Help w first attempt at partial mash..

Hey all, I want to try and do a partial mash instead of just steeping grains. I am looking to get clearer better flavor from one or two last batches before I go all grain and hoping this will help. So my question is this, is there a rule of thumb or calculator for figuring how much base grain to use to convert other specialty grains? Thanks.

The rule of thumb is 1:1 ratio of base malt to specialty malt. You especially want to stick to that if you'll be using adjuncts that can't convert their own starches and need to borrow enzymes. For example, if you're using 1 lb of flaked wheat then you'll want to mash at least 1 lb of base malt, like 2-row.

Once that condition is met, there's no reason not to fill your mash tun with as much base malt as possible. Just deduct whatever you use for base malt from what you would have used for malt extract.

Let me know if you want help with specific numbers.

look up the grain's diastatic power. Some grains like 2-row have a rating of over 100% which means they can not only convert their own starches to sugars but the starches of other base grains as well. Other base grains have a diastatic rating of 100% or less and need another grain to help them convert.

@BillyBroas-- Thanks, exactly what I was looking for. I do not have a mash tun, a true tun, I was thinking about using a smaller pot and doing the steep/soak in preheated oven method and maybe using separate water for sparing to get better efficiency. Tossing around an IPA, I have the recipe, I will post it when I get home from work with what i am thinking about modifying and maybe you can look at it and see what you think? Thanks again.

On the other side of the equation it the fact that not all specialty grains will benefit from mashing. You will get about the same from steeping Crystal 60 as with mash it. The darker the malt, the less can be converted by mashing.

Something else to wrap your brain around. Doing a partial mash in a grain bag is so close to doing an all grain mash with BIAB that you might want to start your all grain experience that way. You can do a 3 gallon batch in a 5 gallon boil kettle. Once you have done it you will wonder why you waited to start all grain.

ChadChaney said:

@BillyBroas-- Thanks, exactly what I was looking for. I do not have a mash tun, a true tun, I was thinking about using a smaller pot and doing the steep/soak in preheated oven method and maybe using separate water for sparing to get better efficiency. Tossing around an IPA, I have the recipe, I will post it when I get home from work with what i am thinking about modifying and maybe you can look at it and see what you think? Thanks again.

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Sure, I'll take a look at it and recommend some volumes. Let me know what size pot you're using too if you have that info.

What the other guys saying about not all specialty grains needing mashing is correct. The darker malts like crystal, chocolate, and roasted barley have their starches converted inside their hull during processing which is why they can be steeped. But when you're mashing (even in partial mashing), you mash all the grains. I just don't want you thinking you have to steep grains separately and do unnecessary work.

Wow, thanks for all the great input! My last IPA was made with 9 lbs of Pilsen Light DME (Briess), .5 lbs 60L Crystal (steeped) and .25 lbs Belgian Strong (steeped). Flavor was killer, but a little hazy, I ws thinking it might be due to starches that are not getting converted in the steep, and thought if I mashed that with some base malt, I might solve that issue. I am only working with a 3 gallon kettle right now, ugh, but have some goodies on order. Waiting on a 10 gallon brew kettle with a spigot and thermometer, 2 to gallon coolers, one for mash tun w false bottom and one with sparging setup. Plan on using a bucket for HLT, cant wait for it all to get here, just waiting on the false bottom to arrive! I do not want to interrupt my pipeline though, so I thought I might brew a few more 5 gallon extract batches first.
I have the advantage of working in a wine and spirits dept. of a Midwest grocery store chain and am in charge of the homebrew supplies, so my boss lets me pay cost for my equipment! I also get to brew for our "beer club" so I get to practice once a month or so for free as long as I bring the brew to the club tasting, nice deal for me!
Back to the topic though, would I benefit from mashing those particular grains with base malts instead steeping or just a waste of time? I mean I guess it can not hurt right, I kind of want to get an idea of the difference even a small mash can make in a brew.

ChadChaney said:

Wow, thanks for all the great input! My last IPA was made with 9 lbs of Pilsen Light DME (Briess), .5 lbs 60L Crystal (steeped) and .25 lbs Belgian Strong (steeped). Flavor was killer, but a little hazy, I ws thinking it might be due to starches that are not getting converted in the steep, and thought if I mashed that with some base malt, I might solve that issue.

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There's no conversion going on in a steep. Crystal malts and other specialties have already been converted and caramelized. Partial mashing has its advantages, but it won't solve this particular problem. Haze could be chill haze- are you using irish moss/whirlfloc or other finings? Hops haze is also common in high-hop beers, especially with lots of late additions and dry hops.

The beers could also be young- try giving them more time to clear in primary next time. Do you have the ability to cold crash your beers?

I realize there is no conversion in a steep, that is why I am thinking of the mini-mash. I think my issue might be hop haze, going to try the sparge bag.paint strainer on the end of auto-siphon this time for filtering. I was wondering if I would gain anything; flavor, clarity, body, etc. from mashing this particular set of grains.

OK, so I think I am brewing tomorrow. I picked up a kit, a Wit, and it has the perfect ingredients for my first attempt at a partial mash. It has .5 lb of flaked oats and crushed wheat and 1 lb of crushed Pale 2 Row. The rest is malt extract, also comes with .5 oz bitter orange peel and coriander seed. I think I am going to do a small BIAB instead of the oven thing, mine only goes as low as 225 degrees. Just want to try this and see how it works for me. Shooting for mashing at 150 or so, how much water do I use for strike with that little amount of grain, and what temp should I have the strike water? Also, I want to hop this beer like an IPA for kind of a Wit IPA, or White IPA, can I just adjust the hopping schedule with more late additions and some dry hopping? This is going to be an experiment for sure! Love the brewing process, thanks for the input!

Not sure if you brewed this already or not, but it sounds like you have 2 lbs of grain so I would do 1.5 qt/lb to get 3/4 gallon of mash water. Although you mentioned you want to do this as a BIAB which is different because with that method you mash in all of your brewing water. Unless you just mean you're mashing in a bag. For the temp, 10 degrees above your strike temp should get you there. It will take experience with your system to get more accurate (don't you love hearing that the first time do you do something?).

You could hop the hell out of it if you want. Some late additions will do the trick, I would just try to pick a hop that will complement the other flavors you have going on. Amarillo would be nice.

Yeah, I brewed it about a week or so ago. I used 1.25 quarts per pound for the 2 pounds, and mashed in a sparge bag in my pot on the stove top. Worked well, heated strike water to about 165 or so and the added grains and stirred really well, killed the heat and wrapped in a heavy towel. held the temp the the last 20 mins and then I just turned on the burner for a brief minute and got back to temp. I used the hops supplied with the kit and then added an ounce of Amarillo at 20 min and then an oz. each of Citra and Amarillo at flameout. Plan on dry hopping with Amarillo.

Nice! Sounds like we were thinking along the same lines with the hops. Let us know when you crack one open.

Will do! Side question, used SafAle WB dry packet, seems to have finished really fast, any experience with this yeast?

I don't know about that particular yeast strain but lots of ale yeasts work through the easy sugars real fast. Don't let that fool you, the yeast isn't done yet. I'd leave it for a minimum of 2 weeks and my own beer sits on the yeast cake for 3 to 4 weeks. It seems that the extra time makes the beer taste better when the yeast have time to clean up after themselves.

Yeah, I have jumped on that bandwagon myself, about 4 weeks in the primary. Just wondering if anyone had any experience with this yeast. I am also thinking about raising the temp, at 66 right now, to about 70 to get those nice Wit esters. I think I will research it first though.