Easy Partial Mash Brewing (with pics)

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All grains I've ever received from NB have been pre-crushed. The evidence is unfortunately on its way to a landfill now, but I'm fairly certain the grains had been crushed.
 
BrettV said:
I finally did my first partial mash yesterday, but I'm afraid that I didn't get very good efficiency from my grain. Truth be told, I didn't realize it was a partial mash kit when I bought it, but I thought "WTF, I can handle this." NB has instructions included, and I sort of followed them while referencing this article. In the end, my OG was 1.054 when the instructions said it should be 1.065, and brew calculus told me it should be 1.069. The beer is their RyePA. Here's what I did:

Heated 5 quarts of water to 162 degrees. Placed 5 lbs of grain in mesh bag into water, adjusted temp to 152, covered it, wrapped it in a towel, placed it in the oven on warm for 1 hour. Heated 5 quarts of sparge water in my brew pot to 160. Removed the grain bag from the first pot and drained as best I could and then tea-bagged it in the sparge water for 10 minutes. Drained, discarded grains, poured the wort from the first pot in with the sparge water/wort in the brew pot, and proceeded as usual with my boil. My other fermentables included 6 lbs of Amber malt syrup. It seems like I did everything right, but that's a pretty low OG.
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What was your final batch size? If you are over 5gal, that will reduce your OG.
 
Final batch size was 5 gallons. I did a partial boil on the stove (about 3.5 gallons) and topped up with bottled water in the carboy.
 
Thanks for this DeathBrewer. I just did my first partial mash with this post up on my computer to walk me through. It's my first time mashing wheat, can't wait to see how it turns out.
 
Awesome... I'm one of those newbies crossing the line between extract and mash... and also in a small apartment where space is limited. I have the basic equipment and really wanted to make sure I had everything I needed before ordering a kit and a nylon bag.

Nothing worse than making an order, waiting a week, finally getting everything and realizing you don't have the right equipment. :S
 
Echoing the same here, just finished up a partial mash version of Janet's Brown Ale (BN Tasty McDole recipe) and mashed 6.5 pounds of grain in my 5 gallon pot with only one issue:

I tried to use a 5 gallon paint strainer bag and found that its slightly too small to let the maximum amount of grain remain in contact with the maximum amount of water for the mash. So if anyone is thinking of using one, I would get a bigger bag.

Thanks for the write up, I can't wait to see how this one turns out.
 
This write up has been a great resource for me. Thanks DeathBrewer for all of the info. I've got a stupid question though that has been wearing on me though. I've read both your Partial Mash and AG stove top methods.

Is the only basic difference that the PM method uses DME and fewer grains? Could it then also just be called an AG method with DME addition?

Other than that, both methods appear basically the same. Or am I missing something?

Sorry for such a noob question. I've searched a lot of both threads, but the answer is eluding me.
 
Philip_T said:
This write up has been a great resource for me. Thanks DeathBrewer for all of the info. I've got a stupid question though that has been wearing on me though. I've read both your Partial Mash and AG stove top methods.

Is the only basic difference that the PM method uses DME and fewer grains? Could it then also just be called an AG method with DME addition?

Other than that, both methods appear basically the same. Or am I missing something?

Sorry for such a noob question. I've searched a lot of both threads, but the answer is eluding me.
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You got it!!! Pretty much just arguing semantics...partial mash IS basically AG w/ DME! That's why making the move to AG was so easy for me. I did one PM batch using this thread and realized that it wasn't much harder than making an extract batch. All of a sudden AG seemed much less intimidating and a whole lot cheaper! I ended up buying the extra base malts I needed to make up the DME I had already purchased for a recipe...the DME lasted me through almost 6 months of starters :rockin:

Now I brew exclusively AG, but if circumstances were to require a change up due to space, weather, free time, or teaching someone to brew, I have another tool available to keep brewing.

Welcome to your new obsession :mug:
 
Thanks TANSTAAFB! And so right on the obsession. I'll wake up some mornings and immediately start thinking of what I want to try and brew next, or what equipment I want to upgrade, etc. The wife is starting to look at me funny....
 
Philip_T said:
Thanks TANSTAAFB! And so right on the obsession. I'll wake up some mornings and immediately start thinking of what I want to try and brew next, or what equipment I want to upgrade, etc. The wife is starting to look at me funny....
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Pace yourself and the looks might remain funny!!! My wife looked around one day and asked when we started collecting refrigerators...and when did the office become the beer room!!!

