Decoction question

[beerme70]

Time to step up the learning curve. I have decided to do a double decoction on the next wheat beer. The guys from Northern Brewer put on a good show on youtube with a lot of info. My question is this, when you pull the first decoction, heat to boil, and add back to the main mash to bring it up to the next rest temp, what do you do with anything that might be left over from that decoction?

 

[Yooper]

Time to step up the learning curve. I have decided to do a double decoction on the next wheat beer. The guys from Northern Brewer put on a good show on youtube with a lot of info. My question is this, when you pull the first decoction, heat to boil, and add back to the main mash to bring it up to the next rest temp, what do you do with anything that might be left over from that decoction?

If you hit your temperature with a smaller amount than the full decoction, let it sit a bit until it cools and go ahead and add it back to the mash.

Generally, you do some calculations so you pull the correct amount but sometimes you pull more (or less) than you need to hit the next rest temperature so you can adjust at that time.

 

[BigEd]

Time to step up the learning curve. I have decided to do a double decoction on the next wheat beer. The guys from Northern Brewer put on a good show on youtube with a lot of info. My question is this, when you pull the first decoction, heat to boil, and add back to the main mash to bring it up to the next rest temp, what do you do with anything that might be left over from that decoction?

Not saying it can't happen but chances are it won't. Most beginning decoction brewers are much more likely to come in under the temperature target. Having some boiling water on hand for emergency temperature adjustments isn't a bad idea for first timers. I'd suggest adding the entire pull back to the main mash and if it is over the target temp a cold water addition can quickly correct it.

 

[aspiffymofo]

+1 to what BigEd was saying. I was having that problem with under shooting my temp the first time I tried decoction mashing.

 

[ajdelange]

If you hit your temperature with a smaller amount than the full decoction, let it sit a bit until it cools and go ahead and add it back to the mash.

Or cool it down quickly with an infusion of cold water.

 

[Yooper]

Or cool it down quickly with an infusion of cold water.

I forgot to mention that not only do I keep a little boiling water handy, but I've used ice cubes to quickly cool a quantity of my mash as well. What's hard about that is if you overcool, then you add more hot water, and then it might get to hot, so then the tendency is to cool it down. That happens often, I think.

Oftentimes, just some stirring and waiting a few minutes is all that is needed to cool down a bit of too-warm decoction.

 

[Cyclman]

I try to pull more decoction than I think is likely necessary, it is easier to let it cool / rest than it is to have too low a mash temp.