beginers mini mash?

[kirstess]

hi all

i found this website

http://www.18000feet.com/minimash/page1.htm

it all seems very easy what do you think?

oh and if i follow the recipe what type of beer will i end up with

thanks

 

[david_42]

I'd call it a Mild. This isn't a mini-mash, just a mini (5 liter) all-grain recipe. Looks like it would work fine.

 

[artfldodger]

while it doesn't relate to your link at all; a easy/cheap intro to mini-mashing is just buy a large grain bag and add about #2 of 2-row to whatever specialty grains you use and steep it in your kettle for about 60 minutes, keeping the temp in the 150- 160 range. after 60 min, sparge if you feel like it, and start boiling.

your efficiency will be about 55% but it adds some good character to the beer, and you only have to boil 3-4 gallons

 

[RichBrewer]

Take a look at this.
It is a bit long but it will give you a pretty good idea about mini or partial mashing.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=8805

 

[DAAB]

It is very easy, that was the whole purpose of coming up with the idea (see my webpage)

It's a cheap efficient method of producing a mini 5L (1 imp gallon) batch of all grain beer....hence 'Mini Mashing'. No need for messy grain bags, manifolds or expensive coolers.
The wort produced can be added to an extract brew to freshen it up or used to test out new (full volume) recipes. I take 23L recipes and reduce the ingredients proportionatley to produce 5L brew lenghts. Best of all I can brew every weekend without running out of bottles.

I'd call it a Mild. This isn't a mini-mash, just a mini (5 liter) all-grain recipe. Looks like it would work fine.

Not sure why it isn't a 'mini mash', in my opinion it is and has been since I started doing them a few years ago. I can assure you the resultant beer is far from being a mild which to my mind is a rather pointless and insipid drink.

Cheers

 

[kirstess]

It is very easy, that was the whole purpose of coming up with the idea (see my webpage)

im going to give it a try next week i

using your method i can be up and running for under £20 brilliant i would rather stick to small brews then hopefully i can make a different one every few weeks without filling the house with beer that i wont get time to drink.

i have allready invested in a kit and equipment to do 40 pints which im planning on starting at the weekend.

hopefully if i can do the all grain mini method without messing it up too much i wont need bother with the kits again.

thanks

 

[DAAB]

Once you get it cracked, as long as you have time on your hands I doubt you'd go back to malt extract and kits. All grain brewing is very satisfying, at least I think it is There's an e-mail link on the site if you have any questions.

 

[BootYtRappeR]

Not sure why it isn't a 'mini mash', in my opinion it is and has been since I started doing them a few years ago.

it isn't a mini-mash because it's using "all" grain, hence All-grain (AG)

edit: this is assuming mini-mash and partial mash mean the same thing. I guess maybe you would call it a mini-ag

 

[the_bird]

"Mini mash" and "partial mash" are generally considered to be perfect synonyms.

 

[DAAB]

Traditionaly a partial mash was done using unmalted adjuncts and specialty malts. It was mashed using a diastatic malt extract which contains the enzymes required for conversion of startch to sugar. This extract made up the remainder of the fermentables. It is exactly what it says on the tin...a partialy mashed beer.
I realise that mainly due to the lack of availablity of diastatic malt extract, a partial mash has come to mean a beer made partialy with an all grain full mash but it is still a partial mash, regardless of the fact someone has choosen to label it 'mini'. This method is generaly used to produce a full volume brew length and can hardly be considered 'mini'
With my method, the size of the batch and the quantities of ingredients have been proportionately reduced or minaturised, hence 'Mini Mash'. The only thing that isnt reduced is efficiency, using this method with a little care it is possible to achieve the same efficiency as a full size mash. I frequently achieve 75-80%

 

[BootYtRappeR]

i'm not saying you are wrong, from the looks of your website you seem to know exactly what you are doing. but on this forum generally a mini-mash is considered a partial-mash (which is typically using half extract(powder or liquid form) and half grain (two-row + specialty grain).

 

[DAAB]

There's no reason why you couldnt add a wort made using my version of a mini mash to a wort mainly made up of extract to freshen the flavour, in the same way someone may add fresh hops and specialty grains to an extract based kit.
I have to say though, if you are going to the trouble of mashing grains, regardless of method, I wouldnt want to spoil the end beer by adding liquid or dry malt. Don't get me wrong, great beers can be made using extract, i've done them myself. There is a definately a subtle improvment with an all grain brew though, imo it's worth making the sacrifice of a shorter brew length for improved quality. I also get more satisfaction knowing I have, as far as reasonably practical made the brew from scratch. Unfortunately there is also only one person to blame if it turns out badly

 

[kirstess]

hi all

yesterday i used DAAB's method everything went well the mash temp held perfectly got the wort down to pitching temp within half an hour all seemed fine its fermenting at the moment well i think it is the krausen has formed but does not seem to be making any co2 the bubbler shows there is some pressure in the fermentor but i have not yet noticed it bubble its been about 20 hours now

should i be worried?

 

[Orfy]

Never worry (Although most people do).
If the krausen has formed then you've had yeast activity. A really good fermentation can be over in less than a day. The only real way to tell if the fermentation is complete or all most complete is to take a Starting gravity then take a Gravity reading when you think the fermentation has finished.

If your Gravity is not down to 1010 then I'd they making sure the temp is not to low, give the thing a gentle shake to wake it up or repitch a little more yeast.


DAAB's method are simple and use cheap equipment. (My style of brewing)
If you fancy doing a full 6 gallon brew with budget equipment take a look at my brew kit. I did it for less than $140

 

[DAAB]

If your Gravity is not down to 1010 then I'd they making sure the temp is not to low, give the thing a gentle shake to wake it up or repitch a little more yeast.

I think more of a gentle swirl is more appropriate, I imagine thats what you are getting at anyway . (symantics) Basicaly resuspend the yeast without aerating the beer.

Only do this if you get a stuck fermentation though and by the sounds of it, so far, things are going just fine. With a good dried yeast, stuck fermentations are rare.

Once the krausen has subsided, if you can, drop a hyrometer in the fermenter and keep an eye on it.

Let us know how you get on.

btw, if like me you don't like carbouys and prefer something with a tap, try one of these

its a rice container bought from Morrisons (with rice )