Machiavelli
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Thanks to these forums, I've been inspired to try my first partial mash. I went with a Trappis trippel. I liked the looks of the ABV.
I had a couple of questions though.
Here's the recipe:
1/2 Cara-pils
2 1/2 Blegian Pale
1 clear candi sugar
6 extra pale extract
2 munich extract
Hops:
bittering 2oz Tradition
flavoring 1/2 Golding
aoma 1/2 Golding
They recommend pitching two packages of yeast. I guess because of high gravity? I have two packs of Wyeast 3787 Trappist (smack pack). I've only ever used dry yeast and have never made a starter. Okay for me NOT to make a starter, since im pitching two? I didnt get any extra dry malt. Just activate them a day before I plan to brew?
My other question is on mashing. I never really understood the whole purpose to sparging. Everyone is so adimant about KEEPING the mash temp right at 155; yet the second its time to sparge, you chuck the grain in 170 water? Is it that big a deal if you mash temps arent meticulously regulated?
Also, I've read that the bigger the boil that you can manage, the better. I have 5 and 8 gallon pots. What quanity boils would you recommend? What about mashing in 3 gallons and then sparge in 2? Ive seen different opinions on sparging, but it seems most people get better efficiency if you soak in the sparge for 5-10 minutes, instead of just pouring over? So I could do this and then add my sparge water to the mash?
Then again, if I deviate from the kit instructiions, I may need to use diffent hops amounts? ...its all so confusing!
Sorry, thats a lot of qustions. Just lemme know if anything above strikes you as a really bad idea.
Thanks!
I had a couple of questions though.
Here's the recipe:
1/2 Cara-pils
2 1/2 Blegian Pale
1 clear candi sugar
6 extra pale extract
2 munich extract
Hops:
bittering 2oz Tradition
flavoring 1/2 Golding
aoma 1/2 Golding
They recommend pitching two packages of yeast. I guess because of high gravity? I have two packs of Wyeast 3787 Trappist (smack pack). I've only ever used dry yeast and have never made a starter. Okay for me NOT to make a starter, since im pitching two? I didnt get any extra dry malt. Just activate them a day before I plan to brew?
My other question is on mashing. I never really understood the whole purpose to sparging. Everyone is so adimant about KEEPING the mash temp right at 155; yet the second its time to sparge, you chuck the grain in 170 water? Is it that big a deal if you mash temps arent meticulously regulated?
Also, I've read that the bigger the boil that you can manage, the better. I have 5 and 8 gallon pots. What quanity boils would you recommend? What about mashing in 3 gallons and then sparge in 2? Ive seen different opinions on sparging, but it seems most people get better efficiency if you soak in the sparge for 5-10 minutes, instead of just pouring over? So I could do this and then add my sparge water to the mash?
Then again, if I deviate from the kit instructiions, I may need to use diffent hops amounts? ...its all so confusing!
Sorry, thats a lot of qustions. Just lemme know if anything above strikes you as a really bad idea.
Thanks!