Batch Split Between Multiple FVs

[Viridian]

Good afternoon everyone. I am hoping to glean some experience from you guys regarding batch consistency. I'm still a brewery-in-planning, so my set-up is 1BBL kettle, 20gallon MT, and 6gallon better bottle carboys for FVs. I have noticed that we will have batch variation between several FVs - for instance - if we brew a 15gallon batch and split into 3 separate FVs, the bitterness and sugar content seems to vary if we fill the FVs one after another. Even if we whirlpool the kettle after KO, it seems that the the carboys can end up being all over the place in regards to bitterness consistency.

I understand that on a commercial scale, this will likely not be something you guys experience, but perhaps you do. Also - I understand the sugar difference in the kettle - bottom of the kettle compared to the top - but why doesn't whirlpooling fix this and homogenize everything? What about bitterness? How can one carboy end up with substantially more isomerized a-acids?

I appreciate the discussion in advance. Cheers guys.

[mswebb]

Given that your whirlpool is not a vigorous mixing, it's no surprise that you have stratification of sugar densities in the kettle. You're probably sensing isomerized aa's differently based on the sugar level present in each tank.

Do you have a vessel large enough to chill into and then more vigorously mix before splitting into fermenter (ie. HLT)? Sanitation will obviously be a consideration. Or try seriously mixing the kettle before whirpool and rest but you're likely to stratify during both of these processes.

If you can get your fermentation consolidated into a single vessel, you'll be better off.

[Viridian]

Yeah we essentially had one keg that was super bitter, and one keg that was very light on bitterness.

Unfortunately our HLT is still an old converted 1/2 barrel keg - we have to fill it multiple times during larger brew days. Starting a business, some things get prioritized over others and unfortunately the HLT is one of them

We are working towards getting a larger FV for our IPAs/NEIPAs at the very least. Until then, and for our other styles, we will likely just fill the carboys simultaneously by filling one to 30%, other to 30%, etc etc. It seems that even with mixing and whirl-pooling there will still be some variation. The last batch for instance was a post boil volume of about 17.5 gallons (15gallon batch), and the brix at bottom was 1049 and brix at top was 1052... and this was after a very vigorous whirl-pool.