Easy Partial Mash Brewing (with pics)

DeathBrewer · Nov 29, 2009

mikeysab said:
Getting ready for second hop addition. Learned another lesson. Tea balls, which can be used as "Hop balls" (funny, since only the females are used) are only good for 1/2 oz hop additions. So without a hop sock, I have to open my hop/grain bag 2 times during the boil. Also thought of adding some sweet orange peel and making it an orange pale ale. We'll see how drunk I get in the next 20 minutes.

Yeah, hops balls aren't good for large amounts or for whole hops.

I use a big bag and regularly reopen it...not a big deal as long as you keep the open end away from all the steam.

mikeysab · Nov 29, 2009

thanks for the late advice. Although the steamed fingertips wasn't as bad as reaching across the boil kettle and pressing my arm against it to grab something. I haven't figured which part of "Bayou Classic" was branded across my arm yet, but in the morning it should be clear. I forget if in ANY of the 70 previous pages you mentioned "Don't get too drunk, especially on your first attempt", but it would have been a good heads up. If you did, then I missed it. But either way, it went decently. Gonna try to figure out my efficiency now, and finish my IWC, since I had to use my "auto" siphon, which there was nothing auto about it, to cool the wort. I pumped that thing more than my whole senior year of high school.

DeathBrewer · Nov 30, 2009

lol, I'm sure I've mentioned it before, but everyone has to learn for themselves. I sure have the brewing scars to prove it.

mikeysab · Nov 30, 2009

I think I'll stick to the outdoor propane burner from now on. I'll mash inside on the stovetop, but boils will be done with plenty of room outdoors. If you don't mind, I do have one question though, about efficiency. I'm plugging my numbers into beersmith and I'm confused about which number is the efficiency of the mash. One number says actual efficiency, under the heading "Brewhouse efficiency based on target volume" and the other one says "Efficiency as calculated from actual volume" under the heading "efficiency into fermenter". So when people talk about efficiency, which of these numbers is the one they're talking about?

DeathBrewer · Nov 30, 2009

I'd say "actual efficiency" or "efficiency into fermenter". The rest of those sound like calculations before you are finished. I don't have beersmith in front of me, however, so you may wish to ask this in one of the general forums. I'm sure someone else will have a better answer.

paul · Nov 30, 2009

Used this sticky over the weekend to brew my first PM of a IPA from Austin home brew . Went off without a hitch and is bubbling away in the fermentation room. Thanks for the great info!!!

Paul

Bonzailopper · Nov 30, 2009

You'll have to forgive me, because I only have one batch under my belt. I'm VERY interested in this Partial Mash method. I just don't understand how you came up with the 2 gal. of water per 5-6 lbs of grain? AND you use extract. It's most likely my ignorance of the process that causes my confusion, but how do you know how much extract to use in relation to how much grain you mash? Is it a "Partial Mash recipe"? I'm sure it's something simple I'm just missing. Thanks for the great post!

DeathBrewer · Nov 30, 2009

You use 2 gallons (8 quarts) for 5-6 lbs of grain because that's the proper ratio. This method uses solid amounts, but the proper amount of water for grain is generally 1-2 quarts per pound of grain. So for 5 lbs, you could use anywhere from 5 quarts to 10 quarts. For 6 lbs, you could use anywhere from 6 - 12 quarts.

This method simplifies that by saying to always use 2 gallons and then you can use 5-6 lbs of grain and it will work fine. 5-6 lbs of grain will not give you a high enough gravity by itself for a 5 gallon batch, so you must add extract unless you want a VERY low alc beer.

So if you want to use grain, you use 5-6 lbs and then make up for the rest of that with extract. If you don't know how much extra you need, you should get more into recipe formulation before trying this. I would suggest getting promash or beersmith to help you with that, and also look at examples in the recipe database, as well as online areas such as brewmonkey or the beer recipator.

This tutorial was made as a gateway to using grain and also as a step-by-step guide...a better understanding of brewing may be necessary if you want to learn the "why" of it. I'd suggest reading howtobrew.com and go through the basics.

mikeysab · Nov 30, 2009

I'd say doing a couple more extract batches would be beneficial before you try out the PM. It trains you to practice some basic techniques, like sanitizing EVERYTHING, how to add extract and hops without boiling over, timing hop additions, cooling your wort. My first PM last night went well, but it could have gone better. My efficiency wasn't great at 66 percent (i think), but I was still 4 gravity points higher than what the kit said my ceiling would be. Then again, I boiled off too much and wound up with less than 5 gallons, so I don't know how well i could really say it went. You really learn a lot even doing extract batches, and it gives you a good base for taking the next step.

Hardleft · Dec 1, 2009

Thanks for the excellent writeup DeathBrewer. I used your method last weekend and for the batch before.

