After reviewing many episodes of Brewing TV and some Don Osborn…seeing how many people just don’t sweat the small stuff, I decided I would try out some care free techniques that apparently save a little time as well.
I did another no sparge + no vourlaff batch, came within 2 pts of my target and finished the brew day in 4 1/2 hours. Thats from lights on to lights off everything put away and clean. But it’s also a relaxing stress free no rush brew.
I encourage you all to do a no sparge and skip vourlaff just for fun brew. :cheers:
Jeremy King states he never vourlaffs, so I thought I would try skipping it as well. I refuse to do something because I always have, or because everyone else does. Sometimes ya gotta mix things up.
What will vourlaff do for me that a strong fermentation wont? I doubt I see a difference in my finished beer. If by chance this one ends up strangely astringent or cloudy then yes I will go back to vourlaff like I have been doing since day one. :lol:
[quote=“Nighthawk”]What is the process you used? Mash with the total volume. Or mash with 1.25-2qt/lb. Then add the additional water before running off.
I don’t see where no vourlaff saves much. It takes me maybe 3 minutes to recirculate 3-4qts.
If it works for you. :cheers: [/quote]
Mashed with 1.25, then after an hour I added the other 1/2 of the water at boiling temps. This got the mash up to 170F to stop conversion, I stir…let it set for 5 min then run it all off into the BK.
Easy day!
[quote=“Nighthawk”]If it wasn’t for mixing things up, we might not be using rectangular coolers and water line braids!
:cheers: [/quote]
Ha, I recently switched to this setup. And I’ve also been mixing it up by doing some brews in a bag. I much prefer the rectangular cooler and sparging with vorlauf though. It’s not that much more work, come on…I think the brew in a bag I did yesterday took me about the same amount of time a regular batch with my cooler takes. I normally do a 60 minute mash, 60 minute boil. Yesterday I did a 60 minute mash and a 90 minute boil (because I was using pilsner malt). The no sparge isn’t that big of a time saver if you’re a batch sparger.
I just don’t think it’s worth it to make a permanent change, but doing something different occasionally certainly is enjoyable.
