5 gallon MLT

[BK1017]

Just constructed a 5 gallon MLT for my small apartment setup. I would like to use the MLT to it's full capacity but I'm unsure on how to proceed with constructing a recipe. I've done a few mini-mash recipes (from Austin Home Brew) via the steep method but they use only a few pounds of grain and ~6-7 lbs of liquid extract. I'd like to increase the amount of grains and decrease the amount of liquid/dry extract.

I've played around with BeerSmith using an AG Stone Pale Ale clone recipe found on these forums. The original AG recipe calls for approx 12 lbs of base grain but this would be pushing it for my 5 gal setup. My question is how do I substitute some LME for base grains while still maintaining the same general FG/OG, flavor, and color profiles?

Here's the recipe I'm looking at:
Stone Pale Ale Clone
OG = 1.065 / FG = 1.014
IBU = 45
SZM = 20
ABV = 5.4%

10 lbs 2 row pale malt
1.5 lbs crysal male (80L)
5oz crystal malt (75L)
9.25 AAU Magnum hops (90 min)(0.66 oz/18g of 14% alpha acids)
1.0 oz Ahtananum hops (15 min)
1 tsp Irish moss
White Labs WLP002 English Ale yeast

Mash at 156 degrees F. Boil for 90 min.

Thanks for your help in advance. - BK

 

[jescholler]

Generally replace some of your pale malt with the lightest LME you can find and use the software to hit the same OG. Your FG will be slightly different than what you'll get from your mash, but probably too small to notice.

 

[whatisitgoodfor]

That recipe seems off.

Almost two pounds of crystal 80 is going to give you a color closer to a brown ale than to a pale ale.

You should also know that using a smaller mash tun you're going to have a slightly higher efficiency than the 10 gallon boys. Depending on how small you've gotten your dead space (and how slow you're willing to sparge) you should have an efficiency of 75-80%, and it looks like you're shooting for 65%

 

[bmckee56]

I have a 5 gallon igloo cooler and have done several brews using a grain bill close to the total you have shown (Less crystal used for mine though). I have also done an American Stout using the cooler (MLT). It gets close, but can be done.

I typically do a Single Infusion/Batch Sparge and it has given me good efficiency to date. I would not go much above a 12# grain bill in the 5 gallon cooler though. That would be pushing it a bit.

Good Luck.

Salute!

 

[fcwegnm0b]

I can fit 14 pounds of grain into my 5 gallon Rubbermaid cooler at 1qt/lb... a thicker mash than i see most people around here like to use, but that just about fills it up to within about an inch of the top... just enough for stirring. Stainless steel braid doesn't take up much room.... a manifold would probably take up more volume. Batch sparge with 3.5 gallons at 180-185F to raise the grain bed to just under 170F, then batch sparge again with 3.5 gallons at 170F... gets me efficiencies in the high 60's.

I think you could definetly get your grain bill into a 5 gallon cooler... just lower your stike water/lb. of grain ratio.

 

[BK1017]

Thanks for all the great tips! I'll post results when I brew...