I will be trying my first Partial mash this weekend using the Northern Brewer Outmeal Stout. I have a 18x19 fine mesh Nylon bag, and a colander (as well as various pots).
- 2.5 lbs Maris Otter
- 0.5 lbs Black Malt
- 0.5 lbs English Dark Crystal
- 0.5 lbs flaked oats
The instruction say to mash (with 5 quarts of water) for an hour at 152F, then raise the temperature to 170F for 10 minutes, taking care not to scorch the bag.
1. Do I use low-medium heat? And do you suggest partially suspending the bag so it doesn't touch the bottom of the brew kettle?
After the 10 minutes, I remove the wort, and start sparging with another 5
quarts of 170F water. The directions say:
>>9. Sparge the grain. Using a strainer or mesh bag, hold the
grain over the wort in the kettle. Slowly pour the 170° F
sparge water through the grain, one quart at a time, until
its gone. Collect the sparge water along with the wort in
the boil kettle. When finished, you may discard the grain.
2 - do you hold the bag over the pot for a few minutes before sparging, and if so, can this create a sparge problem as it tightens the grain bed?
3 - Since I have removed the wort, If I use a colander&bag, wont the water not sparge evenly?
4 - If I do not use a Colander, and just place the bag in a pot and slowly sparge, wont the bag end up sitting in another pool of wort?
5 - Or am I supposed to put some kind of false bottom in the pot that the bag rests on?
It seems a bit haphazard to have the grain in a bag, being suspended over a pot (with a bungee cord), and slowly pouring water into it.
I guess it will work, but I'd rather get a decent yield. And there are other fermentables supplied.
- 3.15 lbs Dark malt syrup
- 1 lb Briess Dark dry malt extract
- 2.5 lbs Maris Otter
- 0.5 lbs Black Malt
- 0.5 lbs English Dark Crystal
- 0.5 lbs flaked oats
The instruction say to mash (with 5 quarts of water) for an hour at 152F, then raise the temperature to 170F for 10 minutes, taking care not to scorch the bag.
1. Do I use low-medium heat? And do you suggest partially suspending the bag so it doesn't touch the bottom of the brew kettle?
After the 10 minutes, I remove the wort, and start sparging with another 5
quarts of 170F water. The directions say:
>>9. Sparge the grain. Using a strainer or mesh bag, hold the
grain over the wort in the kettle. Slowly pour the 170° F
sparge water through the grain, one quart at a time, until
its gone. Collect the sparge water along with the wort in
the boil kettle. When finished, you may discard the grain.
2 - do you hold the bag over the pot for a few minutes before sparging, and if so, can this create a sparge problem as it tightens the grain bed?
3 - Since I have removed the wort, If I use a colander&bag, wont the water not sparge evenly?
4 - If I do not use a Colander, and just place the bag in a pot and slowly sparge, wont the bag end up sitting in another pool of wort?
5 - Or am I supposed to put some kind of false bottom in the pot that the bag rests on?
It seems a bit haphazard to have the grain in a bag, being suspended over a pot (with a bungee cord), and slowly pouring water into it.
I guess it will work, but I'd rather get a decent yield. And there are other fermentables supplied.
- 3.15 lbs Dark malt syrup
- 1 lb Briess Dark dry malt extract