If you build slowly she will just resign herself to the fact that you are crazy and obsessed with beer...mine kept waiting for the fervor for this hobby to fade with time, but it just kept growing!!! Find a balance and don't talk about brewing if she doesn't care. Make sure you support her hobbies too. My wife loves to hike so we started taking a homebrew to enjoy in the most scenic spot after a long sweaty hike :D
 
Thanks to Deathbrewer and everyone contributing in here. I've been brewing for about 3 months and just took a crack at my first partial mash brew. I've done 5 extract batches prior to today. I bought an IPA recipe from a LHBS and saw that the target OG was only 1.045 or so (6lbs LME + specialty grains). I figured adding some heft to what seemed like an unbalanced brew might be a good way to get my feet wet.

FrankenIPA
3/4lb light munich
1/4lb crystal 80
1/4 lb carapils
4lbs 2 row (my addition)
6lbs light LME

65 1oz chinok 13%
30 1 oz cascade 6.9%
30 .25 oz simcoe 12.2% (my addition)
10 1oz amarillo 10.9%
5 .25 citra 14.1% (my addition)

My goal was to add about 25 points to the OG with my grain addition and hedge my bets with a bit extra hop flavor and aroma.

I mashed everything together 5.25 lbs for 35 minutes at around 158f (overshot my target a bit) then sparged at 168f for 6 or so minutes, dunking and trying to make sure it was thoroughly rinsed.

My preboil grain-only wort was about 1.034 with 4 gallons or so in the kettle.
Added the LME at 35 and 20 minutes to make sure it was pasteurized, but avoid twang (which i'm not really convinced exists, but whatever).

Hoping I end up with a 1.65-1.070 balanced american IPA.

Wort is cooling now while some Danstar rehydrates. First time using that yeast as well.

Salud.
 
Hey would like to thank Deathbrewer for this tutorial. I did my first partial last weekend and I think I'm hooked hit my OG no prob! :rockin: Just had a question regarding recipe formulation: I don't know if it has been covered somewhere or not but I am looking for specific info on how to convert extract/AG recipes to partial mash. I know there is software out there that helps you do this but I'm too cheap to buy it. Any tips would be helpful.
 
As soon as I went PM then AG it quickly became apparent that I was operating in the dark w/o brewing software. I tried the free stuff but I wanted to be able to create recipes, convert from extract/ PM/ AG & back, scale recipes, track inventory, calculate IBU/ efficiency/ strike temps/ etc., & print brew sheets. Beersmith does all this & much more. Free to try out & cheap @ $20. An updated version is about to come out as well. Bite the bullet & buy, you won't regret it!
 
warndogg said:
Hey would like to thank Deathbrewer for this tutorial. I did my first partial last weekend and I think I'm hooked hit my OG no prob! :rockin: Just had a question regarding recipe formulation: I don't know if it has been covered somewhere or not but I am looking for specific info on how to convert extract/AG recipes to partial mash. I know there is software out there that helps you do this but I'm too cheap to buy it. Any tips would be helpful.
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Easiest way to tinker with this stuff for free is Hopville.

http://hopville.com/

Sign up for a free account and use their beer calculus tool to check and see gravity, IBUs and all of the other pertinent info.

In general, if you're getting good mashes, you can use about 5-7 pounds of grain in any given batch and cut out about 3 pounds of dry extract (or 3.3 of liquid). End up saving about...$5-6 per batch and you'll have the additional joy of extra control and the ability to use specific mash requiring ingredients like wheat.
 
I don't have more than one 22qt+ pot. Can I still PM, or am I relegated to steeping+extract? If I do steep+extract would sparging contribute anything?
 
bjl110 said:
I don't have more than one 22qt+ pot. Can I still PM, or am I relegated to steeping+extract? If I do steep+extract would sparging contribute anything?
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You'll need two pots, use this calculator to see how much you can mash in your smaller pot: http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml

When I first started doing PM, I had my main 20qt pot, and then did my PM in a really small pot, I think I only mashed 2 lbs.
 
According to Charles Papazian and John Palmer you should never ever squeeze your crushed grains as that will pull tannins from the hull of the grain which imparts off flavors to your beer.
 
bjl110 said:
I don't have more than one 22qt+ pot. Can I still PM, or am I relegated to steeping+extract? If I do steep+extract would sparging contribute anything?
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The difference between partial mash and steeping is academic.

Some grains can convert themselves and possibly other grains mashed with them. If you steep those kinds of grains at the right temperature for the right amount of time, that is a partial mash. If your grains have already been converted (cara-type grains) then they can't be mashed, but if there's any 2-row, 6-row or certain other types, your steeps have been partial mashes all along and you didn't know it. :D
 
Here's a good example: If any of you have the "250 Classic Clone Recipes" issue of the BYO (Brew Your Own) magazine, you'll see that many of the grains have an addition of 2-row and tell you to steep with a certain amount of water at a certain temperature. These are all very small partial mash recipes, even though most are listed as "extract with grains".

