Mash size and boil volume help!

[Joser14]

Hi everyone,

Im just getting back into brewing this Saturday. After one bad batch a few years ago, i stopped and now i cant wait to jump back into it. I have all the equipment and all my ingredients i need to brew.

I'm making a spotted cow clone basically identical to the Speckled Heifer. The only thing is i cant seem to figure out what i need my mash size to be and how much water i should have at my boil time after my sparge. (doing a partial mash).

Recipe is as follows:
- 2 lbs Rahr 2-row
- 0.5 lbs CaraPils
- 0.25 lbs flaked barley
- 0.25 lbs flaked maize
FERMENTABLES
- 3.15 lbs Pilsen malt syrup
- 1 lb Briess Pilsen dry malt extract
HOPS & FLAVORINGS
- 0.75 oz Cluster (45 min)
- 0.25 oz Cluster (15 min)

instructions call for 5 qts of water for mash and 5 more for sparge. then it says top off to your normal boil size. I think im having the issue with that. Can anyone help me please. Thank you in advance!

 

[pablosbrewing]

instructions call for 5 qts of water for mash and 5 more for sparge. then it says top off to your normal boil size. I think im having the issue with that. Can anyone help me please. Thank you in advance!

A lot of variables - are you doing the mash in a separate container (mash tun), what is the expected batch size, how big is your boil kettle.

For me I would mash the grains in a bag right in the boil kettle with 8-9 quarts of water, hold the mash temp the recipe calls for, and pull the bag out and squeeze to drain at the end with no sparge. Then I would move on to the rest of the recipe.

 

[rhys333]

I find a water to grain ratio of 1.35 quarts per pound works well for partial mash, and about 1.5 quarts per pound for the sparge. I consider the mash water volume more critical to ensure proper conversion.

 

[Joser14]

Thats what I was figuring. What should my boil volume be approximately? I have a 5 gallon boil kettle and another 4 gallon to sparge with. Batch size will be 5 gallons. Rhys333, when you say 1.35 quarts per pound of my grains, I shouldnt include my LME and DME correct?

I also figure I'll just almost top off my kettle while doing the boil and add the water to my fermenter once finished?

 

[rhys333]

Thats what I was figuring. What should my boil volume be approximately? I have a 5 gallon boil kettle and another 4 gallon to sparge with. Batch size will be 5 gallons. Rhys333, when you say 1.35 quarts per pound of my grains, I shouldnt include my LME and DME correct?

Correct, the 1.35qts per pound ratio excludes lme and dme. It only includes the grain component you plan to mash. I typically max out my 5 gal pot, mashing about 9 lbs grain in 3 gal water. I then sparge with 170 F water to collect approximately 3.75 gal total volume in my pot. I add enough dme at the start of my 60 minute boil to obtain average gravity (say 1.050), approximating the gravity I'd have if I were brewing all-grain. I add any remaining dme with 10 minutes remaining in the boil. I tend to stay under 4 gallons for the boil because it takes a long time to heat on the stove... plus potential for boil over becomes problematic thd more I have in the pot.

 

[Joser14]

Ok. Do you think its ok to mash with only 1 gallon of water? I just worry about all the grains being submerged in the water.

 

[rhys333]

Ok. Do you think its ok to mash with only 1 gallon of water? I just worry about all the grains being submerged in the water.

I don't have experience mashing less than 6 or 7 lbs, so I'm not sure if I can say. Perhaps if you did the mash in a smaller pot instead of your 5 gal? Temperature might fall quickly due to small volume, but I suppose you could leave it mashing in an oven pre-warmed to 150F.

 

[rhys333]

Now I think about it, my first PM batch was about the same size as the one you're doing. I did the mash in a smaller 2 gal pot. Worked perfectly.

 

[Joser14]

Ok. Thank you so much for your help! I'm sure it'll go just fine tomorrow. One more question, do you wrap your kettle in blankets while it is mashing? If not what do you recommend to keep my temp at 152?


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[Yooper]

Your oven, warmed and turned off, or if it goes as low as 150-160, that would be great.

I'd mash with 1.5 quarts of water per pound of grain then after the mash, hold the grain bag over your brew pot and pour 170 degree water over it up to your boil volume. Add the extract at flame out.


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[dobe12]

Use your oven. When I was brewing partial mash, partial boils, etc. in my kitchen I did it all the time. Works great! While getting your mash water up to temp, turn your oven on warm. When your mash is all mixed, turn the oven off, put the lid on your mash pot, and pop it in the oven. It will keep your mash pretty constant over an hour.

YOOPER beat me too it. But we agree and that's what matters!

 

[Joser14]

add the extract at flame out you say? benefits? I'm obviously up for anything and based on your posts you know your stuff!!!

 

[Yooper]

add the extract at flame out you say? benefits? I'm obviously up for anything and based on your posts you know your stuff!!!

There are a couple of benefits. One is that the beer won't be as dark colored. Another is that the beer won't have a "cooked extract" flavor that comes from excess maillard reactions (similar to caramelization).

The other benefit is that you can fit more liquid in your pot, to do the biggest sized boil you can for the whole time- extract takes up lots of room in the pot!

If you have issues dissolving the dry extract (it's clumpy when you try to add it), you can add it at the beginning of the boil, but save the liquid extract and add it at flameout.

 

[Joser14]

Awesome. Thank you so much!!!


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[rhys333]

Ok. Thank you so much for your help! I'm sure it'll go just fine tomorrow. One more question, do you wrap your kettle in blankets while it is mashing? If not what do you recommend to keep my temp at 152?


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I wrap mine in a big beach towel, which holds a constant temp for up to 90 minutes. I might lose a degree or two in that time, but not much. The 5 gal pot is pretty full, and that really helps retain temp. As others suggest, the preheated oven may work well for what you're doing. I'd do it myself, but my 5 gal pot is an inch too big to fit in the oven! Good idea to check yours fits in before starting the mash as well... if not, towels work great

 

[Joser14]

so, everything went great yesterday. I was a moron and didnt take a gravity reading before i started fermentation. Its going really well now and its bubbling like crazy. when is the appropriate time to assume that its done and I can start bottling. I know that even if i dont see much its still going. Just looking for a good rule of thumb to go by. Thanks again to all for your input, it was really helpful!