Heres a question for you: can you scale this up to 5 gallons of all grain?

I have a 4 gallon pot that fits in my oven. I just ordered a 10 gallon pot. I am thinking that I could mash in the 4 gallon pot, using one big grain bag (or two still pretty big bags) and use the oven on its low setting to maintain the correct temps. Then sparge and boil in the 10 gallon kettle.
Does that sound reasonable?

DeathBrewer · Dec 1, 2009

yep. check out the all-grain thread in my sig.

mrgstiffler · Dec 1, 2009

Hardleft said:
Thanks for the excellent writeup DeathBrewer. I used your method last weekend and for the batch before.

Heres a question for you: can you scale this up to 5 gallons of all grain?

I have a 4 gallon pot that fits in my oven. I just ordered a 10 gallon pot. I am thinking that I could mash in the 4 gallon pot, using one big grain bag (or two still pretty big bags) and use the oven on its low setting to maintain the correct temps. Then sparge and boil in the 10 gallon kettle.
Does that sound reasonable?

I've done two batches using this method and take my advice, just skip using the oven. It's really not needed. Your temps wont drop much at all during the hour that you're mashing. Both my batches ended up getting way to hot during mashing and FG is going to be really high on them (though they both taste AMAZING anyway).

I decided to order a 15 gallon pot and found a wort chiller for "cheap". Snagged a grain bag that will work with the new pot and plan on moving to the Aussie AG BIAB method. It's very similar to DB's methods but reduces the steps quite a bit. If I didn't have a burner, decent garage and the funds to buy the pot and chiller, I would have stayed with DB's process though.

mikeysab · Dec 1, 2009

I mashed in a 3 gallon pot on my countertop and lost one degree in an hour. for some reason, either the pot, or the lid was dented, so the lid wasn't sitting right, but I just covered the pot with foil and stuck the lid on and it worked really well. Then I used my 7.5 turkey fryer pot to "teabag", then stuck the grains in a strainer and poured dthe last 2 gallons of water over it, and it worked like a charm. Combined all three pots and boiled away. I did it a little different, but it worked for me. Wort is catching a beating from the US 05 right now.

DeathBrewer · Dec 1, 2009

Smaller pots work better...the less headspace the better...and insulation (such as blankets/towels) can make it so you don't lose a single degree.

However, when I first started with this method, I used to mash in at 152°F and stir every 15 minutes. When I was done it would always end up at 140°F...it didn't seem to make one bit of difference. Those were some of my finest beers!

So, yes, there are ways to help maintain your temp, but I do not consider it even a minimal concern for PM brewing. It is far worse to have it raise in temperature. I never like to go above 154°F, even though that was my standard practice when I started.

Brew on!
:mug:

bce22 · Dec 2, 2009

This is a fantastic thread!

I have a couple of questions. Is there any benefit to doing a mashout for 10 to 15 minutes between 160-170F after conversion and before placing the grain bag in the sparge water?

My other question is in regards to transferring your initial wort to the sparge water. Would there be any reason to fiilter the initial wort through the grains again (say the grain bag was sitting in a strainer above the sparge water that you soaked the grains in for 10 minutes) when adding to your sparge? Would the risk of hot-side aeration outway an increase in efficiency?

I'm a new brewer so cut me a little slack.

DeathBrewer · Dec 3, 2009

Many people use mash outs...I often do myself. With this method, I would recommend using an infusion mash out...adding direct heat will make it difficult to hit a specific temperature. Here is what John Palmer has to say about it:

Mashout is the term for raising the temperature of the mash to 170°F prior to lautering. This step stops all of the enzyme action (preserving your fermentable sugar profile) and makes the grainbed and wort more fluid. For most mashes with a ratio of 1.5-2 quarts of water per pound of grain, the mashout is not needed. The grainbed will be loose enough to flow well. For a thicker mash, or a mash composed of more than 25% of wheat or oats, a mashout may be needed to prevent a Set Mash/Stuck Sparge.

I would recommend to all beginners to go through his online howtobrew...it is very helpful in understanding the whats and why.

I wouldn't recirculate the wort. Instead, to increase efficiency, I often use a small amount of the sparge water and pour it over the grains while they are sitting in my colander over the mash pot. This allows a bit of run-off before you dunk it in the sparge water. I've found it increases efficiency, especially in my all-grain bag batches.

wadner · Dec 3, 2009

You did it again DB. I just put my ESB in the scondary to dry hop and I sampled a little. Fantastic! I made a Fuller's clone and added 1lb of rye.

Other than punching a hole in my utility sink cleaning my carboy, I'm very satisfied.

I am a partial masher from now on. I think maybe it's time to buy a 55lb bag of 2 row and a grain crusher.

