Help with first step mash

[JohnK93]

Hello all,
I'm planning on doing my first step mash, an Oktoberfest based on Loopers Marzen/Oktoberfest recipe that specifies a beta rest at 140 followed by an alpha rest at 158. Entering the info into TastyBrew for my recipe resulted in total water additions of 14.7 quarts, or 3.65 gallons. I think that my total water volume (taking into account dead space, grain absorption, etc.) should be around 5.5 gallons. This is based on BeerSmith single infusion/batch sparge volumes and past brews.

My question is, when does the missing 2 gallons (approx) get added. Should I use this as my second sparge volume? Also, I don't see a mash option in BeerSmith for step mashing using water additions to raise temps...am I missing something or is it not there?

Thanks,
John

 

[brewkinger]

It sounds like that 3.65 gallons is initial strike water amount.
After step mashing and collecting first runnings, you would most likely end up with 2 or so gallons after grain absorb.
Sparge with the additional water to get to the volume you want.

There is an option in Beersmith. You have to specify mash profile and choose the option that is step infusion instead of single infusion

 

[brewkinger]

I had to check BeerSmith today (on my phone last night for previous post).

When you are looking at the recipe, click on the mash tab and then click on the drop down menu for the mash profile and choose Temperature Mash 2 step.

It looks like you would add that 3.65 gallons of strike water and do protein rest.
Then heat up the mash to the next step (sacch) and then again for mash out and fly sparge.

 

[Bankshot]

I brewed that recipe over a month ago and it's almost done lagering. Like the other guys have said you will need to find the 2-step setting in beersmith and that will calc your water for you.

The first step i used a mash ratio of .75 or .85 and the next step bumped it up to around 1.25 or so. This got me the exact amount of water I needed.

I didn't really hit my temps very well but it got close enough and all my gravities were spot on. So don't worry much if you end up a bit off.

 

[brewkinger]

Now that I think about it, when I was looking at BS, I noticed that there are two different (3 if you count decoctions) methods of doing this.

1) Step Infusion: Involves additions of water at increasing temps to bring the grain up to various steps. (like the previous post and what the OP is planning on doing)

2) Temperature Infusion: Involves adding ALL strike water and then heating up the mash to increasing step temps.

 

[JohnK93]

Thanks for the feedback....I'll check BS when I get home tonight, but all I was seeing was the Temperature Infusion method for 2 step, which looks like it requires heating the water in the mash tun. Since I'm using a cooler that doesn't work for me, but it sounds like I just need to find the option for Step Infusion. Must have overlooked it.

Thanks again,
John