Easy Partial Mash Brewing (with pics)

[NordeastBrewer77]

Hi guys. I'm a nubie to this forum as well as to home brewing. So please have patience with me here. I've only brewed four five gallon batches to date. When I brew I bring three gallons of water to 155 degrees then put all my grains in a grain sock and let them steep for 30 minutes. I then remove the grain sock, put it in a colander and let it drip back into the pot for a few minutes. I then add my LMEs and bring the water to 212 and start my boil. My question is, how is this different than partial mash brewing? And my second question is how do I determine the efficiency and when? Thanks for any info here.

Really, the only difference between mashing and what you're doing is that in a mash, there's some base malt and not just specialty grains, and you pay more attention to holding a specific temperature and proper pH. Also, a mash is generally longer, 60-90 mins is the norm.

 

[Ogri]

My question is, how is this different than partial mash brewing?

Expanding a little on Nordeastbrewer77's explanation, in your example you have performed an extract with steeped specialty grains. Nearly all of your fermentables are from the extract, and the grains you used contribute, mostly, unfermentable sugars that influence things like head retention, mouthfeel, flavour/aroma.

in a partial mash you are mashing base malts, possibly specialty grains too, to extract enzymes that convert the starches to fermentable and unfermentable sugars and then combine this with extract to increase the volume of sugars in your wort to get to your desired Gravity. Partial mash is an easier way to achieve a larger volume of a higher gravity beer with limited equipment than All Grain.

 

[chicken]

Another big thank you for this thread. You really de-mystified the process, and made it seem far less daunting. It hit me that a partial mash isn't that much harder than steeping grains, and that it opens up so many more possibilities as far as what kind of recipes I would be able to try.

I did my first partial mash about two weeks ago, and can't wait to try another. I know I probably made some mistakes, but overall it went very well, and I'm very optimistic about how my brew will come out.

 

[Oldskooler]

Great article thanks

 

[bfinleyui]

Thanks for the guide, did a partial mash last night with 1lb of flaked wheat and 1lb of 2-row. Not sure what my efficiency was, but i was really just using it to kick a bit more alcohol and body into a beer, so shouldn't matter too much exactly what it was.

 

[gladius270]

Thanks for posting. Took my first stab at a 2.5 gal AG using this method. I am a bit limited with my equipment, as I only have one pot that is 4 gal... I had to get a bit creative with the pots to get all of my sparge water together. I made a couple of blunders:

I meant to mash with 1.25 qt/gal, and ended up mashing closer to .77 qt/gal.

I underestimated how much would boil off and ended up with right at 2 gal.

I'm not too incredibly worried, as I feel like my efficiency probably wasn't too great, and the lower post-volume boil will probably result in better beer anyway.

 

[pizzachef]

So I just came across this thread today, and I didn't have time to read through all 136 pages of it...but I did read the first few and the last few. I tried this today and used the efficiency calcs shown on this page:
http://www.howtobrew.com/section2/chapter12-5.html
My efficiency came out embarrassingly low (~17%) but I think that could be because I had more specialty grains in the recipe I made. My question is how to know the volume of wort? If you use 2 gals to mash and then 2 gals to sparge, you end up with less than 4 gallons because the grains soak up so much liquid. I probably had just under 3 gals after sparging. Would I use the ending volume to calculate the efficiency or the beginning volume?
Thanks

 

[rachelclark21]

I used your instructions as my first attempt to brew without a kit, but for some reason my beer came out really weak. It tastes watered down. I followed the instructions as closely as possible, so I dont know what could have happened. Any ideas?

 

[borden]

I used your instructions as my first attempt to brew without a kit, but for some reason my beer came out really weak. It tastes watered down. I followed the instructions as closely as possible, so I dont know what could have happened. Any ideas?

Did you take a starting gravity reading? And what was the recipe?

 

[rachelclark21]

the recipe was the dunkelweizen that deathbrewer posted:
Grains:
3 lbs Wheat Malt
2 lbs Munich Malt
¼ lbs Chocolate Malt (pale chocolate is wonderful in this recipe)

Extract: 3 lbs Wheat Dry Malt Extract

Hops: 0.6 oz hallertau

Yeast: WLP 300

I took a gravity reading on the wort after cooling, but it is written down at home. I can post after work. Should I be taking one prior to that point in the process?

 

[borden]

I took a gravity reading on the wort after cooling, but it is written down at home. I can post after work. Should I be taking one prior to that point in the process?

Well, I take a sample after I'm all done with mashing, cool it in the fridge, and check the gravity before beginning the boil. The reason being that if it's way low, I'll need to add some extract to bring it closer to where it's supposed to be. If it's way high (has never happened to me!), I'll adjust my hops schedule accordingly.