I didn't cut back any of the DME when I added the rye so it came out just at about 1.60 on the OG. Tonight it came back at about 1.14 FG. When I keg is it okay to add a little spring water to cut the alcohol some? I've only got about 4.5 gallons of water in my carboy.

DeathBrewer · Dec 4, 2009

I've often topped off with water in the keg. Purge the keg with co2 and then pour in some distilled water from a newly opened bottle.

phishfood · Dec 4, 2009

I already have an APA that is getting agonizingly close to bottling brewed with this method. And I have just put together a starter for tomorrow's brew day, when I will be attempting something Midwest calls Boston Red Ale.

This method is much easier than the pour-over sparge that the first PM recipe I did called for.

In fact, I like brewing this way so much that I made a stab at converting my favorite-so-far, a bitter, into a partial mash recipe, and have 2 batches worth of ingredients on the way. And, doing it PM saves me about $7 a batch over the extract recipe.

Thanks for the great thread!

Chippewa · Dec 6, 2009

Very helpful descriptions and pics. I am going to be making the jump to partial mashes on my next brew and I feel like a have a great plan now.

wadner · Dec 12, 2009

My 'Fuller's Clone' with rye, flat and warm is the best beer I've brewed yet. When I get back from watching the University of Montana Griz whip up on Appilacian State tomorrow I'll have the best beer in the history of beer. You beer makers want to watch real playoff football watch ESPN at 4:00pm EST.

:rockin: :ban:

:fro:

DeathBrewer · Dec 12, 2009

"Fuller's Clone with Rye" makes my mouth water. Stop making me thirsty

phishfood · Dec 12, 2009

It seemed to help to stir the grains as I slowly added them to the pot of strike water. The temperature was bang-on what it was supposed to be right away, whereas in the past I was futzing around for 10 or so minutes trying to get a true reading.

Just thought that it might help someone else who has dealt with this problem. Off to start warming up the sparge water now!

DeathBrewer · Dec 12, 2009

Oh yeah...be sure to add the grains a bit at a time and stir well. You'll also get doughballs if you don't, and it will hurt your efficiency.

phishfood · Dec 20, 2009

I converted a Bitter extract recipe to a PM, but I am afraid that I screwed up somewhere. The two times that I have pulled a hydrometer sample and performed the obligatory taste test, the wort has seemed very watery, and without the bitter taste that I am expecting.

I moved the carboy out of the cooler tank into room temperature, and I intend to give the brew some more time. But if things don't improve, could I boil up some more extract with a small amount of water and add it to the carboy to bring the gravity up?

DeathBrewer · Dec 25, 2009

What was your OG? If it was on-mark, then you should be ok. It's never too late to boil up some extract and throw it in, it just means you'll have to wait longer to keg, bottle or transfer as it will go through additional fermentation..

phishfood · Dec 25, 2009

Well, I am not entirely confident with the OG reading. I was having a blond moment and forgot to take a sample of the wort until after I had pitched the yeast. So I used the dregs out of the brew kettle to test, but it seemed to have a lot of solids in it. I would imagine that would make the reading unnaturally high. The gravity now is within one point of the low of the target from the extract recipe, which pushes me to bottle and see what happens. But I don't see the watery taste going away with age? Anyway, maybe tomorrow evening I will make a decision and act upon it.

I am leaning toward RDWHAHB, and bottling this batch.

Is it possible that doing an 8 minute mashout @ 170F, followed by a stir sparge at 170F, would result in an oversparge?

DeathBrewer · Dec 25, 2009

Oversparging simply means you used too much water, it wouldn't reduce your efficiency. I'd say bottle it, as long as it's been sitting a few weeks...the taste will probably become more full with carbonation, and if you have a light beer on your hands it will just go down quicker

Without knowing the true OG, you're risking making a very heavy beer.

Weezknight · Dec 27, 2009

I'm going to be trying this method on my next batch. I'm hoping that my stove can get that amount of wort to a boil, though, as I've only ever done my extract batches at 3 gallons.

My question is, if I have specialty grains, when do I use them? If I mash for 60 minutes, won't that start to leech tannins from the specialty grains? I've always been told this can happen if you steep for too long. If I'm not adding them during the mash, when would I add them?

Also, how do you calculate how much sparge water to use? The recipe I'm looking at is going to use 8.5 lbs. of grains (6# base, 2.5 specialty). Will that make any differences to the sparge?

DeathBrewer · Dec 27, 2009

Leeching tannins happens from your temperature being too hot, not from time.

That's a lot of grain, and means you will have to mash with a higher volume than 2 gallons of water. Plus sparge amount depends on whether or not you can do a full boil. Check out the all-grain thread in my sig for more details. I would start with less grains your first time.

Easy Partial Mash Brewing (with pics)

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