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asterix404 · 07-09-2011, 02:13 AM

Hey all,

So I found this link on line after someone posted something about conditioning your grain before your crush. Check it out.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Malt_Conditioning

I just followed all of the steps listed and it is awesome. I crushed on almost the smallest crush setting for both malt and barley (for the barley crusher it's 45deg angle to the right if you are looking at both nobs from the shaft side) and the hulls are mostly intact except that some are split in half. The wheat crush is beautiful. This took about 30min of prep time the night before brew day... this goes up there with making a starter for me. I will let you know in a few days if I got a stuck mash, but from the looks of it, I don't think I will.

**mrk305** · 07-09-2011, 02:01 PM

Nice find. I don't read the wiki enough.

asterix404 · 07-11-2011, 02:13 PM

So not only did I actually not have a stuck lauter, I also hit 95% efficiency. I did do a double decoction mash, hit all my temps etc, but still... 95% I am not kidding, 3# pilsner malt, 3# light wheat and I hit and OG of about 38 or 39. Even with 50% wheat malt and no rice hulls I still managed to hit really spectacular numbers and didn't get a stuck sparge.

I batch sparge btw. I am going to do this from now on a few days before brew day. I ended up prepping the grain about 2 days before and just like the wiki says there was no problem with the grain going bad or anything.

JoePro · 07-13-2011, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asterix404

So not only did I actually not have a stuck lauter, I also hit 95% efficiency. I did do a double decoction mash, hit all my temps etc, but still... 95% I am not kidding, 3# pilsner malt, 3# light wheat and I hit and OG of about 38 or 39. Even with 50% wheat malt and no rice hulls I still managed to hit really spectacular numbers and didn't get a stuck sparge.

I batch sparge btw. I am going to do this from now on a few days before brew day. I ended up prepping the grain about 2 days before and just like the wiki says there was no problem with the grain going bad or anything.

*Slowly pulls his glasses off*

...Mother of God..

asterix404 · 07-13-2011, 06:38 PM

Yea, I just hope that this process is repeatable. It can significantly cut down my brew time... I mean, typically I get 75%, but that could also be because I only infusion mash with no dough in at a strike temp to hit 152. I want to try this set up with an infusion mash with an acid rest at 100 for 30min with 1/4 strike water, and do an infusion up to 152 with the rest.

Oh btw, this was a very thin decoction with 2qt/pound, pulled out a relatively thick decoction, brought the first up to 150 and let sit for 10min, brought it up to 162, let it slowly rise to 168 and then off to boiling for 20min. By this point, there was very little water to boil off, but some.

The second decoction was about the same but I brought the temp up from 150-167 over about 20min, and boiling for another 20. Added it all back, let it mash for 45min at 152, withdrew the liquor, sparged to 170 with 3g with a strong stir and 10min wait. I did very long pulls, it took about 15min to drain out the 3g.

I couldn't believe the reading so I checked my hydrometer with water and it rang in very close to 1.001 and I took it again and hit 38 or 39 with 5.5g at about 70. 6# of grain.... it should ferment out to 3 or 2 since it's a sour.

wildwest450 · 07-13-2011, 07:03 PM

I malt condition 20 minutes before dough in.

_

**flananuts** · 11-30-2011, 07:47 PM

Anyone ever consider using steam to condition the malt before crushing? I have a portable steam cleaner I use on wheels, bbq, kitchen floors etc. I think i will try this with a 1/2 lb of dry and 1/2 lb of steamed 2 row and post the results. If steam works more efficiently than spraying and stirring 20-30lb of grain, that would definitely rock.

**jagg** · 12-01-2011, 05:28 AM

I conditioned my malt for.the first time last week, and I lost 6 points, but I didnt move my mill settings, I may try it again with a tighter crush.

**flananuts** · 12-01-2011, 10:29 AM

I don't find malt conditioning to improve eff, it does however improve your grain bed flow. Your crush might not need to condition the malt. You can definitely tighten the gap and you'll get more flour from the crush. I find that raising my grain bed and wort to mash out temp alone makes for higher efficiency.

My experiences.

**eastoak** · 12-01-2011, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flananuts

I don't find malt conditioning to improve eff, it does however improve your grain bed flow. Your crush might not need to condition the malt. You can definitely tighten the gap and you'll get more flour from the crush. I find that raising my grain bed and wort to mash out temp alone makes for higher efficiency.

My experiences.

there is your increased efficiency. looked at another way; if you widened the gap on the mill your efficiency would go down. without that tighter mill it would not matter how hot you mash out.