Easy Partial Mash Brewing (with pics)

most of my recipes are stored in promash. what kind of beer do you like?

thanks for the vibes. i'm going on vacation for a couple of weeks...the relaxation will certainly help.

Just thought I'd say I used your method/howto for my first partial mash a few days ago and everything turned out great. The pictures and excellent writeup really made things easy.

Now the hard part, waiting ~6 weeks to taste my IPA...

Rather than twiddle for six weeks...

Just wait a week or two and brew again. If that means you need another fermenter, get one. I get by with one primary and 3 secondaries, with one secondary usually being tied up in long-term projects (mead, etc). The only time this crimps my style is times like now, when I've restarted after a long layoff and I could use another primary - but it's a temporary situation and storage space is limited, so I just work through it, and will soon have all filled and working. Unless IPA is the only thing you like, make a different style next. If it is, make a different IPA next. Eventually this will mean you can compare several versions side-by side and choose a favorite, if one seems better than the others.

buy a bucket fermenter or two to get some batches rolling. they're cheap, like $12, and they work just fine. Once you have better fermenters, they are great to use for sanitizing and/or bottling buckets, too.

Ecnerwal said:

Rather than twiddle for six weeks...

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Oh, no twiddling going on here. I've got ingredients for an ESB ready to go as soon as I transfer the IPA out of primary and a nut brown in bottles that should be ready to drink sometime next week.

Currently I'm drinking my second batch, a fantastic scottish ale that turned out better than I could have expected. Unfortunately (fortunately? More for me...) SWMBO doesn't like the scottish (just not her style I guess), so I get to finish that one myself.

The first few batches have been primarily extract with just a couple pounds of specialty grains - this IPA was my first true partial mash.

Thus far every batch has been better than the first (which was damn good in its own right). I think I'm hooked!

I like the Scottish Ales myself. Have the stuff to make one, but under the impression that it needs to ferment at lower temps than I can usually manage. What does anyone think about that - I have the Wyeast Scottish Ale yeast for it. I live in Florida and it can be quite pricey to air condition the house to anything close to comfort in the relentless heat of summer. Good thing for Saison's, huh??!!

Generally, I like maltier beers, but I'm gaining more appreciation for hoppier beers, especially since my local brewing club is full of hopheads and I try their brews!

I want to make a Kolsch sometime soon - Deathbrewer, I see you have an Imperial Kolsch in primary - would you share the recipe? Have you made it before? Also, what about the Breakfast Stout? Do you have a favorite recipe for that one, too?

I recently made a Cream Ale, not sure how it will turn out. I've been boiling on my stove, usually 2 1/2 gallons for the boil and always have gotten a nice, full, rolling boil without having to have the burner turned on all the way (electric). Last time I brewed (the Cream ale), it barely simmered while on high. I only have 2 burners that work, one small, one large - I'm a renter for now, and landlord won't fix the burners or replace the stove! Anyway, needless to say, I didn't get the hot break, so I have really cloudy beer. I racked it into a secondary with some SuperKleer KC as soon as it quit fermenting and it's clearing up some, though not like my other beers which actually boiled!! Don't know how it will taste, but no sense in throwing it out yet, I sampled some, wasn't terrible, but I'm not very good at being able to tell how something will taste until it's carbonated. With experience I suppose I'll get better at it - maybe (?).

Ok, enough for now, it's late, I'm getting punchy and dangerously close to writing a novel here! Sorry about that!!

BTW - where are you going for vacation?

HavingFun said:

I like the Scottish Ales myself. Have the stuff to make one, but under the impression that it needs to ferment at lower temps than I can usually manage. What does anyone think about that - I have the Wyeast Scottish Ale yeast for it. I live in Florida and it can be quite pricey to air condition the house to anything close to comfort in the relentless heat of summer. Good thing for Saison's, huh??!!

Click to expand...

I used the same yeast for mine. I keep the house A/C at 78 and then put the carboy in a water bath with a towel around it and swap out frozen water jugs. I'm able to keep fermenting temps down around 70 that way. Probably still a touch on the warm side, but the beer tastes great, so I'm not complaining.

great post..i'm a bit late and prolly off topic but i'm looking to do this once i get situated in my new digs. +1 sir

Thanks for the tip knownikko. I'll try that, sounds like it's working for you. This thread has been full of helpful tips - going to brew this weekend using the method demonstrated here. Maybe I will rethink and do the Scottish after all.

How did brew day go? My g/f and I are going to buy our ingredients this weekend and then brew next week! Can't wait! Also, does anyone know if WLP300 can ferment decently at around 60 degrees or so? It is cooling off up here and to warm a drafty house to the correct fermentation chamber would make for some really expensive beer! Thanks!

Great post DeathBrewer. I've started to modify my approach to follow yours more closely.

