Beginning brew process...how much water to start?

[ColoradoBrewMeister]

This recipe doesn't say...so I'm going to go with 1.5 gallons to boil before I begin tea bagging...unless someone can read this recipe and see something I'm not...

http://www.tastybrew.com/newrcp/detail/507

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

wait......before you begin tea bagging??

dont burn yourself.

 

[ColoradoBrewMeister]

Hahahah!

But, seriously, I'm not sure how much water to begin with!

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

that link didnt work for me.

What is the basic rundown of the recipe? Typically for stovetop extract batches the exact amount of water used doesnt really matter as long as it's enough to dissolve the extract. More is better, but exact figures arent really critical.

 

[ColoradoBrewMeister]

Tasting Notes Great lighter ale for summer time (or all year drinking). Goes well with a variety of foods or while enjoying the heat. Basil gives a nice finish to the beer and it settles with time.
Awards
Boil Volume 3.00 gallons
Boil Time 90 minutes
Batch Size 5.00 gallons
Yeast WhiteLabs WLP001 California Ale Yeast (75% app. attenuation)
Primary Fermentation Glass 1 week
Secondary Fermentation Glass 1 week
Other Fermentation
Procedure Tea of Honey malt, dextrine, wheat malts, and flaked barley. Mash at 155 for 40 min raise to 168 over 30 min. Add light drymalt, bring to boil, add 1 oz East Kent Goldings. Boil for 90 min total. At 30 min left, add 1/2 oz remaining hops, last 1/2 oz at 15 min left. Irish moss to clarify. Add 2 oz FRESH BASIL (must be fresh) at 5 min left. Cool and pitch yeast.
Style Comparison
Low High
OG 1.045 1.055 1.060
FG 1.008 1.014 1.015
IBU 15 35 33
SRM 2 7 8
ABV 4 5.30 6
Fermentables
% Weight Weight (lbs) Grain Note Gravity Points Color
71.4 % 5.00 Light Dry Malt Extract 33.8 2.0
14.3 % 1.00 Canadian Honey Malt Gambrinus in original recipe 4.5 25.0
7.1 % 0.50 Wheat Malt 2.9 1.7
3.6 % 0.25 Dextrin 1.2 1.5
3.6 % 0.25 Flaked Barley 1.2 2.2
7.00 43.5
Hops
% Wt Weight (oz) Hop Note Form AA% AAU Boil Time Utilization IBU
50.0 % 1.00 East Kent Goldings Whole/Plug 5.0 5.0 90 0.051 25.7
25.0 % 0.50 East Kent Goldings Whole/Plug 5.0 2.5 30 0.025 6.2
25.0 % 0.50 East Kent Goldings Whole/Plug 5.0 2.5 15 0.013 3.3
2.00 35.0
Miscellaneous Ingredients
Weight/Units Name Notes
2 oz Fresh Sweet Basil last 5 min of boil

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

is this a mini-mash? You're gonna need to mash that wheat malt and the honey malt. Those cant be just steeped like Crystal malt.

 

[ColoradoBrewMeister]

i was told by the LHBS that I just needed to put the wheat malt and the honey malt together in the boil first for 70 minutes...raising the temp along the way...

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

i was told by the LHBS that I just needed to put the wheat malt and the honey malt together in the boil first for 70 minutes...raising the temp along the way...

If you do that you'll end up with wort that is full of starch instead of sugar. Since it's a wheat beer the haze wont be a big deal, but you wont get very many fermentables out of that malt that way.

To do a mini mash, steep your wheat and honey malt with 1 pound of two row at 154F for 45 minutes. You can do this in your grain bag just like a steep, but the temperature is really important. The enzymes in the two row will convert the starch in the wheat and the honey malt into sugar that the yeast can digest. Once this is done, rinse your grain bag with 170F water to get the rest of the good stuff out. Search "mini mash" to get more details.

 

[ColoradoBrewMeister]

That's so screwy...

I was even asking today about doing a mash...and the woman who has helped me before was explaining the mash to me...I showed her the recipe for what I was planning to make and she didn't suggest doing this. She seems to really know what she is talking about...of course...this is only my 3rd brew.

I remember seeing and talking about two row. She never mentioned that I needed to get it, though. Now I'm pissed. I have everything out and ready...what to do...

 

[ColoradoBrewMeister]

Even the recipe doesn't say to add two row and "mash"...

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

If you dont do a mini mash, at least hold your steep between 145-155 for 20-30 minutes. This should get most of your conversion done.

here's a chart that shows what grains need to be mashed and which can be steeped:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Malts_Chart

 

[ColoradoBrewMeister]

So if I do this I shouldn't steep for 70 minutes raising the temperature along the way from 155-168? Just do up to 30 minutes around 150?

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

So if I do this I shouldn't steep for 70 minutes raising the temperature along the way from 155-168? Just do up to 30 minutes around 150?

the wheat will self convert and take care of the honey malt as well, but you need to control the process. This is what makes it a mini-mash and not just a steep.

Target 1.5 quarts of water per pound of grain. Keep the temperature of the mixture between 150-155 for at least 30 minutes (this is important, the temperature will trigger the enzymes that you need to covert the starch...keep it in this range). When the mash is done, rinse the grain bag with 170F water to reach your boil volume. Dont squeeze the bag, just rinse it with the 170F water.

Congrats, you've done a mini mash! :rockin:

 

[ColoradoBrewMeister]

I think I've given up for tonight...it's getting kind of late to be starting this process. I may have time tomorrow night to do this...

Since I think I can wait do you suggest getting two row and doing an actual mini-mash?
And, can you give me some instructions on how to adjust the recipe that I gave you?