uglygoat

Recipes 

anyone done it yet? i am really facsinated by the dopple bocks (the six pack of salvador lasted about two hours ) and as it's winter here in the frozen tundra of ohio, i'd like to do a lager or two this season.

i don't know about a triple decoction right off the bat, maybe a single or double. the majority of the grain is gonna be standard two row with about four pounds of the specialty grain for the deep color and malty flavor.

i'm just curious to know if you think my picnic cooler will suffice as a tun, or if i should get another burner and mash in the large brew kettle, with a smaller kettle to decoct in, and then transfer to the tun.

i'm leaning towards the cooler as the mash/lauter and just decocting in my large kettle, then recombining. i don't experience any significant heat loss outside when i open the cooler lid, even outdoors in the blizzard.

any thoughts, tips, experience would be appreciated.

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A barrel of malt, a bushel of hops, you stir it around with a stick
The kind of lubrication to make your engine tick

never argue with an idiot, they'll just drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

david_42

Recipes 

I've done a few, mostly from necessity. This was before I purchased a burner for the mash tun. You shouldn't have any problem with using the cooler, just start your mash at the low end of the temperature range.

I've noticed an improvement in efficiency and maltiness, so I might do it intentionally soon.

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eolle

Recipes 

Decoction mashing will work fine with a cooler set up. I've done them before. A single decoction is more than enough and I couldn't detect a major differnce between a single, double or triple decoction except for time. One problem I've seen with decoctions is the grain bed being way too dense to allow for good run-off. Nothing a little bit of rice hulls can't fix.

For a good melanodin production/malty/carmel taste found in the dopple bocks start at a protein rest. After about 30 min take 30-40% of your mash and slowly raise the temp to boiling. You can stop at saccrification for 15-20 min if you choose and it will be converted. Bring the entire mix to boiling and boil for around 30 min. Make sure you stir to prevent schorching! Mix it back in....cool color difference between the cooked and uncooked grain. Make sure you get to the bottom/in the corners of the cooler. Close the lid and wait around 5 min to check the temp. Have some cold water/hot water on hand to adjust as necessary. After the sac rest I would throw some rice hulls if you boiled for the 30 min. Mash out and recirc until clear. For additional "carmel" flavor preheat your boiling kettle and when you put in the run-off it will carmelize a bit.

If you mash gets stuck....you can knive the mash with a standard butter knife about 1-2" into the grain bed. A buddy of mine also used a grilling fork and it worked great!

Hope this helps.

-Eric

uglygoat

Recipes 

thanks mate! i'm worried about the manifold on the botom, it's not too hard to knock loose, but i'll rig something up so stirring down to the bottom doesn't cause a problem.

__________________
A barrel of malt, a bushel of hops, you stir it around with a stick
The kind of lubrication to make your engine tick

never argue with an idiot, they'll just drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

DeRoux's Broux

Recipes 

t1, you tried it yet? curious to know how your experience w/ your 1st decoction mash was....

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Cheers!
DeRoux's Broux

Baron von BeeGee

Recipes 

So am I. A single decoction mash seems pretty straightforward.

DeRoux's Broux

Recipes 

i just wondered if he ever tried, being there was no follow up? it's not too bad. just have to control two mashes at once, plus get the sparge water heated up.....

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Cheers!
DeRoux's Broux

uglygoat

Recipes 

naw i haven't done it yet. the cold spell snapped, and we're enjoying middle fifties to low sixties in the north east of ohio! wtf that is all about i don't know. after the next big freeze i'll try the decoction and lager the beer in the garage.

we gots a bitter and ipa up next off a burton ale yeast, then i'll dry me dopplebock.

__________________
A barrel of malt, a bushel of hops, you stir it around with a stick
The kind of lubrication to make your engine tick

never argue with an idiot, they'll just drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

Baron von BeeGee

Recipes 

My thinking was to mash in at protein rest temp and then use my HLT (turkey fryer pot in my case) to do the decoction while the mash sits in the cooler. After stirring the decoction back in and ensuring the sacc. temp is correct I would start heating the sparge water on the turkey fryer since it only takes 5-10 minutes for the 3-4g.

DeRoux's Broux

Recipes 

i haven't done one by myself on my system, but i plan on using my old stove top brew kettle for doing the decoction on my systems bottom burner.

you idea would work great too!

i changed my dunkel again....i'm a freak........

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Cheers!
DeRoux's Broux