Help with Amber Recipe - Partial Mash

I am trying to concoct my first partial mash recipe and need some help. I have an outline in mind and need some fine tuning as I want to have enough enzyme power for the PM.

For this recipe, I just want to mash in the sense of steeping at a constant temp, then sparging to get out the goodies. (Single Infusion?) No protein rests or any other stuff like that.

So I want an Amber that has a sweetness and biscuity flavor, with good hop flavor but low bitterness. Looking for 5.5% ABV

Mini-mash
(mash at 150...sparge at 170? with 1.25 qts/lb mash 1.5qts/lb sparge)

2 lbs Pale Ale Malt
1 lb Amber Malt (Biscuit/Victory)
.5lb Crystal 20l
.5 lb Carapils

4 lb Pale Malt Extract
1 lb Amber Malt Extract

0.75 oz Chinook 60 min
1.00 oz Cascade 15 min

0.25 Chinook dry hop (i know not a classic aroma hop...but I've done it before and it was good)

Wyeast 1056 (if you know where I can get the new #1792 Fat Tire Yeast let me know!!!)

If you can help me with the mini-mash portion of this, I would appreciate it. I just want to make the jump to doing an easy mash.

Thanks!

Craig
Flagstaff, AZ

Yep, you got the temps right on the mini mash, 150º with 5 quarts of water. I would sparge with 180º water just to get as much out of the grain as possible, and generally you use half a gallon of water per lb of grain, so use two gallons of 180º water.

EDIT: actually, if you can mash in a little higher at about 154 you'll get more maltiness out of it.

EvilTOJ said:

Yep, you got the temps right on the mini mash, 150º with 5 quarts of water. I would sparge with 180º water just to get as much out of the grain as possible, and generally you use half a gallon of water per lb of grain, so use two gallons of 180º water.

EDIT: actually, if you can mash in a little higher at about 154 you'll get more maltiness out of it.

Click to expand...

I am all for the maltiness...As far as the Sparge temp of 180, I have been reading Palmer's book and it notes that sparge temps over 170 can cause husk tannins to become more soluable and lead to astringency. I am sure you have your reasons though, so I would love to hear them. Thanks.

Craig

cbird01 said:

I am all for the maltiness...As far as the Sparge temp of 180, I have been reading Palmer's book and it notes that sparge temps over 170 can cause husk tannins to become more soluable and lead to astringency. I am sure you have your reasons though, so I would love to hear them. Thanks.

Craig

Click to expand...

From what i understand, you want to make sure the grain bed doesn't exceed 170*, because that point that's when you could start extracting tannins.

180* seems to be a pretty recommended temp around here for batch sparging. It's waht I did on my last PM and my grain bed only reached around 160*, but this is probably because i left my lid off for so long.

I just mashed my amber at 154 and so far it seems to be tasting pretty good