One question though. How do you maintain the mash temperature steady?

I had a pretty hard time keeping my mash temp at 152 F on my last brew day.

John

Let me make sure I have this straight.

If I'm partial mashing 2 lbs of grain, I should mash in about 2.5 quarts and sparge in 2.5 quarts? (h20)

Awesome post, DeathBrewer.

I couldn't wait for an answer so I just went ahead and did it. Came out perfect. I used 6 lbs of pale extract, a pound of specialty and a pound of 2 row. I was shooting for 1.056 instead of 1.045 w/ extract only and it came out right on the money.

I knew I had conversion when I tasted the wort and it was sugary.

sorry, i've been on vacation the last couple of weeks.

i generally mash in 1.25-1.6 quarts per pound of grain (usually 2 gallons with 5-6 lbs of grain)

with my sparge, i heat up as much as i want to boil. so if i want a full boil, i will fill the send vessel with about 5 gallons of h20. the 1.5 gallons of original wort plus the extract puts it about where i need it to boil off to over 5 gallons.

it really helps to reach your boil faster as the water is already heated and you don't have to top off.

jcole said:

Great post DeathBrewer. I've started to modify my approach to follow yours more closely.

One question though. How do you maintain the mash temperature steady?

I had a pretty hard time keeping my mash temp at 152 F on my last brew day.

John

Click to expand...

sometimes i reheat if it drops, but generally i don't worry about it. try using a smaller pot with a nice lid...that works for me. the smaller headspace you have, the better it will hold heat.

i also like a drier beer, so i don't worry about my temp dropping too much. if you're really concerned about it, you could do like some and leave it in the oven at your desired temp.

if i really need to mash at a high temp (for dextrins in milds, etc.) i'll shoot a few degrees high.

also, once you have your mash at your desired temp, leave that lid on! don't stir too often, it's not necessary.

DeathBrewer said:

sometimes i reheat if it drops, but generally i don't worry about it. try using a smaller pot with a nice lid...that works for me. the smaller headspace you have, the better it will hold heat.

i also like a drier beer, so i don't worry about my temp dropping too much. if you're really concerned about it, you could do like some and leave it in the oven at your desired temp.

if i really need to mash at a high temp (for dextrins in milds, etc.) i'll shoot a few degrees high.

also, once you have your mash at your desired temp, leave that lid on! don't stir too often, it's not necessary.

Click to expand...

Cool. Thanks for the advice DeathBrewer!

HavingFun said:

I want to make a Kolsch sometime soon - Deathbrewer, I see you have an Imperial Kolsch in primary - would you share the recipe? Have you made it before? Also, what about the Breakfast Stout? Do you have a favorite recipe for that one, too?

Click to expand...

kolsch recipes are best (like most brews) when they are very simple. my last one was a single malt (pilsner) and single hop. it is imperial but is only 2.5 gallons. i actually intended to dilute it down to 5 gallons for a regular kolsch, but i'm finding this is not working as well with the lighter colored/flavored beers.

send me a pm and i'll get you the breakfast stout recipe (which was DAMN tasty)...i have it at home and i'm at work.

I used your method and PM recipe for the dunkel last week. Things went o.k. Mash and sparge went perfect, but sparging with 3 gallons gave me about a 4 gallon boil...which was fine for my pot but not my stove. It took about 45 minutes to get it to a boil and I completely warped the top of my stove from the heat and weight. It was awesome. :rockin:

Hit all my #'s and fermentation looks good....guess we'll see.

I'm getting one more brew started this weekend to fill the pipeline. I figure I'll only be sparging with 2 gallons so the SWMBO doesn't make me sleep in the garage. Also got my kegs this week.

Thought you might want to critique my recipe for my ESB.

5 lb. Maris Otter
.5 lb. Crystal 60L
.25 lb Biscuit
.25 lb Munich
3 lb x-light dme

1oz Fuggles(60)
.75 Goldings(60)
1oz Goldings(20)
.25 Goldings (5)

WLP 002 yeast

Thanks.

dale1038 said:

Thought you might want to critique my recipe for my ESB.

5 lb. Maris Otter
.5 lb. Crystal 60L
.25 lb Biscuit
.25 lb Munich
3 lb x-light dme

1oz Fuggles(60)
.75 Goldings(60)
1oz Goldings(20)
.25 Goldings (5)

WLP 002 yeast

Thanks.

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that looks damn tasty, but double check your hops (see below.)


one thing i would like to point out to all: i see a LOT of recipe formulations with quantities of hops but no Alpha Acid contents listed. remember that (especially for bittering hops) the alpha acid content can make a huge difference in the brew and you definitely don't want to go too high on the bitterness.

learn the math and be sure to know what the AA% of the hops is that you are purchasing. here's a good link: SBC: Calculating Hop Bitterness

compare this to your BJCP guidelines for the style: BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines - Index

using software helps a LOT, although i find it often calls for more than is needed when i use promash (i always stay on the low side)

Hoppy Brewing!

