How to read a recipe (for a beginner)?

Hi All,

I'm new to this hobby (don't know why I didn't start years ago!) and would like to step it up to a partial mash brew. I'm just a lil' confused as to how to read the recipes I'm finding on the web. They're so minimal. In particular, do all of these grains (aside from the Dark LME) in the recipe below need to be mashed? Or, are some steeped as in an extract brew? And, if some are steeped and some are mashed, how is one to know which gets which treatment??

4.5# Dark LME
1.5# 6 - row
1# Flaked Oats
.5# Crystal 40L
.5# Chocolate Malt
.5# Roasted Barley
1oz Fuggel hops for 60 min
White Labs Irish Ale yeast

Thanks!!
p

Pisty_Pete said:

Hi All,

I'm new to this hobby (don't know why I didn't start years ago!) and would like to step it up to a partial mash brew. I'm just a lil' confused as to how to read the recipes I'm finding on the web. They're so minimal. In particular, do all of these grains (aside from the Dark LME) in the recipe below need to be mashed? Or, are some steeped as in an extract brew? And, if some are steeped and some are mashed, how is one to know which gets which treatment??

4.5# Dark LME
1.5# 6 - row
1# Flaked Oats
.5# Crystal 40L
.5# Chocolate Malt
.5# Roasted Barley
1oz Fuggel hops for 60 min
White Labs Irish Ale yeast

Thanks!!
p

Click to expand...

I have a handy chart that explains the grains, and which need to be mashed. So, I have a "cheat sheet". I'll see if I can find it and post it for you.

You have a partial mash recipe there- the oats and 6 row give it away. All the grains go into the grain bag together, very loosely packed.

General instructions say:
Put the grains in the grain bag and steep grains in 6 quarts of water heated to 153-155 degrees for 45 minutes. Dunk and stir the grains often, making sure all of the grains are thoroughly wetted and "loose" in the bag, not balled together. Then, lift out the grain bag and rinse (sparge) with up to 2 gallons of 170 degree water to reach your boil volume.

Throw away the grains, and bring the resulting liquid to a boil. Add the DME. (Take the pot off the stove while adding). Then bring to a boil again, and add the hops. Set the timer for 60 minutes. After 60 minutes, cool the wort as quickly as possible (an ice bath in the sink works great) to under 80 degrees, add to sanitized fermenter, and add cool water to top up to 5 gallons. Check the temperature, and stir well. If you're at 65-70 degrees (should be your goal), add the yeast. Cover, airlock, and wait 14 days.

Steeping and mashing are very similar in technique. If you follow the above instructions, you can treat all the grains that way.

Awesome - thanks for clearing that up! The cheat sheet would be greatly appreciated. Cheers!

this might have the info you are looking for:

Malts Chart - Home Brewing Wiki

Yep- that's exactly what I was thinking of. That's a very helpful "cheat sheet".