Help with water to grain ratio

Looking for help with a three step mash on a Octoberfest.

5 lbs. German Pilsen
5 lbs. German Munich
1 lbs. German Dark Munich 40 EBC
0.5 lbs. Weyermann Caramunich II

1 oz. Sterling (60 min)

Wyeast #2206 Bavarian Lager Yeast. Optimum temperature: 46-56° F.


Mash Schedule
122° F for 20 minutes
153° F for 60 minutes
170° F for 10 minutes

Are you planning on using boiling water to raise each step?

If so start with a 1 qt/lb ratio and add the boiling water as necessary.

Well if you have to add hot water to get to each of your steps you'll need to start out with something small like 1:1. But if you can apply heat directly to your mash tun you can use whatever ratio you normally use. (I like 1.5:1)

Here's my question. Why do a three step mash for this beer? Why not just keep it simple? How about just doing a single infusion mash at 153 degrees? Your recipe is close to Jami's and he does single infusion at 151 for his Oktoberfest.

That extra energy you are using to deal with this three step mash you could focus on pitching the proper amount of yeast (making a huge starter), proper sanitation, temperature control & water quality all of which would make a bigger difference in the taste of the beer than a three step mash.

Michael, how do you know he's not doing all of those other things?

Can not apply heat to my mash tun. Using a 10 gal rubbermaid.

I am making a starter for this beer, using spring water from krogers, and I sanitize very well. I always hope so!

The three step mash was part of the reciepe.

After you calculate your initial strike water, I'm guessing it will be around 5-6 quarts of boiling water for each infusion to bring the temp up. I'm not at home with Promash, but if you have access to any brewing software it can calculate all of that for you.

Sorry I wasn't trying to be a prick or anything. I guess a better way of saying it is that I don't really think that a 3 step mash is worth the extra effort for this beer; that's just my 2 cents. I'd prefer to spend that energy doing other things....

There's a free infusion calculator tool here too:
Green Bay Rackers--Mash Calculators

you can also make sure you don;t over fill the tun with the "Can I Mash" it tool....

If your malts are actually German malts, then the 122F protein rest makes some sense. German brewers like moderately modified malts so they can control the body of the final product. The protein rest in part of the process.

Fully modified malts, which are standard in the US and UK, do not need the rest.

The 170F step is just a mash-out and hitting the temperature is all that matters.