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Burgs · 04-07-2010, 09:29 PM

So what would be the advantage of mashing in a smaller 5 gal as opposed to the 8 gal?

**DeathBrewer** · 04-07-2010, 09:32 PM

Less head space = less heat loss. Also, I'm assuming your 8 gallon pot is wider, so the grain won't mix with the water as well (unless you have a REALLY big bag.)

Burgs · 04-08-2010, 02:00 PM

Dude, ok... does this seem weird to anyone else:

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/aitdownloadablefiles/download/aitfile/aitfile_id/1692/

That is the instruction sheet for a PM Traditional Stout kit from Midwest Supplies, and they are suggesting that you top off the fermenter with 3.5 gallons of cold water.

1.125 gallons in the mash, 1.5 gallons of sparge water

I thought full volume boils were better for hop utilization and all that - doesn't this seem like a very small amount of water to be boiling, and an awful lot of plain old cold water to top off?

Burgs · 04-08-2010, 02:02 PM

I mean, if I was going to use their exact method, I wouldn't even want to use my big 8 gallon kettle...

I don't even think the water level would get up to where the thermometer is...

**DeathBrewer** · 04-08-2010, 03:11 PM

It's because there is only a small amount of grain. Plus it states "1 quart of water per each pound of grain", which is pretty low anyway. I usually go about 1.5 qt/lb.

No, that wouldn't work well in an 8 gallon pot with a bag.

Burgs · 04-08-2010, 05:42 PM

So, basically I need to go blow up your Stovetop All-Grain thread now.

Jesse77 · 04-13-2010, 08:08 PM

Thanks a lot! I found this extremely helpful and easy to follow.

perfectlemur · 04-19-2010, 07:19 PM

I just used your method for my first PM batch yesterday, it went off without a hitch! Before adding extract I measured my gravity and got 77% efficiency, woohoo! Now we wait and see how my all Centennial IPA turns out.

**BrokenDog** · 04-21-2010, 05:38 AM

Thanks for the great how to and the basis for the dunkelweizen recipe. I've been on midnights all week and have been reading this forum and this thread specificly the last few days. Last night I felt I finally had aquired the knowledge to do a PM and that dunkel was a perfect fit.
I don't have two large stock pots, only one 16qt so I had to be creative. I prepared my mash with about 2 gallons of water in my 16qt pot with my grains and used a 6.5qt pot to steep with. I placed the grain bag in the 6.5qt and added hot water until it was at the brim and covered for 10 minutes. After that I put the grain bag over the stockpot and ran more hot water through it in a strainer. From there I did a 60 minute boil. I was a little worried that I wouldn't get the extraction of sugars needed, but after taking a final gravity reading I was at 1.052 which is right were I think I needed to be.
As long as this turns out well, and I have no reason to think it won't, I'm going to try doing an AG half batch so I can do it all on this stove.
Here are the materials I used:
-2lbs Munich German Malt
-3lbs Bestmalz German Wheat Malt
-.25lbs Briess U.S. Chocolate Malt
-3lbs Plain Wheat DME
-.75oz Tettnanger pellet hops
-Wyeast Bavarian 3056 (I wanted to go with something a bit more nuteral then the hefeweizen)

**DeathBrewer** · 04-21-2010, 03:31 PM

Do you know what the temperature of your mash was when you filled it to the brim? That might be your only issue...you want to fall within the 148-154°F range. It doesn't sound like you went under (or you might not get conversion), but if you went over, you may get some tannin flavor. PM is more forgiving than all-grain, tho, so no matter what you're probably fine.

Sounds like it went well.