If you only take a reading after cooling the wort and discover that your OG is way low, you can boil some extract for 10 minutes, cool it, and add it to the fermenter. The exact amount would depend on how far off you are from your target gravity. This shouldn't come up normally once you have a system where you can get close to the same efficiency with every batch.

But anyway, I asked about the gravity because you said your beer was weak/watered down. I'm wondering if you didn't get very good conversion in your mash. Share it when you can.

 

[rachelclark21]

My first read, taken right before sealing the fermenter, was at 66 degrees and was 1.060. My read after fermentation was 1.030 at 72 degrees.

Sorry it took me so long to post this!!

 

[borden]

My first read, taken right before sealing the fermenter, was at 66 degrees and was 1.060. My read after fermentation was 1.030 at 72 degrees.

Sorry it took me so long to post this!!

1.030 is really high considering your starting gravity. Your beer wasn't (or shouldn't have been) done fermenting. 1.060 to 1.030 would be 50% attenuation -- WLP300 is supposed to range from 72% to 76% according to their website. I'd think your beer would be really intensely sweet... is that the case?

There are a lot of variables that could contribute, though. What were the fermentation conditions, and how long did you let it sit for? Are you sure your hydrometer and thermometer are reading correctly (search Google for calibration methods)? The yeast itself could be an issue -- too old, stored incorrectly, etc. Did you make a starter?

The thing is, no matter what goes wrong, there's often a fix if you catch the problem at the right time. In your case, I would've moved the fermenter to a warm (mid-70s F) spot and shaken it up a bit to rouse the yeast. If the gravity didn't budge from 1.030 for a few days, I'd probably pitch more yeast. Unfortunately, at this point, I don't know what you can really do for this batch.

Hopefully others will weigh in, though.

 

[rachelclark21]

The beers flavor is actually quite nice, its just really weak and watered down. It fermented for 2 weeks. I should have done a read before I bottled it, but I was rushing it trying to get it ready for the holidays. The yeast was brand new, and I just followed the directions on the package. I had no idea you needed to make a starter for liquid yeast, but I just read up on that and it is definitely good to know! There was intense action in the fermenter for the first 3 or 4 days of fermentation, so I assumed everything was going great.

I guess I need to add a few more steps to my process next time: more hydrometer readings and a starter for the yeast!

 

[RIC0]

Will be using this writeup next week to make up one or two partial mash brews.

Thanks deathbrewer...

 

[bwirthlin]

I'll be doing a partial mash this weekend, but I'll also be doing a full 5 gallon boil (as I just received a wort chiller and want to use it). Is the 1.25 qt/lb also an important part of the actual conversion? Would the grains convert just as well in 5 gallons of 152 degree water with no sparge, as they would in say 2 gallons with a sparge?

 

[RIC0]

I'll be doing a partial mash this weekend, but I'll also be doing a full 5 gallon boil (as I just received a wort chiller and want to use it). Is the 1.25 qt/lb also an important part of the actual conversion? Would the grains convert just as well in 5 gallons of 152 degree water with no sparge, as they would in say 2 gallons with a sparge?

I would sparge the water in a second pot after the initial mash but that's just me.

I've done 2 partial mash's in the last week and I get plenty of goodies from the sparging so I would say do it as it's explained in this thread and use 1.25 or 1.5 gallongs of water per lb of grain you have. I wen the 1.5 per lb and felt it was a good ratio.

 

[bwirthlin]

I would sparge the water in a second pot after the initial mash but that's just me.

I've done 2 partial mash's in the last week and I get plenty of goodies from the sparging so I would say do it as it's explained in this thread and use 1.25 or 1.5 gallongs of water per lb of grain you have. I wen the 1.5 per lb and felt it was a good ratio.

Cool thanks, I'll give that a shot. Maybe I'll do the mash on the stove top in my smaller kettle. In the mean time I'll heat the sparge water in my big kettle on the turkey fryer. Sparge in the big kettle, then add the wort from the mash to the sparge water and start the boil.

 

[walcotteric]

SOOOO helpful. I just got started brewing, but my first brew was just a syrup, and I really want to get into brewing with grains and hops so I can experiment more and make my own recipes. Thanks for putting this up there.

 

[unionrdr]

I did my 1st two partial mash pale ales with 5lbs of grains,& either 3.3lb of Briesse gold LME or 3lbs of Munton's plain light DME. 1.25QTs per pound of grain,or 1.5 gallons of either distilled or spring water for the mash. I sparged with 1.5G of water at 165F for a 3 gallon partial boil.
I used the fresh made wort for all hop additions,adding the extract at flame out to keep utilization up & color lighter. Works great so far with the same equipment I use for my extract beers. Just added the grain bag & a cake cooling rack in the bottom of the BK to keep grains off the heated kettle bottom. Water can circulate better too,I think. Since the SS stock pots were a nested set,I use the 5G for brewing,the 3G for HLT.

