Does grain bed depth have an impact on a partial mash?

[J2W2]

Hi,

I'm brewing an extract recipe tomorrow with a small (just over 1 pound of grains) partial mash. I have issues holding mash temps in my two-gallon cooler, especially with a small mash like this. I've read about using an oven to hold mash temps and I thought I'd give it a try.

My question is in regard to the grain bed depth in the mash. I'm thinking about using a stainless steel pot for the mash, but with only 1.5 quarts of water, the water depth will only be 1.25 inches before adding the grain. I'm wondering if that's OK, or if I should find something else that will allow more depth in the grain bed? My plan is to just mash in the pot, then dump everything in my cooler and drain the wort and rinse the grains from that.

Thanks for your help!

 

[csantoni]

When I did an oven mash I had minimal grainbed coverage and there was no issue. I used a pot that was relatively narrow so I did have at least a little water above the grain. I also moved it to another vessel to sparge. Not sure if that’s the “right” answer but it’s my experience.

 

[J2W2]

When I did an oven mash I had minimal grainbed coverage and there was no issue. I used a pot that was relatively narrow so I did have at least a little water above the grain. I also moved it to another vessel to sparge. Not sure if that’s the “right” answer but it’s my experience.

Sounds good. The information I saw on grain bed depth seems to relate to lautering and not the actual mash.

Thanks!

 

[Bobby_M]

Grain bed depth has no effect on mash performance. What kind of grain is this?

 

[J2W2]

Grain bed depth has no effect on mash performance. What kind of grain is this?

It's 8oz 2-row, 8oz of Caramel10L, and 2oz flaked rice.

I brewed it this morning. Using the oven worked great for holding a pretty consistent 150 degrees.

 

[hotbeer]

If you got all the mash to the same temps, then holding in a very slow oven might be the thing for you. However I find all to often no matter how hard I try that there is either an area of my mash that is too high a temp or too low a temp.

So I'd rather just leave it on the stove top where I can fuss with it.

And if you can get all the mash to the same temp, the the grain bed shape, size or thickness won't really matter if the lid is on the container.

I've considered using the oven, but mine won't reliably hold less than 200°F.

 

[csantoni]

I've considered using the oven, but mine won't reliably hold less than 200°F.

Don’t want to hijack the thread, but have you tried heating to 170 or so and then turning off the oven? Mine has a minimum temp of 170 so I waited until it hit that, stuck the pot in there, and turned it off. Worked great.

 

[hotbeer]

Don’t want to hijack the thread, but have you tried heating to 170 or so and then turning off the oven? Mine has a minimum temp of 170 so I waited until it hit that, stuck the pot in there, and turned it off. Worked great.

Yeah, but part of the fun for me is in the fuss. If I wanted no fuss beer making, then I'd be doing extract.

Sure letting an oven coast down probably can do well, but did you check the temps of the mash regularly?

And if you did, then that's part of why I don't. If I have to get in the oven to check the temps and risk burning my hands and arms on the hot oven parts, then I feel the stove top is more for me.

But to each their own. If the oven works for you or others, then great. I'll continue to absorb the bits and pieces of info you add about it and maybe one day I'll try.

And for those making beer from extract, if that's your thing and you enjoy it, then good. I didn't mean my quip earlier as a slight to y'all. Just a statement of why I don't do extract beer.

 

[J2W2]

Yeah, but part of the fun for me is in the fuss. If I wanted no fuss beer making, then I'd be doing extract.

Sure letting an oven coast down probably can do well, but did you check the temps of the mash regularly?

And if you did, then that's part of why I don't. If I have to get in the oven to check the temps and risk burning my hands and arms on the hot oven parts, then I feel the stove top is more for me.

But to each their own. If the oven works for you or others, then great. I'll continue to absorb the bits and pieces of info you add about it and maybe one day I'll try.

And for those making beer from extract, if that's your thing and you enjoy it, then good. I didn't mean my quip earlier as a slight to y'all. Just a statement of why I don't do extract beer.

Oh trust me, we extract brewers can still have plenty of fuss! My simplest recipes still have a steep, which I now try and do with the proper water/grain ratio and temps, but most of mine are partial mash. I have an oatmeal stout on tap most of the time that has a 4.5lb partial mash and a late addition steep of 1.5lb of dark grains, plus an early and a late extract addition - plenty of fussing on that one! I brew in our mechanical room and my area is small, so all-grain really isn't an option for me. Toyed with the idea of BIAB, but I haven't pulled the trigger yet.

Our oven "appears" to go down to 100 degrees F, not sure about accuracy on that. I tweaked the temp a couple of times; 135 seemed to hold my 150 temp very well. I have an Inkbird grilling thermometer with probes, so that's what I was using to track the mash temp without opening the oven.

 

[IslandLizard]

I've considered using the oven, but mine won't reliably hold less than 200°F

have you tried heating to 170 or so and then turning off the oven?

Indeed, turning the oven OFF is an essential part of the mash-in-oven procedure!

I've yet to meet an oven that can hold temps accurately, even within 10-20 degrees on either side of the set temp.

Once you get to know your oven, turning it on for a short time (for example, 30-60 seconds every 15-30 minutes) can help keeping it closer in your mash range. Convection ovens are the easiest in that regard.

 

[Bobby_M]

You will have an easier time holding temps with more water. You can go as high as 3 quarts per pound with no problem. The preheated then turned off oven works great. I have done that for 2.5 gallon full mashes.