Partial mash question

I am fairly new to brewing. I wanted to make an oatmeal stout and have been reading the oats needed to be mashed. I thought this would be a good opportunity to try a partial mash. My question is can I just steep the grains longer to be considered a pm? I don't want to buy anymore equipment for a partial because I am going to eventually go to all grain.

See this sticky.

You don't need any additional equipment to do a partial mash other than probably a larger grain sack.

But there's a difference between steeping and mashing, so if you've used steeping grains in the past, mashing is similar in process, but not done for the same reasons. When you steep specialty grains you usually do them about 30 minutes at 170. Mashing is done at lower temps (usually 150-155) and often for longer periods of time.

So keep that in mind. You don't want to just do what you've been doing with specialty grains and crank up your grain to 170 and let it sit for an hour.

Check this out for a detailed description and lots of great pictures: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-partial-mash-brewing-pics-75231/

EDIT: Oops, someone already beat me with the link.

Not quite.

A mash isnt' just a time thing, it's also temperature and ingredients. You need to make sure you have some base malt to provide the enzymes for conversion and enough of them to convert themselves and the specialty malts both.

You'll need to use the proper volume of water since you don't want things too thick so there's not enough water to circulate the enzymes through the mash or too thin so the enzymes are diluted too much to be of use.

You'll need to hit the temperature correct for your mash as well. Here's where the bad news comes in. You might need to buy some new equipment for this part. If you don't have one, you'll need to buy a thermometer. Might cost you 10 bucks.

It's really not hard, but it is a bit more than just steeping longer. Do some reading up on different techniques. Deathbrewer has a good one in that lick NorCal gave. There are others that work well too. Pick what you like from them all and find a method that works for you.

Good luck!

Metsbrew said:

I am fairly new to brewing. I wanted to make an oatmeal stout and have been reading the oats needed to be mashed. I thought this would be a good opportunity to try a partial mash. My question is can I just steep the grains longer to be considered a pm? I don't want to buy anymore equipment for a partial because I am going to eventually go to all grain.

Click to expand...

No, a longer steep is just a longer steep.

However, there isn't any more equipment needed! The processes of steeping and mashing are very much the same technique. What makes a mash a mash instead of a steep are the ingredients, and the technique.

In a mash, you're converting starches into fermentable sugars. To do that, you'll need ingredients that CAN convert (like 2-row base malt, or Munich malt, etc). Using crystal malt won't make a mash. Secondly, you'll need to give the grain the correct amount of water at the correct temperature. Generally, that's 1.5 quarts per pound of grain at approximately 150-155 degrees. That's it!

So, you'd measure the water and bring it to approximately 11 degrees warmer than your intended mash temperature. You'd add the grain, and stir very very well, thoroughly wetting all grains. Then check the temperature with a thermometer, and if it's in the range of 150-155, set the timer for an hour and just walk away. After an hour, lift up the grain bag, and pour 170 degree water over it to get to your boil volume. Or, you could stick the grain bag in a second pot of 170 degree water and dunk it around to get more of the sugars off. That is it! It's that easy.

It is very similar to steeping, and all of the equipment you're already using can be used. When I started doing larger partial-mashes, I used a great big grain bag and just lined my bottling bucket with it and did the mash right in there. Others use pots, coolers, etc, so you can use whatever is convenient.