 

[wormraper]

dummy question. how accurate would an OG reading be with a partial mash ??? being that you'd most likely top off with cold water wouldn't you run into the same issue of not getting the wort and the topoff water mixed in thoroughly to get an accurate reading??


and to rachel... yeah 1.030 for a that beer is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too high. 1.020 would be the HIGHEST you'd excpect it to stall at. I'd have warmed it up a tad and went from there.

 

[RichardMNixon]

Thanks for the guide! This seemed like a pretty effortless step up from steeping/extract so I gave it a shot.

Step 2:

I've tried this twice now but mine doesn't quite look like this (I should have taken a picture but never did). I use the same ratio of water to grains but it doesn't seem to be enough water to cover them. I don't have grains floating in water like that, I have a tiny island of grain poking out of the water that I'm worried isn't converting well. Is my bag too narrow? My brewpot(/mash tun) too wide? Or is there something stupid I'm doing wrong?

 

[The Soft Underbelly]

Made my first Partial Mash beer this weekend. This thread was a huge help in getting it done with confidence. Thanks to Death and everyone else who threw in their advice.

 

[camp20]

Great Guide DeathBrewer, I am only on page 21, have been reading for a while and I have a long ways to go...

I am a Newbie to say the least. DB you said you have done 2 1/2 gal batches. I would like to do a few 2 1/2 gal batches, can you help with a recipe or two. I am interested in the Dunkelweizen do I just half your recipe?. Red Ales and Octoberfest is a couple of my top beers.

I only have a 2 1/2 gal fermentor and a 3 gal brew pot right now so I am limited on my batches.

Thanks again

 

[bobbrews]

how accurate would an OG reading be with a partial mash ??? being that you'd most likely top off with cold water wouldn't you run into the same issue of not getting the wort and the topoff water mixed in thoroughly to get an accurate reading??

I don't think that I would generalize most people likely to be topping off with cold water. Perhaps most people who use partial mash "kits" are topping off, however there is a whole population of brewers who are formulating their own partial mash recipes. But to answer your question, there are calculators for this. Google is your friend.

Partial Mash Brewing in its best form is very similar to full volume boil, All Grain Brewing with one huge difference... that being a portion of your fermentables is coming from extract.

 

[pwkblue]

Thank You Deathbrewer!!

I started using this method last April, and have brewed about 20 batches using the general method. I started with a few "partial mash" recipes..essentially replacing most extract with grain...and now do mostly all grain recipes with the same basic method.

In fact, I have adjusted my efficiency assumption building recipes to 85% for smaller grain bills under 10 lbs...and 75% for larger grain bills where I use less mash water. I have done grain bills as large as 15lbs using this method, and could probably manage a few pounds more, but the efficiency will drop a touch.

I have a 35qt stock pot that just barely fits inside my oven. With the oven set at the lowest approx 150 degree setting....my starting mash temp will stay stable for the entire mash. This is true for any normal mash temp....the ambient temp inside the oven is "close enough" that any heat gain or loss is minimal. If my initial mash temp is 148, or 156....that temp will hold for as long as I want.

 

[Xanatos903]

Thank You Deathbrewer!!

I started using this method last April, and have brewed about 20 batches using the general method. I started with a few "partial mash" recipes..essentially replacing most extract with grain...and now do mostly all grain recipes with the same basic method.

In fact, I have adjusted my efficiency assumption building recipes to 85% for smaller grain bills under 10 lbs...and 75% for larger grain bills where I use less mash water. I have done grain bills as large as 15lbs using this method, and could probably manage a few pounds more, but the efficiency will drop a touch.

I have a 35qt stock pot that just barely fits inside my oven. With the oven set at the lowest approx 150 degree setting....my starting mash temp will stay stable for the entire mash. This is true for any normal mash temp....the ambient temp inside the oven is "close enough" that any heat gain or loss is minimal. If my initial mash temp is 148, or 156....that temp will hold for as long as I want.

You know, I've never thought about mashing in the oven. I've got a mash tun that I use, but if I'm ever in need, I'll keep this in mind.

 

[dickproenneke]

I have only been brewing for 8 months, all extract with some steeping grains. I was avoiding learning all grain b/c it intimidated me with all of the additional equipment and seemed very complicated. Then I find DB's simple stove top method and all of my fears have been cast aside. It's so easy! And The only new equipment that I had to purchase was 5 gal paint strainer bag. Thanks DB! This extract noob has been converted!

 

[smetana1986]

Still living in that cabin in Alaska Dick?

 

[nianticcardplayer]

Read this entire thread and have been using the bag method of partial mash brewing for some time. I am looking to go all grain but I just can't pull that trigger of 200+ dollars for two coolers with fittings. I generally after the mash run a 3 gallon boil and add my water to the pot during the cool down....I do boil my water and let it cool for a couple of days that will be my top off.....