Ideas on how to divide a large batch?
GregK
10-gallon. One challenge (this seems rather silly) is dividing it
equally into two fermentation vessels. E.g., I might want to dry hop
one and not the other, or use a different yeast in one.
Obviously it would be great if I knew the exact volume of my wort
after I've cooled it, could divide that in half, and then siphon that
amount into each vessel. Sounds nice, but practically speaking it's
not that easy. First, I don't know the exact volume of my wort, and
second, my fermentation vessels are not that precisely marked. (I do
have 1-gallon increments on them.)
So I'm imagining using a Y-shaped siphon so that I can siphon into
each vessel at the same time. (IOW, the end with a single hose would
go in the "source" and the two ends on the other side would go into
each fermentation vessel.)
Any comments? Has anybody tried something like this?
Thanks,
Greg
Ben Crowell
out exactly even?
If it does, you could fill each one most of the way,
then switch back and forth as needed in order to top
them off to equal depth.
GregK
would in some cases. E.g., if I wanted to dry hop with two different
varieties. I would want any difference between the batches to be a
result of the hops themselves and not the ratio of hops to volume of
wort.
Switching back and forth with a siphon is a possibility -- so long as
I had a hose clamp to shut off and re-start the flow when I wanted.
On Mar 12, 11:30 am, Ben Crowell
Ecnerwal
Sounds overly complicated, and probably won't divide evenly anyway.
Easy - siphon into one, siphon into the other, siphon between them as
needed to adjust. If you stop the siphon while it's still full of liquid
at the end of the brewpot going into the second fermenter, all you need
to do is drop the brewpot end into the first fermenter and the levels
will (slowly) adjust if the fermenters are at the same level.
Or you can underfill the first fermenter, then swap back and forth as
you near the end of the brewpot to fill both more or less evenly. If
there's a quart more in one than the other, does it matter that much to
you?
Nearly as easy - calibrate your spoon (the big one for stirring the
brewpot) and then you will know how much you have in the brewpot to
start with. If you can't read between 1 gallon increments, add
half-gallons or quarts to the markings.
--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by
Joel
I would do that anyway, since no matter how well I whirlpool
I always get more trub in the fermenter toward the end of the
process. Having all the extra trub in one fermenter may well
change the fermentation between carboys.
--
Joel Plutchak
"New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed, without any
other reason but because they are not already common." - John Locke
hophead
33g2000yqj.googlegroups.com>, gkre...@gmail.com says...
> I almost always make 5 gallon batches, but a couple times I've tried
> 10-gallon. One challenge (this seems rather silly) is dividing it
> equally into two fermentation vessels. E.g., I might want to dry hop
> one and not the other, or use a different yeast in one.
I brew 10 gallon batches that I split between two fermenters. I've been
doing it that way for years.
I don't do anything very complicated, I just run the wort through my CF
chiller and into the fermenters in sequence, just eyeballing the volume
level. It really *doesn't* matter if they're identical, but I can come
pretty close by underfilling the first one, moving on to the second,
then switching back and forth a bit if I feel like getting them close.
Normally I don't bother, and one will have a couple of litres more than
the other: I can't imaging any circumstances where that's a problem.
It's a nice system because I normally use two different yeasts and get a
chance to directly compare how they perform.
GregK
John Bleichert
I do it similarly thoough I rack from my kettle after using an
immersion chiller. One great idea I got from the interwebs years ago
was to put duct tape up the side of my glass fermenters and use a
graduated gallon pitcher (from your local restaurant supply shop) to
"mark" the gallon locations on the carboys. That way you know when
you're near 5 gallons.
For what it's worth, if I want the 2 batches to be the "same" I blend
them in secondary.
Good luck!
JB
--
-----------------------------------------------
The heat from below can burn your eyes out!!
Scott
>
> I do it similarly thoough I rack from my kettle after using an
> immersion chiller. One great idea I got from the interwebs years ago
> was to put duct tape up the side of my glass fermenters and use a
> graduated gallon pitcher (from your local restaurant supply shop) to
> "mark" the gallon locations on the carboys. That way you know when
> you're near 5 gallons.
>
> For what it's worth, if I want the 2 batches to be the "same" I blend
> them in secondary.
>
> Good luck!
>
> JB
>
Here is how I marked my carboys permanently...worked very nice...
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/marking-your-carboy-63174/
Scott
John Bleichert
<snip>
> Here is how I marked my carboys permanently...worked very nice...
> http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/marking-your-carboy-63174/
>
> Scott
Sa-weet - thanks for the link - that's a great idea.
Scott
> On 2010-03-13, Scott <acepilo...@bloomer.net> wrote:
> <snip>
>> Here is how I marked my carboys permanently...worked very nice...
>> http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/marking-your-carboy-63174/
>>
>> Scott
>
> Sa-weet - thanks for the link - that's a great idea.
>
Looks cool to boot :)
I used some 1/4" wide masking tape to make the graduations (I used 1/2
gallon increments) and bought some of those stick-on numbers that you
buy at the hardware store. Some advice for the etchant...be fairly
liberal in applying it...don't try to spread it too thin...about 1/32"
to 1/16" deep is fine...otherwise you can end up with some unetched or
"under-etched" patches or "brush marks"...
The etchant isn't exactly cheap, but the 10 Oz. bottle should do several
carboys, depending on how big you make the etched area, so maybe you
could do carboys for club members or friends for a couple bucks each to
help pay for the stuff. Great "hands on" for a club meeting. I bought
my bottle at a local craft shop. :)
Scott
jkrehbielp
If the two fermentation vessels are identical, set up a siphon between
them. As long as they are sitting at the same level, the surface of
the liquid will stay even.
Of course this won't work if one is narrower than the other.