Extract to partial mash

beerdad · 10-23-2007, 06:09 PM

After reading the thread about what improved everyone's beer the most I narrowed it down to the 6 most common. In no particular order-

wort chiller
longer fermentation/clearing
partial mash/all grain
fermentation temp control
full boil
HBT!

Out of these right now I can't go to all grain of full boil for a few reasons. I'm going to get an immersion chiller and maybe a pre chiller set up. I'll have to see how the immersion chiller does on it's own. The longer fermentation/clearing time is coming along already, mostly beacause I increased how much beer I have been brewing. Temp control shouldn't be too hard just a big tub with cool water and a little ice. Maybe there is a chest freezer for me in the future. Are there any other better temp control methods?

The scariest part is going to partial mash. Does anyone know the boil size on an AHS partial mash kit? If it's more than 3 gallons and my stove can't boil it. I'm moving so hopefully my stove there is better. From what I have read on partial mash it's like steeping specialty grains but a little more involved. I can handle that. Does anyone have any advice for someone going from extract to partial mash? Are there any mistakes you made that might save me from making the same mistake?

thanks!

**Yooper** · 10-23-2007, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beerdad

After reading the thread about what improved everyone's beer the most I narrowed it down to the 6 most common. In no particular order=

wort chiller
longer fermentation/clearing
partial mash/all grain
fermentation temp control
full boil
HBT!

Out of these right not I can't go to all grain of full boil for a few reasons. I'm going to get an immersion chiller and maybe a pre chiller set up. I'll have to see how the immersion chiller does on it's own. The longer fermentation/clearing time is coming along already, mostly beacause I increased how much beer I have been brewing. Temp control shouldn't be too hard just a big tub with cool water and a little ice. Maybe there is a chest freezer for me in the future. Are there any other better temp control methods?

The scariest part is going to partial mash. Does anyone know the boil size on an AHS partial mash kit. If it's more than 3 gallons and my stove can't boil it. I'm moving so hopefully my stove there is better. From what I have read on partial mash it's like steeping specialty grains but a little more involved. I can handle that. Does anyone have any advice for someone going from extract to partial mash? Are there any mistakes you made that might save me from making the same mistake?

thanks!

I ordered one pm from AHS, and it was a 2.5 gallon boil. It was done in the kettle, in a grain bag, and was very easy.

beerdad · 10-24-2007, 01:17 PM

Great thanks that's what I wanted to hear. My next batch will be partial mash. I'm going to try to get my fermentation temps under control soon and get an immersion chiller sometime before christmas. That's the best I can do for my beer for now.

**tbone** · 10-24-2007, 03:09 PM

My first PM was a kit I ordered from Midwest Brewing. It was "Cascade Ale" and it turned out great. Not a full boil and the instructions were easy to follow.