If you don't have it, buy it. There's some pretty good recipes in there.
 
Hey death brewer u said u had some recipes for partial mash because the only thing I have trouble with is choosing ingreidents for this is my second brew and dont like the exstract method and want to try this. Let me know if u could help me out

Mike
 
Thank you for this excellent tutorial. I find that the efficiency also is dependent on the type of malt used. Maris Otter has a lot of diastatic power and I can get 75% efficiency with it.
 
DeathBrewer said:
Thanks, i'm certainly working on the back problem.

my absolute favorite recipes for this method are my dunkelweizens. it can be as simple as:

Grains:
3 lbs Wheat Malt
2 lbs Munich Malt
¼ lbs Chocolate Malt (pale chocolate is wonderful in this recipe)

Extract: 3 lbs Wheat Dry Malt Extract

Hops: 0.6 oz Tettnanger, hallertau or saaz (at ~4% AA) for 60 minute boil.

Yeast: WLP 300

ferment in the mid 60s if you can ;)

EDIT: i think i'll make this recipe this weekend

EDIT: Changed amount of hops and added boil time for clarification.
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I'm gonna give this one a shot tonight for my first PM. I am a bit concerned though about my ability to boil (aggressively) more than 3 gallons. Any pointers or suggestions? I was going to use 2.5 gal of water for my mash and then maybe a gallon for my steep. Shoudl I change anything?:rockin:
 
You don't have to do a full boil, it's just that a full boil is optimum. If you are doing it like you said, with those volumes, I'd only boil half the DME the whole time, and add the other half in at the end. Hop utilization changes slightly, but I think the beer will still be excellent.

Sometimes we get so obsessed with our hobby that we think "less than perfect" is actually bad. That is not the case. Brew with the equipment (and ingredients) you have, not what you wish you had. ;)

(This isn't directed at you boomtown or at anyone else in particular, but at potential and/or future beer elitists.)
 
Inspiration and motivation! I got both of those from this sticky. Thx for posting, o so long ago, deathbrewer.
 
I have never ventured beyond a kit brew to date and am inspired to give PM a go using Deathbrewer's method.

My desire is to start out with a Rogue - Dead Guy clone. I fell in love with Rogue - Dead Guy while touring the US recently.

Would this basic system work ok with this style of beer and if so can anyone post a detailed recipe for Dead Guy Clone that they have made and liked that I could have a go at.

I have 2 x 21.5 litre stainless steel pots and a great desire to see them in use.
 
el_caro said:
Would this basic system work ok with this style of beer and if so can anyone post a detailed recipe for Dead Guy Clone that they have made and liked that I could have a go at.
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Top 5 results when searching:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/dead-guy-clone-recipe-4770/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f85/yep-another-dead-guy-clone-60158/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/rogue-dead-guy-ale-clone-165590/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/can-you-brew-recipe-rogue-dead-guy-ale-175382/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/rogue-dead-guy-ale-clone-175803/

I don't know how good they are, I've never brewed them since I've never tried Rogue Dead Guy. This method should allow you to brew most styles, or any style, if you're creative (the whole big-beer-small-beer thing would be a tough trick). Good luck!
 
Justibone said:
Top 5 results when searching:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/dead-guy-clone-recipe-4770/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f85/yep-another-dead-guy-clone-60158/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/rogue-dead-guy-ale-clone-165590/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/can-you-brew-recipe-rogue-dead-guy-ale-175382/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/rogue-dead-guy-ale-clone-175803/

I don't know how good they are, I've never brewed them since I've never tried Rogue Dead Guy. This method should allow you to brew most styles, or any style, if you're creative (the whole big-beer-small-beer thing would be a tough trick). Good luck!
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Thanks Justibone
 
so whats the difference between extract w/ specialty grains and PM exactly? aside from the sparge it seems to be the exact same thing
 
jpr210 said:
so whats the difference between extract w/ specialty grains and PM exactly? aside from the sparge it seems to be the exact same thing
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I believe he answered this in the original part of the thread, but I'll answer it again: the only difference is which grains you use.

Crystal malts, for instance, are already sugary, so don't need to be "converted".

Pale 2-row, for example, is starchy, not sugary, so you need to grind it and put it at a certain temperature to optimize the enzymes converting the starches to sugars. That's called "mashing".

So, extract plus grain could be a partial mash or merely specialty grain, depending on which grains it includes. :mug:
 

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