Recipe Translation Needed

[prenger745]

I am not a complete beginner as I have brewed 6 or 7 times. However, it has been a while. I am wanting to try an Imperial Stout Recipe. This is the first time I don't have "step by step" instructions.

Ok I know how to partial mash the grains in 2 gallons of water. Then it says to remove the grains and place in a colander and wash with 2 gallons of hot wash.

--What exactly does that mean?

Also, it calls for: 7.5lbs light dried malt extract, 2lbs 2 row pale malt, 2 lbs amber malt and 1.25 black malt.

However the only thing in the instructions regarding any of the malts is "add dried malt extract and bring to a boil" -- Does that mean all of those above are added in at the same time...or do I add the 7.5lbs dried malt extract..THEN heat to boil..and THEN add the rest?

Thanks so much in advance!
Danno

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

It means to rinse the grains with 2 gallons warm to hot water (~160*f). This is meant to extract any residual sugars left in the remains of the mash.

The 2 row, Amber, and Black are meant to be mashed together, rinsed. To this you add the dried malt extract and then bring it all to boil.

There should also be hops to add at this point.

 

[IslandLizard]

... Ok I know how to partial mash the grains in 2 gallons of water. Then it says to remove the grains and place in a colander and wash with 2 gallons of hot wash....

There is a (small) difference between mashing and steeping. What you have sounds more like steeping of specialty grains. Those are grains that have NO diastatic power and don't need to be converted to be able to release their sugar potential. Simply steeping dissolves the sugars they contain.

To "mash" in 2 gallons of water you'd need at least 4-6 pounds of grains to get a water/grain ratio between 2.0 and 1.5 respectively. That would require a huge colander, which is uncommon for mashing. Also, with mashing, the water/grain ratio IS important, as is the temperature it needs to be kept at for an hour.

For more information about brewing (and mashing) How to Brew is a great resource.

Update:
Sorry I misread your post. Since it contains 2-row, it IS a partial mash. All together too much for a colander to hold though. Look up batch sparging.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

There is a (small) difference between mashing and steeping. What you have sounds more like steeping of specialty grains. Those are grains that have NO diastatic power and don't need to be converted to be able to release their sugar potential. Simply steeping dissolves the sugars they contain.

To "mash" in 2 gallons of water you'd need at least 4-6 pounds of grains to get a water/grain ratio between 2.0 and 1.5 respectively. That would require a huge colander, which is uncommon for mashing. Also, with mashing, the water/grain ratio IS important, as is the temperature it needs to be kept at for an hour.

For more information about brewing How to Brew is a great resource.

Since when does 2 row pale malt not have diastatic power?

On the amber and black, I agree no DP but for simplification there is no reason to not include them in the mash. They will steep.

 

[IslandLizard]

Since when does 2 row pale malt not have diastatic power?

On the amber and black, I agree no DP but for simplification there is no reason to not include them in the mash. They will steep.

Agreed, I missed the 2-row on first reading. I had amended my post, they must have crossed. The whole colander thing had gotten my (undeserved) focus.

 

[prenger745]

So when I wash with 2 gallons of hot wash, am I basically just rinsing the grains with hot water and the runoff water (that's what I will call it) just becomes part of the wort?

Danno

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

So when I wash with 2 gallons of hot wash, am I basically just rinsing the grains with hot water and the runoff water (that's what I will call it) just becomes part of the wort?

Danno

Yes. Other terms for similar results are fly sparge and batch sparge.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

All together too much for a colander to hold though.

Highly subjective. While 5.25lbs of whole or crushed grain is a lot. After mashing it is not as bulky and I easily have several colanders to choose from that could accommodate that amount of draff. Worst case split the draff into half and rinse with one gallon each.

 

[unionrdr]

Or to dunk sparge- read batch sparge- just heat the sparge water in another, possibly smaller kettle. Then dunk the grains in the sparge kettle. If you're using a nylon bag, then stretch it over the lip of the kettle so as to allow stirring the grains. Let soak 10 minutes, then drain off the sparge, squeezing the bag as needed to get more goodies out of them. I try to account for the amount of mashed wort combined with the sparged wort to give boil volume.