mini mash

[ruprplxd]

Hi. I'm new. I've only brewed 2 batches and I am still waiting for them to be ready. My first was a Nut Brown Ale. It had a bag of grains that I had to steep in water then take out and add the hops and continue on with the wort. I just threw the grains out when I was finished. I hate to ask such a dumb question, but, is this considered a mini-mash?
I'm wondering because I'm going to brew a Lemongrass Hefe that I read about on here last week and I have a choice of getting it with all extract or a mini mash or all grain. I'm obviously not going to get the all grain because I wouldn't know what to do. I'd get the mini mash if it's just a matter of steeping the grains then taking them out and adding the hops. But, is a mini mash kit more than this?
Also, do mini mash kit beers s taste better than the all extracts?
(I'd also kind of like the leftover grains because I want to make the dog treats I also read about last week.)
This website is just such a font of information..it gives me all sorts of ideas. Thanks.

 

[Yooper]

Hi. I'm new. I've only brewed 2 batches and I am still waiting for them to be ready. My first was a Nut Brown Ale. It had a bag of grains that I had to steep in water then take out and add the hops and continue on with the wort. I just threw the grains out when I was finished. I hate to ask such a dumb question, but, is this considered a mini-mash?
I'm wondering because I'm going to brew a Lemongrass Hefe that I read about on here last week and I have a choice of getting it with all extract or a mini mash or all grain. I'm obviously not going to get the all grain because I wouldn't know what to do. I'd get the mini mash if it's just a matter of steeping the grains then taking them out and adding the hops. But, is a mini mash kit more than this?
Also, do mini mash kit beers s taste better than the all extracts?
(I'd also kind of like the leftover grains because I want to make the dog treats I also read about last week.)
This website is just such a font of information..it gives me all sorts of ideas. Thanks.

A mini-mash is also called a partial mash. It is different than an extract batch with steeping grains. In steeping, the grains are there for color and flavor. You make a "tea" with them, and then it becomes part of your wort.

In a partial mash, the technique is very similar but other things are happening. The temperature and amount of water you use is more precise, because in this case you are actually causing starches from the grain to convert into sugar.

With that said, you probably CAN do a mini mash if you have an easy time with extract and steeping grains. I used to do it with a big grain bag, and it worked fine for me. You want to make sure your grain bag is large enough to hold all the grains (very loosely packed) and get thoroughly wetted. You also need to make sure that your thermometer is very accurate.

Deathbrewer has a how-to posted on how to do a partial mash. I'll find it for you, so you can see the pictures.

Edit- here it is! https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-partial-mash-brewing-pics-75231/

 

[Yooper]

By the way, where are you in Northern Wisconsin?

 

[Grinder12000]

The question is does Mini Mash taste better then Extract.

Yes - because you can use grain that can not be sued in Extract.

It's like cooking but you can only use salt and pepper but no other seasonings.

Mini Mashing is very easy - you just have to pay more attention to temps.

as yoop says - get a BIG grain bag - you will need to hold 4 pounds of grain.

 

[impatient]

I might mention, that if you plan on adding gravity from the grains, you want to make sure not to exceed 1.5 quarts of water per pound of grain. This allows the enzymes to be dense enought for conversion. The majority of your grains will also have to be a base grain in order to provide the enzymes to convert the specialty grains complex starches.

As far as temp, 140-152 will provide full conversion and a thinner brew and 153-168 will provide less conversion and more body. Do not exceed 170 with the grains in or you could pull tanins.

 

[Grinder12000]

The real trick is getting your water temp ABOVE your desired mashing temp as the grain will cool it off by 10-15 degrees.

Yesterday I had to start with 167 to get to 154.