Maximum grain with Partial Mash?

[haighter]

Hi,

I haven't posted on here in a long while, but countless searches have come up fruitless, so I thought I'd throw it out to the gallery.

I just got a whole bunch of grain from AHS and I think I got too much for my next PM batch.

4lb 2 Row
10oz 40L
8oz CaraPils


I was probably going to make a big IPA with it. Is this too much grain to steep and sparge? Most batches I've made so far have had about 2.5-3.5 lbs total grain bill. What effect will the extra grain have on the finished process?

I'm thinking perhaps I can just increase the volume of water that I steep in? Just looking for suggestions on how to alter my process to accommodate the extra pound or two of grains that I'll be working with.

Thanks!

 

[emetcalf]

As long as your pot is big enough to hold the grain and water, you can use as much grain as you want. You will want to use 1.5-2 gallons of water for that much grain.

 

[haighter]

OK, to that end, is the amount of water in which you steep very important?

I read on the forums that if you use a high volume boil, you'll get a lighter colored beer (using extract). So for my last brew I took this into account and steeped about 3 lbs in about 3 gallons of water.

 

[emetcalf]

If you are mashing(which in this case you are), then you want 1-2.5 quarts of water per pound of grain. If you are just steeping grains, I don't think it matters as much.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

OK, to that end, is the amount of water in which you steep very important?

I read on the forums that if you use a high volume boil, you'll get a lighter colored beer (using extract). So for my last brew I took this into account and steeped about 3 lbs in about 3 gallons of water.

Yes, amount of water for partial mashing is important. The primary difference between the use of "steeping grains" vs partial mashing is the extraction of sugars, and for that you need enzymatic activity. For that, it requires a "stiff" enough mash that the enzymes operate properly.

You were at 12 qts / 3 pounds, or 4 qt/lb. As stated above, you typically want somewhere between 1-3 qt/lb. Traditional for *most* homebrewers is somewhere in the 1.5 qt/lb range, which would have only been a little over a gallon of mash water for your partial mash.

It sounds like you're steeping, not partial mashing. So here's my recommendation:

1) Start with 1.5 gallons water in a pot, steeping the grains at 150 degrees for ~1 hour in your grain bag.
2) Have a second pot with another 1.5 gallons ~170 degrees. After you pull the grain bag out of the first pot, put it in this pot, and move the grain bag around enough to "rinse" as much sugar out of the grain as possible.
3) Pour the second pot into the first, then boil as normal.