Single decoction for lagers

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Griff777

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Now that I am brewing mostly lagers, I have been playing around with decoction methods and feel that a simple single decoction would be less daunting to those wanting to try it out.

I use a ten gallon cooler mashtun, with false bottom, and an eight gallon brew kettle for five gallon(finished) batches.

Add your grain to 100 degree water, at rate of one quart per pound of grain.(dough in). I use the brew kettle on the stove. Let rest for about five minutes, then use a quart ladle, or saucepan to dip and remove most of the liquid and transfer that to the mashtun. Ladle out most of the liquid, leaving the grain and a very thick mash in the kettle. Slowly bring the grain up to 120 to 125, for protein rest for ten minutes, then add medium heat and bring up to your target sacc rest temp. I quit adding heat and and try to stabilize around 150, as I like the lagers dry. Give it 45 minutes at sacc rest, then slowly bring up to 170, (mashout) and let it rest for about ten minutes, then add medium high heat, stirring constantly to boil. Boil 10 to 20 minutes, turn off heat. remove one quart at a time adding back to mashtun to bring up mashtun to 150, let the mashtun do a sacc rest for about a half hour while the decoction is cooling. when the decoction is down to 170 to 175, transfer decoction to mash tun. begin heating sparge water, and I add entire sparge water for singe sparge, or fly sparge if you prefer. I get about 1.45 OG after boil using ten pounds of grain.

I use half RO from Glacier Machine and half filtered tap water for my pilsners and lagers. My PH of mash is always 5.4 to 5.8 without adjustments.

My beers have been crystal clear in 60 days, very presentable in 30 days of Lagering at 35 degrees. I usually leave them in the primary on the yeast for 3 weeks, and do a diacytel rest at 65 for a couple days after the first week.
No secondary.

I keg them, add a shot of co2 every few days at about 20 lbs, and over the month they carb up for drinking in 30 days.

Taste, the decoctions seems to me to produce a nicer color, a touch more taste, a dry crisp lager that is hard to keep in supply with three sons tapping my kegs when I am not looking. Happy brewing!!
 

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