roboscot wrote:Yeah mate, the more details the better, I cleaned Gympie library out of homebrew books on Wednesday!
1. I use a 28L esky converted to a mash tun.
2. I collect about 28l of wort after sparging into a 28L fermentor.
3 Drain 14l into the 19L ($19 Big W pot) and do a full boil with 1/2 of the recipie's hops on a three ring burner or BBQ side burner.
4. I heat up most of the other 14L in two smaller pots inside ready to go.
5. I whirlpool and then siphon the first 10/11l(after boil) into a 30l fermentor and place in the bath tubto chill.
6. I wash the 19l pot and then add the other heated 14l of wort and do a second boil, add hops and then drain into the re rinced and sterilised 30l fermentor.
7 I add a 2l boiled/filtered frozen ice block of ice into the fermentor to bring the volume to 22-23l.
8 Replace bath water and add new cool water and ice packs to bring to 20C.
9 I then place it in the red tub and ferment.
Sounds like a lot of work with the two boils, but once you get the routine sorted, it's not so bad. I can now drop the kids at swimming, do a full grocery shop and mow the lawn in between steps. However, I still can't wait to plumb my keggle to remove the two 60min or two 90min boils(plus the double cooling). I still enjoy it way more than any K&K for taste and enjoyment of making.
With the additional cooling time without a dedicated chiller, I've also had to delay the hop schedule 1/2 way between AG and no chill as the first beers were obviously a little too bitter, but still very drinkable.
Cheers
Hirns