Thanks for the post Deathbrewer! I'm going to make the jump to partial mash in my next batch.

Can you post your recipe for your Cream Ale? I'll be doing a 5 gallon batch with a 4 gallon boil.

Here is the original cream ale recipe:

Cream Ale

A ProMash Recipe Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

06-A Light Hyrbid Beer, Cream Ale

Min OG: 1.042 Max OG: 1.055
Min IBU: 15 Max IBU: 20
Min Clr: 25 Max Clr: 5 Color in SRM, Lovibond

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 5.50 Wort Size (Gal): 5.50
Total Grain (Lbs): 9.50
Anticipated OG: 1.046 Plato: 11.52
Anticipated SRM: 3.5
Anticipated IBU: 16.0
Brewhouse Efficiency: 73 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
47.4 4.50 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
21.1 2.00 lbs. Pilsener Germany 1.038 2
10.5 1.00 lbs. Flaked Corn (Maize) America 1.040 1
10.5 1.00 lbs. Flaked Soft White Wheat America 1.034 2
5.3 0.50 lbs. Munich Malt Germany 1.038 8
5.3 0.50 lbs. Vienna Malt Germany 1.037 3

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.50 oz. Fuggle Pellet 4.75 10.6 60 min.
0.25 oz. Saazer Pellet 3.60 4.0 60 min.
0.50 oz. Saazer Pellet 3.60 1.3 5 min.


Yeast
-----
White Labs WLP080 Cream Ale Yeast Blend

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this is an all-grain recipe. if you want to do a partial mash, replace the 2-row with 3 lbs of light DME.

Thanks for the quick reply! Looking forward to this one.

Just wondering if I got this right...

In your efficiency rating...
If you were to sparge your grains a little longer, couldn't you hit a better OG ?

I'm new so I'm looking for advice.

I got a cooler with some grain bags like you.
I get to temp and drop into cooler.
Then go for sparge as I drain the cooler. And I can take some time doing that.
As you understand this, does this system seem like I could achieve a closer to accurate OG...then say in this method you are using?

yes, depending on many factors, you should get better efficiency if you use more water. you'll just have to boil down more. today, i brewed a weizenbock, and sparge to over 7 gallons. i boiled for a while before i added my hops for my 60 min boil.

i don't know about getting a more accurate OG. method of mashing/sparging is pretty reliant on the brewer...your efficiency is based on not method you are using but how you use it

i used my keggle tonight, i have a cooler (which a friend used tonight to make a pumpkin ale) and i also use the 1 bag, 2 pot method for PM and all-grain. i usually get better efficiency with the keg or cooler than i do with the pots. my best ever (a fluke) was the cooler, when i managed 84% efficiency.

Deathbrewer, thanks for the great writeup! I've used your methods so far with good results. Planning my next 2 batches for this weekend.

Your cream ale looks delicious, I think I'm gonna try that. My LHBS is out of Fuggles, but this site says I can replace with Tettnang which they do have (3.4%). I'd have to adjust the quantities for both, their Saaz is listed at 2.8%. What do you think?

They're also don't carry that particular yeast, and are short on many others... I'll probably go with good old reliable S-05.

I had bought a (fairly expensive) grain bag from my LHBS which served only once... it broke during the 30 mins seep.. I guess I proded it too much. I bought myself a nice strainer (like this one). I'll let the grains roam free in the seeping pot, and place the strainer on top of the other pour on top of it. The mesh has larger holes than the grain bag but I don't think it'll be too much of an issue.

the cream ale would be fantastic with that tettnang and saaz. i prefer the WLP080, as it gives the lager-like qualities i desire in my cream ale, but i'm sure the s-05 will make a great beer, too.

why are all these bags breaking? something is up with that, you guys need a new supplier.

i used to use a colander just like you are talking about (mine was plastic, much cheaper.) it will work, but allow some grains and dust to go through. it still makes a great beer, i just try to make mine as free of particles as possible. if you get another bag, that will work great for draining after your mash and sparge, that way you don't have to hold the bag up.

Ya, I realize that it'll let smaller particles thru but I figured (perhaps incorrectly) that any leftover sediments would eventually find its way into the trub.

