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How long does it take you to brew?

BeerSmith

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I read in another forum that many brewers take 6 hours or more to brew a batch of all grain.

This seems a little odd to me since I can usually finish in four hours start to finish (sometimes a bit longer if I'm doing a multi-stage mash).

How long does it take you to do an all grain or extract recipe?

Brad
 
I spend about an hour to get things ready the night before -- assemble the equipment, weigh the grains, pour out the water for dechlorinating, etc. On brew day it usually takes me 8 hours. But, I don't have a dedicated brewery -- I brew in the kitchen and have to haul out everything and put everything away every time -- and putting everything away includes drying stuff so that nasty mold doesn't grow. Also, I have to reassemble the kitchen when I'm done, and I always mop the floor to keep my wife happy. Then the day after, I tuck everything back on the shelves and go to my job (and tucking takes about another hour).

Four hours for all-grain seems extremely short to me! Even assuming a 45-minute mash and a one-hour boil, I don't see how that can be done -- unless you buy your grains pre-crushed, have very hot water coming out of your tap (so no time needed to heat water), use a counter-flow chiller, brew outside where you can just hose everything down when you're done, and have a permanent stand-alone system that doesn't have to be put away. I used to help out at a brewpub that basically brewed on a half-barrel homebrew-style setup, and even that took 7 hours minimum, usually 8.
 
Straight up extract batches probably take me 2.5 hours, from dragging out the equipment, to washing out my kettle and chiller (the ceremonial last step). Mini-mash batches probably only take me .5-.75 an hour more, and I do 50-60 minute mini-mashes. I've gotten pretty good at overlapping things. For example, I'll put the heat to my brew kettle with about 30 minutes left in the mash, so by the time I sparge my water's already boiling. I'll throw in the 60 minute hops, tame the near boil-over, and grab the pot with the runnings and add it. I clean everything immediately after using it, during the boil... saves time in the long run because ingredients are hardened unto the equipment. My brew sessions are pretty active, and I've generally got a pretty good sweat going by the time I'm done.
 
My brew day is usually 4.5 hours my grains are already crushed but I don't pre weigh. I start my day at 8.00am and am usually finished cleanup by 12.30 . I brew in my shed and usually do a 21 lt batch. it used to take me 5.5 hours but since I got my new three ring burner i've shaved off an hour, you'd be suprised hour much time is spent waiting for the wort and sparge water to boil.
Regards
Andrew
 
Being an extract-only kinda guy, I'm also in the 2-2.5 hour range.  I have the adjunct grains in the brewpot while waiting for boil (taking them out just before boil) and only boil for 45 minutes.  I've had such good luck with the end result I can't commit the time or $$$ to go to all grain.  

It's nice to decide at 9pm, "Hmmm, I think I'll brew a batch".  ;D
 
It's nice to decide at 9pm, "Hmmm, I think I'll brew a batch".  ;D
I do that all the time -- and then I start the next morning at around 7:00 am  ;).
 
Ooooo, I couldn't do the 7am thing.  I have a rule about making homebrew requires drinking homebrew, and while I've heard "beer isn't just for breakfast anymore", it wouldn't work for me...although, might be fun to try sometime!  :eek:
 
I usually don't drink too much until cooling starts. I am always worried about boiling liquids and spills and burns and . . . ouch! Also, one time I had everything sealed up, cleaned up, and I was going to the fridge to get my fifth or sixth bottle, and I found my yeast starter sitting right where I'd left it the night before.  :eek: Nah, don't want to repeat that!
 
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