Partigyle Brewing: A Guide to Brewing Multiple Beers from One Mash
Partigyle brewing is a traditional brewing technique that allows you to brew multiple beers from a single mash. This technique has been used for centuries by brewers around the world, and it is still popular today among home brewers and commercial brewers alike. In this article, we’ll explore the basics of partigyle brewing and provide you with a step-by-step guide to get started.
What is Partigyle Brewing?
Partigyle brewing is a technique that involves sparging a single mash multiple times to create different beers with varying strengths and flavors. The first runnings from the mash are typically the strongest, while the subsequent runnings are weaker but still contain enough sugars to create a lower-alcohol beer.
The term “partigyle” comes from the French word “parti,” which means “divided.” This refers to the fact that the mash is divided into different runnings to create multiple beers.
Partigyle brewing is an efficient way to make the most out of your grain bill and can be a great way to experiment with different beer styles. It also allows you to create multiple beers with different alcohol content, flavor profiles, and mouthfeel from a single mash.
How Does Partigyle Brewing Work?
Partigyle brewing involves multiple runnings from the same mash. The first runnings are typically the strongest and used to create a high-alcohol beer like a barleywine, while the second and third runnings are used to create lower-alcohol beers like milds or bitters.
To get started with partigyle brewing, you’ll need to mash in as you would for a regular all-grain batch. Once the mash is complete, you’ll need to separate the wort from the grain by lautering.
For the first runnings, you’ll want to sparge the mash as usual, but with a slightly lower sparge water-to-grain ratio to ensure you get a strong wort. The second runnings will require a higher sparge water-to-grain ratio to extract enough sugars for fermentation.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to partigyle brewing:
Step 1: Mash in as usual and let the mash rest.
Step 2: Lauter the mash as usual and collect the first runnings.
Step 3: Sparge the mash with a lower sparge water-to-grain ratio to collect the first runnings.
Step 4: Boil the first runnings to create a high-alcohol beer like a barleywine.
Step 5: Collect the second runnings by sparging the mash with a higher sparge water-to-grain ratio.
Step 6: Boil the second runnings to create a lower-alcohol beer like a mild or bitter.
By using different sparge water-to-grain ratios for each runnings, you can extract different amounts of sugars from the mash to create different beers with varying alcohol content and flavor profiles.
Partigyle brewing is a great way to get the most out of your grain bill and create multiple beers with varying alcohol content and flavor profiles. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can get started with partigyle brewing and experiment.
My Belgian Quad and Belgian Dubbel partigyle experiment…
First runnings = Belgian Quad
Second runnings = Belgian Dubbel
Belgian Quad, also known as Quadrupel, is a strong Belgian ale that is rich, complex, and full-bodied. It is characterized by its dark brown color and deep maltiness, with flavors of dark fruit, caramel, toffee, and spices. It is also high in alcohol, typically ranging from 8% to 12%, and is often brewed with Belgian candy sugar to add to its complexity and dry out the finish. This style of beer is often enjoyed in colder weather and pairs well with hearty foods like stews, roasts, and strong cheeses.
Belgian Dubbel is a brown ale with a rich, malty flavor and a subtle sweetness. It is characterized by its deep brown color, which is often achieved by the use of darker malts, and its complex aroma, which can include notes of dried fruit, spices, and caramel. It has a moderate to high alcohol content, typically ranging from 6% to 8%, and is often brewed with Belgian candy sugar to add to its sweetness and help to dry out the finish. This style of beer is often enjoyed in colder weather and pairs well with hearty foods like stews, roasts, and strong cheeses.
Keep an eye out for the recipe, a brew day wrap up and some tasting and sampling as these beers fermented, conditioned and were packaged.
Cheers!
The CQ Brewer 