[akr71]

I'm brewing an Old Ale tomorrow (Friday, Feb 11) and figured it would be a good candidate for a partigyle brew.

I've figured out my water additions, but I'm a little confused about the second runnings.  Since conversion should be complete, I shouldn't really need to worry about the pH and just make any additions in the kettle to get the Chloride:Sulphate ratio I'm looking for in the second runnings beer.  Does this sound right?

[Hokerer]

Sounds right.  It's really no different from a standard batch sparge execpt that you're not mixing the two runnings.  You don't normally adjust sparge water so this should be no different.

[akr71]

Thanks.  Now hopefully I don't get some foolish idea and start adding more grain into the mashtun for the second runnings. 

[blatz]

Thanks.  Now hopefully I don't get some foolish idea and start adding more grain into the mashtun for the second runnings. 

you probably should actually.

[hamiltont]

Thanks.  Now hopefully I don't get some foolish idea and start adding more grain into the mashtun for the second runnings. 

you probably should actually.

That, or make sure your first runnings are a little higher gravity & blend back & forth to hit your gravities.  Cheers!!!

[blatz]

That, or make sure your first runnings are a little higher gravity & blend back & forth to hit your gravities.  Cheers!!!

that is an even better idea. 

[akr71]

Sigh, water chemistry gives me a headache.

I've got some lactic acid that I'll use to get the pH down and add some calcium chloride to balance the sulphate.  Well I guess I've got nothing better to do with my mashtun while the first runnings are in the kettle.  My water is relatively high in alkalinity and sulphate and low in calcium and chloride making it sometimes tricky to get the mash pH down.

Adding more base malt does allow me to add some specialty grains or toasted oats to give the second runnings some more complexity.

[realbeerguy]

Water chemistry aside, you could cap the mash with more specialty grains for your small beer.

[akr71]

Thanks.  Now hopefully I don't get some foolish idea and start adding more grain into the mashtun for the second runnings. 

you probably should actually.

I did.  1 lb base malt (Golden Promise) & 1 lb of Toasted Oats (which I toasted myself).  I'm glad I did too, because otherwise the 2nd runnings would have led to a rather small beer - with the additions I hit ~1.058 OG if I remember.

I overshot the 1st runnings because I forgot to take into account the smaller boil volume, but I was able to dillute it back down to my 1.080 target.     Actually I accidentally over-dilluted down to 1.070, but it it acceptable (though I may tinker with it later).