first decoction recipe... your feedback please

batch size 6 gal
5# 2row
5#munich
1#carapills
1#40L
1/2#wheat

1 oz pearl 7.7AAU 50 min
1 oz cascade 7.8 AAu 5 min

mash in and settle @ 142 for 15 min
decoct 1/3 of mash for 15 min
raise mash temp to 154
finish mash for 45 min
sparge and boil

never done a real decoction before so some help with recipe timing would be of great help
JJ

is there anybody...........out there

Probably you'd be better with 5# of pilsner malt instead of 2-row. General 2-row could be too overmodified for decoction. Also more classical double decoction schedule is to do rest at about 122-131 then do first decoction to bring mash to whatever temp required, like 152 in your case. While heating thick part of the mash for decoction do 20 min rest at 158 then bring it to boil. After boiling don't return boiled part all at once to avoid overheating main mash.

Are you planning to do mash-out decoction?

http://www.strandbrewers.org/techinfo/decoct1.htm

http://www.strandbrewers.org/techinfo/decoct2.htm

glidlibby sent those to me when i first had questions on decotion mashing, they have some really good info on them!

One bit of advice - if you're mashing in a 5 gallon cooler like I do you want a pot to do the decoction that is only around 2-3 gallons in size. I used a 5 gallon pot last time and it was a real PITA to deal with dumping all of that VERY HOT grain that wanted to stick to the sides of the pot back into the mash tun.

Also it meant that my decoction pot and my sparge water pot were the same, so I had to wait on the sparge water after the last decoction. Before I do this again I'm going to have an array of pots available - my 8 gallon brew kettle, the 5 gallon sparge water pot, and a smaller pot to do the decoctions.

not really sure what a mash out decoction is. enlighten me please.
JJ

It's a decotion used to raise the mash temp to 168 - 170F to denature the enzymes as for max extarction for sparging. (Higer than 170F and you will get tannins as well..which is not good).

I just read the 411 blefferd forwared to me Very good stuff. I am going to go for it tomorrow morning. Its about 12:30 now I will mash in at about 4:30 not much time to sleep but what the hell Im lucky to get 6 hours a night/day rest anyway.
wish me luck
should I step up the IBU a bit to cominsate for the added sweetness or maltiness of doing a decoction???
hay thanks for all your help I will let you know how it turns out.
Cheers
JJ