Multi Step Infusion Mash Question

Generally speaking, what's the best way to go about a multi step infusion mash with something like a hefe?
Is one better off using a kettle, or an MLT cooler? If using a cooler, how much water at what temp would you add for each step (just follow the formula for brewiki: Wa = (T2 - T1)(0.2G + Wm)/(Tw - T2) ?) Also, if using an MLT cooler would you most likely end up with a smaller sparge having used all that water?
Thanks in advance!

I just use a cooler, and that works just fine. With a multi-step infusion, you just have to keep your mash thickness in mind, so start thick.

If you are only dealing with a couple steps, it is not so big of a deal. That is especially true if you are only doing a protein rest and one saccharafication rest, since your proteases are more effective in thicker mashes and your amylases are more effective in thinner ones. In those cases, I dough in at 1 quart/lb and have no problems with my sacc rest thickness. If you are dealing with only two sacc rests (i.e., no earlier rest), the temperatures usually are so close that you have little trouble with too thin of a mash, also.

If you have more than two rests, like in the hefeweizen, you really need to carefully plan and execute your infusions. Otherwise, that last rest may look more like barley soup than a mash. I often prefer a decoction in this situation, even if only to raise from my beta-sacc rest to my alpha rest, just to I have a little more control. I've even done a sort of hybrid infusion/decoction raise where I boiled a small decoct, added it back to the mash, and then brought the temperature to the target with a small amount of boiling water I had over on the side. That's a lot going on at once, but I knew I would hit my temperature without thinning my mash out.

For the mash out in that hefeweizen recipe, I often prefer a thin decoction. Again, it's a matter of raising the temperature without thinning the mash out to nothing and saving something for my sparge. If you fly sparge, that is not as much of an issue, though.


TL

jacksonbrown said:

Is one better off using a kettle, or an MLT cooler?

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You could use either, but if you're going to use a kettle anyway, you might consider using direct heat for your steps, rather than infusions. If you're set on infusions, pick the bigger vessel. Lack of space is generally the biggest issue for multi-infusion mashes.

If using a cooler, how much water at what temp would you add for each step (just follow the formula for brewiki: Wa = (T2 - T1)(0.2G + Wm)/(Tw - T2) ?)

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That will work, and it's pretty easy to build a simple spreadsheet to do the calcs for each step. Alternately, I think any of the major brewing softwares (ProMash, BeerTools, BeerSmith) will do the calcs for you.

Also, if using an MLT cooler would you most likely end up with a smaller sparge having used all that water?

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Yes, regardless of which vessel you use.

I've found, at least with my system, the 0.2 factor for grain thermal mass (compared to water) is more like 0.3 once the grains are already wet. I was always missing low until I changed that factor in the equation.

It's going to be very very hard in practice to do more than two steps without going above the 2qt:1lb water to grain ratio. Any error in temp needs to be corrected with more water, which in turn makes the next step need more water to hit, and so on. If you're planning on doing more than two steps, you pretty much have to do decoction or direct fire, or if you're Yuri, a superheated steam infusion system.

Super heated Steam Infusion system??? WHAT??? I want. hahaha