switters
Well-Known Member
I'm about to brew my first batch, and it's a partial mash. After buying all of the equipment, I only had enough $$ left for one 5-gallon stainless steel pot. I'm wondering if it's possible to mash, sparge and boil in that single pot.
The instructions for my Oatmeal Stout from Seven Bridges Collective suggest that it is. Here's the relevant section:
[Here is the technique they recommend for sparging in the mashing pot]
After the sparge is complete I would put about 1.5 gallons of the wort aside to cool and add to the primary fermenter (because I'm doing a partial boil) and use the remaining 3 gallons in the pot for brewing with the extract.
Does this make sense? Will it work well?
The instructions for my Oatmeal Stout from Seven Bridges Collective suggest that it is. Here's the relevant section:
1a. Heat 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 gallons of water to 160-165, then turn the heat off. Add the grain bag and stir well. The temperature should be 150. Adjust if necessary by adding heat, hot water, or cold water.
1b. Allow the grains to soak for 40 to 60 minutes at 150. Do a starch test to see if the mash is done.
2a. Heat 1 1/2 gallons of water to 170 in a separate pot [my note: I have an 8 qt. pot that can handle this much water]. Sparge the grains with this water when the mash is complete.
[Here is the technique they recommend for sparging in the mashing pot]
First, heat your sparge water (1 to 2 gallons, depending on your recipe) to 170 oF. Open the top of the grain bag and hold it up so that the level of the grains inside the bag is slightly higher than the level of water in your brew pot (see picture, left). Using a ladle or a measuring cup, slowly pour the sparge water over the grains inside the bag. Try to pour most of the water as close to the center of the bag as possible; this will extract the highest possible amount of sugars. Allow the sparged grains to drain for a few minutes, then squeeze the bag gently to extract more of the remaining liquid. If the bag is too hot to handle, set it aside to cool- you can squeeze the bag into you brew later in the brewing process.
It is important to not try and wring out every last drop of liquid from the grains, as this will add too much solid matter to the brew and can affect the taste and clarity of the finished beer. The spent grains are no longer needed for the brew, as the flavor and color have already been extracted.
After the sparge is complete I would put about 1.5 gallons of the wort aside to cool and add to the primary fermenter (because I'm doing a partial boil) and use the remaining 3 gallons in the pot for brewing with the extract.
Does this make sense? Will it work well?