Did my first triple decoction mash yesterday

[bobeer]

Been wanting to do one for years so yesterday finally was the day.

9 lbs - German pils
1.50 oz - saaz- FHW @ 60
1 oz homegrown hops - WP @180 degrees
wlp029

I had every intention of doing a double decoction but I doughed-in too low so it took 3 decoctions to get it to 150 degrees F. I just used the gear I already have which is a 3 vessel traditional cooler setup. Used my HLT to boil the thick mash in and kept the main mash in my igloo cooler and everything worked great. The only thing I forgot to do was leave the first decoction at 150 for 15 minutes. I heated everything on my stove top, so it did take it a while to go from 100 degrees F to boiling, so hopefully I got some convergence there. All-in-all I think it added about 2.5 hours to my brew day and I hit all the numbers I was aiming for. The wort is a nice golden color for it being 100% pils malt and had a nice sweet caramel taste. Pretty stoked to see how it's going to turn out! I might brew this recipe as a regular infusion mash to compare since I just made the recipe up and never have brewed it before but we'll see... I might just move on to the next one and enjoy it for what it is.

 

[Bramling Cross]

It's an oddly satisfying form of masochism. Every time I do one, I swear I'll never, ever do it again. A couple years later, though, there I am again, swearing I'll never, ever do it again.

 

[bobeer]

It's an oddly satisfying form of masochism. Every time I do one, I swear I'll never, ever do it again. A couple years later, though, there I am again, swearing I'll never, ever do it again.

Haha. I have already done exactly that and it's not even 24 hours later. Crazy to think people did that for every brew back in the day.

 

[TheMadKing]

Been wanting to do one for years so yesterday finally was the day.

9 lbs - German pils
1.50 oz - saaz- FHW @ 60
1 oz homegrown hops - WP @180 degrees
wlp029

I had every intention of doing a double decoction but I doughed-in too low so it took 3 decoctions to get it to 150 degrees F. I just used the gear I already have which is a 3 vessel traditional cooler setup. Used my HLT to boil the thick mash in and kept the main mash in my igloo cooler and everything worked great. The only thing I forgot to do was leave the first decoction at 150 for 15 minutes. I heated everything on my stove top, so it did take it a while to go from 100 degrees F to boiling, so hopefully I got some convergence there. All-in-all I think it added about 2.5 hours to my brew day and I hit all the numbers I was aiming for. The wort is a nice golden color for it being 100% pils malt and had a nice sweet caramel taste. Pretty stoked to see how it's going to turn out! I might brew this recipe as a regular infusion mash to compare since I just made the recipe up and never have brewed it before but we'll see... I might just move on to the next one and enjoy it for what it is.

I enjoy doing them personally, I just pull a decoction off to a 3 gallon stock pot with a kitchen strainer and boil them in the kitchen and dump them back into the MT. It definitely extends the brew day, but I do notice a difference to my beers, especially in regard to body, mouthfeel and head retention (moreso than actual flavor).

 

[bobeer]

I enjoy doing them personally, I just pull a decoction off to a 3 gallon stock pot with a kitchen strainer and boil them in the kitchen and dump them back into the MT. It definitely extends the brew day, but I do notice a difference to my beers, especially in regard to body, mouthfeel and head retention (moreso than actual flavor).

That's exactly how I did it as well and it worked great.
I noticed in the gravity sample the wort was definitely more caramel looking and it tasted like it too. If it turns out I could see myself doing it again once a year or so. I'd like to try it on a darker beer as well to see how it affects the end result there.

 

[TheMadKing]

That's exactly how I did it as well and it worked great.
I noticed in the gravity sample the wort was definitely more caramel looking and it tasted like it too. If it turns out I could see myself doing it again once a year or so. I'd like to try it on a darker beer as well to see how it affects the end result there.

I'm planning a munich dunkel with a bonkers "historical munich lagerbier" mash that includes doughing in at ambient temperature and letting the grain soak, then a protein rest, then a beta rest, then an alpha rest, then a mashout ... should be a fun, but long brew day

 

[Spartan1979]

That's exactly how I did it as well and it worked great.
I noticed in the gravity sample the wort was definitely more caramel looking and it tasted like it too. If it turns out I could see myself doing it again once a year or so. I'd like to try it on a darker beer as well to see how it affects the end result there.

We have an Oktoberfest party every year (except not this year) and my son and I do a single decoction for the Festbier. It's the only one I do. Since we brewed it before we cancelled the party, we have two kegs to drink.

 

[bobeer]

I'm planning a munich dunkel with a bonkers "historical munich lagerbier" mash that includes doughing in at ambient temperature and letting the grain soak, then a protein rest, then a beta rest, then an alpha rest, then a mashout ... should be a fun, but long brew day

Yea thats a long day but will be worth it. Id love to taste a dunkel made that way.. I had planned on doing the same kind of traditional mashout thing and pulling all the hot wort, boil it, then add it back to the mash but by the time I did the 3rd and unexpected decoction I skipped it. Next time!

 

[bobeer]

We have an Oktoberfest party every year (except not this year) and my son and I do a single decoction for the Festbier. It's the only one I do. Since we brewed it before we cancelled the party, we have two kegs to drink.

Not a bad problem to have! Sounds delicious.

 

[Brettomomyces]

I've started using a Digiboil kettle for my decoctions and really like it. A T500 boiler works well too but you need to bypass the thermo switch in the base to get them to boil. I've walked away and let it boil for 20-25 minutes and absolutely no scorching, but I decoct slightly thinner.