Maybe I'll try getting another bag or filter, and use it just to line the bottom of the strainer. That should do a decent job I think.

i think that's the way to go. i've been meaning to buy a nice strainer like that one myself, just to make draining easier.

the less residue at every stage, the cleaner your beer will come out. when i brew larger batches, i use a filter after mashing AND after boiling.

don't get me wrong, tho. i made some kick-ass beer with that crappy plastic colander

The alpha on our pellet hops is 3.2% Should we use all of them? I was also thinking of doing half for 60 min and half for the last 15. Sound good? Thanks! Brewday Friday or Saturday!!

looks perfect to me:

Mirage's Brew

A ProMash Recipe Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

15-B German Wheat and Rye Beer, Dunkelweizen

Min OG: 1.044 Max OG: 1.056
Min IBU: 10 Max IBU: 18
Min Clr: 14 Max Clr: 23 Color in SRM, Lovibond

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 5.00 Wort Size (Gal): 5.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 8.25
Anticipated OG: 1.056 Plato: 13.75
Anticipated SRM: 14.4
Anticipated IBU: 15.3
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.0 0.25 lbs. Chocolate Malt America 1.029 350
24.2 2.00 lbs. Munich Malt Germany 1.037 8
36.4 3.00 lbs. White Wheat Belgium 1.040 3
36.4 3.00 lbs. Briess DME- Weizen America 1.046 8

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 oz. Saazer Pellet 3.20 15.3 60 min.


Yeast
-----

White Labs WLP300 Hefeweizen Ale

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i wouldn't use any flavor hops, myself. just stick with the bittering for a wonderful dunkelweizen. save those hops for your next brew.

Thanks DB! I will just use the whole one ounce in the 60 min boil!

I've tried this method but always ended up with cloudy wort.
How do you clear it up?

Freakin sweat! i have been a fan of this thread since i joined! i have been wanting to try an all grain batch and i think i am going to try this. i have a 2.5 gallon brew pot right now, was going to try just a 3 gallon batch due to by main pot size. have you done this at all death?

Monsterc said:

I've tried this method but always ended up with cloudy wort.
How do you clear it up?

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not sure what you mean. wort is always cloudy. if you're talking about seperating the break and hops, there are several ways. one would be to look into whirlpooling, another you could try is pouring it through a filter.

i don't bother. everything settles out and the beer clears just fine.

jimba009 said:

Freakin sweat! i have been a fan of this thread since i joined! i have been wanting to try an all grain batch and i think i am going to try this. i have a 2.5 gallon brew pot right now, was going to try just a 3 gallon batch due to by main pot size. have you done this at all death?

Click to expand...

yes, i was making 2.5 gallon all-grain batches for a little while. i've also made 5 gallon partial mash batches that i used a partial boil and put only 2.5 gallons in a 3 gallon fermenter.

then, come kegging time, i diluted down to 5 gallons with distilled water. they have all came out great, although it works better with darker beers. the dunkelweizen was amazing.

I'm using this method tonight to make an all-grain Breakfast Stout.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/mojave-black-mild-breakfast-stout-86717/#post929813

Wish i had my camera. haven't seen the damn thing since i left for vacation and i've been back for weeks. i think someone from the airport must have snagged it when they went through my bags. bastards.

After a long layoff from brewing (2+ years) I decided to get back into it recently and brewed 2 batches last weekend. The 2nd batch was brewed using this method and the Dunkleweizen recipe posted by Deathbrewer. I just checked the SG and took a taste and I have to say that this is not only the best brew I've ever made, it could be the best Dunkleweizen I've ever tasted! Outstanding!

Deathbrewer, how much priming sugar do you usually use when bottling a 5 gallon batch of this dunkleweizen? My FG is at 1.012 (right on target) and the beer already has a good bit of carbonation. Based on the recipator calculation for desired carbonation level, I'm getting 8.83oz (250g) of priming sugar to hit 4.15 volumes of CO2. This seems a bit high to me, but I thought you mightt be able to either confirm this or let me know what you typically use for this recipe?

i generally keg...haven't bottled in a while, but that does seem awful high.

one thing to think about is whether you really have a total of 5 gallons. if this is a "5 gallon batch", in which case you would only get about a 4.5 gallon yield? i make 5.5 gallon batches and with all the trub and yeast and other factors, i usually yield a little under 5 gallons.

when i did bottle, i usually used 5 oz as a general rule. i like my dunkelweizen more carbonated than most of my other beers, however.

i would trust the recipator to a certain extent, but maybe shoot for the low end. 4.5 gallons @ 4.0 volumes = 7.65 oz

something like that. when are you bottling? a week is a little soon, i'd let that sit in the primary at least another week. wheat beers are good young, but they still can use time for the yeast to clean up and fall out a little bit.

glad to hear it turned out good...makes me thirsty

Doing this right now! Already realized I've made a mistake....the straining bag I bought is 12x19 and that is kind of small for this. My combined grains are only 3.75 pounds,but I still had to work to get them spread out enough to feel like I'm getting the pieces of grain all wet. Going to do the iodine test at 30 minutes (about 12 minutes from now).

Nice pics .. finding uninterrupted blocks of time can be one of the biggest challenges ,,, today we get another hour ! (Here I am up at 4:45 !)