sugar in the grain. If you were starting with a lot of grain to begin with, that should work.

[DevonHomeBrew]

@donosborn ive found problems with my mash tun it isnt made from a cooler but a water container that i have insulated with a camping roll mat and i lost 5 degrees in an hour what should i do coz i dont want to spend lots of money on a large cooler

[donosborn]

@DevonHomeBrew Use more blankets around it? I don't know man. A cooler can cost $20-25 on sale I think. Might just have to bite the bullet. :)

[DevonHomeBrew]

@donosborn i had an idea of just putting some more hot water to heat it back up to the 69 degrees c. im british so i dont work in f. and i will put more blankets around it maybe even a dovet or 2

[emlerron]

Used the batch sparge method that you use and really enjoy the simplicity of it.

Your videos are extremely helpful, informative and well made. After researching hundreds of brewing vids the simplicity of this method is very refreshing!...thanks!

[drawdy10]

So did you just pitch straight into the fermenter after siphoning off your table bier or did you do your yeast harvesting method by adding the water, cooling till it separates and decanting, then do a starter off of that or just put it straight in after you warm it up? I'm doing a 1.090 IPA this weekend and have a cream ale that is in primary and am planing on reusing that yeast so i was trying to decide what to do.

[donosborn]

@drawdy10 I sort of did a combination of both. I did collect the yeast out of the Table Bier primary into a glass growler. But I did not wash it or let it settle. I dumped off the water/beer that was on top, but then just dumped the whole thing into this Belgian IPA. Search for my video on YT called "One way you can Harvest Yeast for homebrewing" to see the method I used this time. Good luck with your 1.090 IPA. That will be a monster. cheers.

[drawdy10]

@donosborn Wow my efficiency this time was thru the roof. I had 19 lbs of grain and gathered about 8-9 gallons boiled in 3 pots for about 60 mins until it would all fit into my turkey fryer. Did the 60 min boil with hop additions and came out with a 1.100 OG. Took a hydrometer reading yesterday and it was down to 1.027 after 2.5 days. Tasted so delicious and hoppy..... Can't wait for this one to get done....Thanks for another killer video.

[donosborn]

@drawdy10 That is a huge gravity, esp for that amt of grain. You did a good job of collecting extra wort and condensing it down. It does take extra time (and propane) but you can get a high OG doing it this way. Cheers.

[NWXpress]

What thermometer are you using? Another excellent video too!

[donosborn]

@NWXpress It is called ProAccurate Digital Thermometer and it was about $19 from Northern Brewer. Cheers and thanks.

[JoshTheProfit]

Thanks for the link on making the mash tun. I'm ordering the parts needed now :-)

[JoshTheProfit]

Hey Don,

I'm looking at buying an all grain system, but I'd rather build myself if possible...do you have a video or instructions or a parts list for building your mash tun?

[donosborn]

@JoshTheProfit Yes I have it on my website. donosborn (dot) com. I can send you a link to the specific page.

[MrStrangebrewer]

what kind of grain mill do you have? looks like a good crush.

[donosborn]

@MrStrangebrewer Barley Crusher. cost me about $125 new. I just left it at the default gap setting and it crushes very well at that gap. cheers.

[TheYeast00whisperer]

Hi Don, Great video, good info and to the point, like it always is - great job.

Being european ( not german though ) i need to make one small correction, the word "Vorlauf" is not pronounced like that, the " v " in there is pronounced as an " F ", so its " forlauf "

;-) But hey, if thats the only thing that needs correcting, then you know you are doing shit right...brew on dude

[donosborn]

@TheYeast00whisperer This is a revelation! Out of all the brewers I have heard say that word I have never heard them say it that way. (even though some of them can't even seem to say "wort" correctly). Thanks for the tip. It might be hard to start saying it that way though, ha. Thanks for the comment.

[HarleyBeerLover]

A great vid! The double sparging at the temp. you recommened along with starting the mash at 1.25 qt / lb of grain is definetly the way to increase your efficiency. I started doing this after I seen BobbyFromNJ video

Thinking about getting a refractometer. Is it just as accurate as the hydrometer. I know with hydrometer I have to go to beersmith to adjust for temperture which is a pain when I am brewing.

Cheers!

[donosborn]

@HarleyBeerLover It is accurate but you need to convert to specific gravity by multiplying by 4. So 10 brix is about 1.040. 15 brix is about 1.060, etc. A few drops cool off "instantly" to ambient room temp. However, after there is alcohol present, refractometers do not work like hyrdometers. There needs to be a conversion done. I usaully use a hyrdomter at that point. But you can find a website to do the conversion if you want to use a refractometer. I mostly like it for brew day.

[xxparsley]

Love the shirt.The new fridge is looking good too. @ 0:28 seconds you say "getting higher". You gave me the confidence to do all grain too. Love the mash tun @ 2:44. Your employer is going to give to you a UA if you keep making videos honoring April 20th. Love these videos Don. The brewing, and all beer related videos is why I even subscribed to this channel a couple years ago. I could care less about rolling cigs. Thumbs up for sparge.

[donosborn]

@xxparsley You're funny. Glad to have you on board and making comments. Surrender to the Phlow. ;) cheers.

[HokieHomeBrew]

How do you know how much pre-boil volume you have in that kettle? Do you have marking on the inside of it?

[HokieHomeBrew]

@HokieHomeBrew OK literally after I posted that I saw your calibrated rod you use..nevermind

[donosborn]

@HokieHomeBrew  If you can see that stick I use (wood dowell) I have notches on it. And the silver pots have qt markings in 4 qt increments so that helps with those.

[HokieHomeBrew]

are those perlick taps?

[donosborn]

@HokieHomeBrew Yes they are. I got a greal deal (about half price) so I splurged on the good stuff.

[brewyourown4life]

great vids, part 1 and 2. looks like your mill is a barley crusher, just wondering if you adjusted your mill setting or left it at factory. hope to be doing my first all grain real soon.

[donosborn]

@brewyourown4life yes still at factory settings. I would not want it any narrower (to grind finer) I don't think!

[Tsalts]

Thanks for the info. I'll take this video into consideration for my next brew.

Like the background music btw.

[sjporr]

Nice video, very similar to the same way I do it. Looking forward to part 2

[scjdeke2]

Dead, dry cookie!

[scjdeke2]

Another informative & fun vid, Don. (Hope the snowy morning didn't dampen your four-two-zero.) If you're ever in the NW burbs this summer, gimme a PM & stop on over for a pint or two!

[kickpunchlove]

Thanks, Don! I'm one of the brewers you convinced to go AG, and I love it! It really DOES taste better. I've been getting terrible efficiency though, and after seeing your crush in this vid, I'm sure that's my issue.

Thanks again and happy 420 to you, too!

[CFHpantera]

Dude, you are the best! Upload more brewing videos. They are very entertaining! Thanks for the great tips! I'm looking forward to part 2.