First Partial Mash Today.. Instructions say 2.25 qt/lb mash water?

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DonutMuncher

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Doing my first PM later today. I only have about 3.5 pounds of grain (mostly 2-row), and the rest is extract. I've read a lot on here about mash water-to-grain ratios, and a lot of people seem to do anywhere from 1.25 qt/lb to 2 qt/lb of grain for mash water (seems like 1.25 and 1.33 is common).

My instructions say to use 8 quarts of water for the 3.5 pounds of grain, which is more like 2.3 qt/lb. Does this higher ratio have a negative effect of any kind? Reduced effiency? If so, I assume I can just reduce to 6 or 7 quarts of mash water instead.

After that, the instructions say to do a "pour-over" sparge with a ratio of 1 quart to 2 pounds (so less than two quarts of sparge water for my 3.5 lb. of grain).

Should I stick to these instructions? I want my first PM to turn out decent :mug:
 
I personally would stick with 1.25.

Think of it like Marco-Polo where Marco is the enzyme and Polo are the starches. Everyone is in a pool: 1.25 is a perfect ratio where the marco can find the polo. If there is not enough water, it is hard for the marco to move around. If there is too much water, the marco cant find the polo.
 
agreed that's an awefully thin mash...does the recipe have you sparge, or just take the mash runnings and nothing more?

if its a no-sparge recipe, then I sort of 'get' those instructions...however I'd still mash at more like 1.25-1.4qt/pound, and then sparge.
 
I've been doing partial mash lately with some kits from Austin homebrew. I have been mashing BIAB in 3 gallons of water for about the same amount of grain as you. Then sparge with the 1.25 ratio. Seems to be working for me, but it may not be the best method.
 
agreed that's an awefully thin mash...does the recipe have you sparge, or just take the mash runnings and nothing more?

It still says to sparge, by just pouring 170F water over the grains and letting it drip into the pot. It says slightly less than 2 quarts of sparge water for the 3.5 pounds of grain.

FreshZ, I got my kit at Austin Homebrew too. I guess their recommendations are for using more mash water. Not exactly sure why, but maybe its not a big deal when only using a few pounds of grain?
 
its hard for me to look at multiple threads at the same time in the android app, but im pretty sure the stove top partial mash thread by deathbrewer recomends using the total volume of the boil for the mash water. does the amount of mash + sparge water = your boil vol?

i have been wondering about the mash volumes for partial mashes as well. hopefully someone more experienced weighs in here. maybe the deathbrewer himself.
 
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