High gravity brewing 20HL (528gal)

[BRAAF]

Hi Guys,

I have some troubles brewing high gravity (above 24?P) beers at our brewery. At a certain point the both lautertuns block. And I can't do much about it, except; a break down which means that the lauter tuns will be forced to empty. Read: everything is on the floor.

What do you guys do for high gravity beers that i might forgot?
Like mash thickness, stirring, rice hulls? Anything would be a great help.

Cheers!

[brewfun]

There are a lot of ways to brew high gravity. Most make compromises on efficiency.

For styles like barleywines, only the first runnings are traditionally used. First runnings are usually about 20 P. and you'll just boil down for gravity.

Then, traditionally, the grain would be sparged for a second, "small" beer."

If you're trying to limit the water to increase the gravity, this is why you're sticking your mash. You simply have too much weight on the screen. An alternative might be a reiterative mash. This is where you run a normal mash (and sometimes sparge), then pump that wort back on top of a new mash. The second mash with the wort picks up a lot of sugar. You then sparge it out and will have about 22 to 28 P wort in the kettle that you can further concentrate.

This works best if you are making an intentionally high gravity brew. If you are trying to make high gravity wort in order to increase capacity, it's probably best to stay at 20 P or below because of increased esters and tired yeast that may not always attenuate. 

[BRAAF]

There are a lot of ways to brew high gravity. Most make compromises on efficiency.

For styles like barleywines, only the first runnings are traditionally used. First runnings are usually about 20 P. and you'll just boil down for gravity.

Then, traditionally, the grain would be sparged for a second, "small" beer."

If you're trying to limit the water to increase the gravity, this is why you're sticking your mash. You simply have too much weight on the screen. An alternative might be a reiterative mash. This is where you run a normal mash (and sometimes sparge), then pump that wort back on top of a new mash. The second mash with the wort picks up a lot of sugar. You then sparge it out and will have about 22 to 28 P wort in the kettle that you can further concentrate.

This works best if you are making an intentionally high gravity brew. If you are trying to make high gravity wort in order to increase capacity, it's probably best to stay at 20 P or below because of increased esters and tired yeast that may not always attenuate.

Thanks! I'm also gonna try to get some rice hulls, beause the filtration is also very hard. Too much weight on the screen as you mentioned.
Gonna try to do what you wrote above as well.

[TIANTAI Derrick]

We also have customers mentioned brew higher gravity beer about 24 plato beer. Normally there have two simple way to realize it we think.
One is wider lauter tank diameter to assure shape reasonable spent grain thickness(need to confirm before design brewhouse).
As we know, the spent grain thickness 30-40cm is reasonable range for efficiency lautering.
According to ourselves brewing experience and talked with abroad brewmaster, we know the spent grain thickness at 45cm also can get good lautering process.
For example, if we brewing about 24 plato beer, and malt feeding amount about 800kg, the lauter tank diameter about 2000mm.(base on 45cm spent grain thickness).

Another way is brew small batch. We think it is OK to brew high gravity beer if you don't need at high precentage. Our standard brewhouse diameter at 1600mm for 2000L system.
If we calculate the spent grain thickness at 45cm, the malt feeding amount about 500kg.
So base on malt:water 1:2, then we can brew 1500L higher gravity beer with your 2000L system.
Hope the normal two method is helpful for you.