Help an AG guy out with Partial Mashing

[sumbrewindude]

So - I started this journey out with AG right off the bat. Love it, very happy with it.

That said, I've never done a partial mash/extract batch. I didn't really see the point when I'm doing sub 3gal recipes. If I did do a 5gal batch for some reason, it'd be a limitied thing - so because of that I'm kicking around the thought of exploring partial mash for them.

From the general look of things, I can sub out the base malt (or part of the base malt) for LME/DME and mash the specialty grains like usual. Once the mash is done, just boil as usual and add the DME/LME and away we go.

Where I'm getting confused is with hop additions and water volume.

From what it looks like, the water amount is less that a full AG boil and then top up water is added after cool down to top up the carboy. How is this water volume calculated for boil?

Second question relates to that boil water - do I need to compensate with more hops during the boil due to the lack of water? I thought I remembered something about due to a higher gravity that hop additions would need to change.

Trying to see how I can migrate some of my recipes to partial mash, and what kind of volumes I'll be dealing with for boiling.

Thanks gang. :rockin:

 

[rodwha]

From a podcast I hear sometime back they brewed 3 IPA's using the same recipe, but doing them in different ways, and the beers had very minor differences including the IBU's. It didn't seem to be enough to be too concerned about it unless maybe you are trying to be very specific.

I began by doing extracts with steeped grains and have moved to mini mashes now, and I like how it opens doors for me without the real need to bother with my water besides using some RO water depending on color.

Top up water may or may not be needed when doing this. When you figure up your recipe and then boil with a smaller volume it will just increase the IBU's, which gets diluted again to what it's supposed to be with the top off water.

I'd add your LME at flameout if you use it. No chance for scorching or darkening.

 

[rodwha]

I don't get too wound up in the volumes, though I measure it all, and did find my boil off rate. But I marked my buckets by the 1/2 gal and top them that way. My bigger problem would be my estimate of grain absorption. I figure it keeps me in the ballpark...

 

[sumbrewindude]

Thanks for the input.

I also put this over in the extract section, and got some more info in addition to this. I think the mini-mash (is that an actual term?) with a late addition of extract then top off water is the way I'll go.

AFA Volumes, I like hard numbers to plan with. Of course it never works out that way; if I at least have a ballpark to plan on standing in, I don't feel so lost when I end up in the parking lot. Most of my recipes are designed square in the middle of the guideline tolerances for ABV/IBU/SRM, etc. I've had weird things happen to the hop additions when my effeciency jumped, and as this mini-mash/extract thing could have the same effect I thought it best to ask the question now.

Thanks again rodwha!

 

[rodwha]

Don't get me wrong. I like numbers too. But the perfectionist in me had to be subdued or it would drive me crazy and I'd lose interest.

I measure out my mash and boil water, checked my boil off rate, and looked at an average grain absorption loss, but I also allow a small +/- for all of this to keep sane. I figure the minor variances shouldn't effect it too badly, though it would be quite difficult to be exact, but then it is anyway.

Another thing I like about adding my LME at flameout is it acts in the capacity of top off as well.

 

[helibrewer]

Are you able to boil the entire volume (6.5-7 gallons) or will this be a partial boil as well as a partial mash? Your boil volume should be as large as you can make it. Figure you will boil off 1-1.5 gallons per hour and plan the top-off volume accordingly. Grain absorption will be about
0.15 gallons per pound of grain.


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