Mini-mash question

I'm about to do a partial mash tonight and wonder if I can mash the 2 row and crystal and steep the flaked corn and rye separately. If possible I'd like to do this because I want to make bread and I'm pretty sure I'd like it better without the corn and rye.

Pretty sure you won't get any sugars at all from the corn if you don't mash it with the 2 row...I'd mash it all together and not risk your beer for the sake of bread.

Yeah, I'm thinking that too.... just hoping that someone could tell me otherwise

From How to Brew by John Palmer:

"Corn must be mashed with base malt."

How to Brew - By John Palmer - Other Grains and Adjuncts

what equpment are you using? you could put the corn and rye in a bag inside the mash and discard it when you're done.

also, is it malted rye? if so, you could definitely mash it separately with the corn. it may be sticky, but malted rye has very high diastatic power so conversion shouldn't be a problem.

I don't know the answer to that question,so I'll have to say that I don't think so as it is flaked.
By the way,Deathbrewer,I'm following your partial mash thread while doing this, it's a big help. I'm having trouble with holding the temp though.... apparently aluminum pots with only 1.5 gallons of water lose heat fast. I wonder how a crockpot on low would work for this?

GoneFishing, I know it's probably too late now but I use a $10 2 gallon drink cooler for mashing in, it holds temp very well and I found a grain bag that fits right into it. When the mash is complete I lift out the grain bag, let it drain and then sparge in my brew kettle. The only drawback is that I'm limited to about 5# of grain total.

The crock pot might be an idea, but you'd want to test it first and make sure it won't get your mash too hot. If you test it for an hour or so (with water, on low heat) and it doesn't get over 150 then it should work.

The idea of a smaller bag for the corn and rye could have merit. I hadn't thought of that...

I used the oven for mine. Got the mini mash started on the stove, then popped it into a warm oven. I used an oven thermometer to keep the temp where I needed it.

My oven wouldn't actually hold a temp below about 190 or so, but I would turn it on for short bursts to warm things up when the temp would start to drop.

I figured if my temp was right on in the pot when I put it in, then the oven temp just had to be in the ballpark to maintain it.

Well, actually I've got some water going in the crockpot right now.I got curious a half hour ago or so and decided to test it while I had my thermometer out anyway.
I'll be watching for a cooler... at this rate I'm really beginning to regret selling my AG setup last month!