Hagen
Well-Known Member
I did my first multi-step mash yesterday, a belgian wit. Since I was using 3.75lbs of white wheat and 12oz of rolled oats along with 4.5lbs 2-row (5.5gal batch), I figured a protein rest would do some good. I also added 4oz of rice hulls as insurance. It was interesting and a learning experience, to say the least...
My settings in beersmith are spot on for single infusions, multi-step mashes seem to be another story.
I added my strike water and grain, shooting for a 122* protein rest, and get 130*. So I added some water to knock the temp down, 113* BAH! Space is an issue with two more steps to go, so I decocted some mash and got the temp to 122*.
Figuring that my adjusted settings in beersmith were no good for step mashing, I set it back to default for the equipment. When I did my infusion for the 152* saccrification rest, I got 143*. At this point, I didn't want to thin the mash any more, so I decocted 3qts and hit my temp. I decided things were thin enough that I didn't want to bother with a mashout.
Sparge time. I knew with the wheat and oats I'd have to sparge as slow as possible to keep it from sticking (fly sparge). To reward my efforts the mash stuck twice and got really slow once. In all cases, I stirred and re-vorlaufed. I was able to collect my full volume of runnings.
With all that had happened up to this point, I forgot to stir my runnings before taking a gravity reading. The boil was on before I took the sample out of the fridge to get the reading. 1.056... hmmmm... 1.048 would be 100%... yup, forgot to stir the runnings.
With past batches, I hit efficiencies between 84% and 89%. With the decoctions and slow sparging and stirring, I'm positive my efficiency is through the roof, probably around 90%, especially since I've never seen runnings with gravity that high, whether I stirred or not.
By the time the boil was done, I said the hell with a gravity reading, it'll be beer. With all that happened, It's going to be an awesome beer. I know it is because it's going to be damn near impossible to repeat.
My settings in beersmith are spot on for single infusions, multi-step mashes seem to be another story.
I added my strike water and grain, shooting for a 122* protein rest, and get 130*. So I added some water to knock the temp down, 113* BAH! Space is an issue with two more steps to go, so I decocted some mash and got the temp to 122*.
Figuring that my adjusted settings in beersmith were no good for step mashing, I set it back to default for the equipment. When I did my infusion for the 152* saccrification rest, I got 143*. At this point, I didn't want to thin the mash any more, so I decocted 3qts and hit my temp. I decided things were thin enough that I didn't want to bother with a mashout.
Sparge time. I knew with the wheat and oats I'd have to sparge as slow as possible to keep it from sticking (fly sparge). To reward my efforts the mash stuck twice and got really slow once. In all cases, I stirred and re-vorlaufed. I was able to collect my full volume of runnings.
With all that had happened up to this point, I forgot to stir my runnings before taking a gravity reading. The boil was on before I took the sample out of the fridge to get the reading. 1.056... hmmmm... 1.048 would be 100%... yup, forgot to stir the runnings.
With past batches, I hit efficiencies between 84% and 89%. With the decoctions and slow sparging and stirring, I'm positive my efficiency is through the roof, probably around 90%, especially since I've never seen runnings with gravity that high, whether I stirred or not.
By the time the boil was done, I said the hell with a gravity reading, it'll be beer. With all that happened, It's going to be an awesome beer. I know it is because it's going to be damn near impossible to repeat.
