Need help ASAP PLEASE!!

[DoubleFisted]

I just noticed that the new irish red ale recipe that I want to do today (which I am all set up to do right now) is a step mash. Never have done this and I do not believe I have to proper equipment to do at this point. My mash tun is a cooler conversion the recipe says 120 degrees and then 150 degrees. My question is since I already got everything ready and crushed my grains can I just do the single mashing and mash it at 150 degrees or so for 60 minutes? Please help as soon as you can!!!

 

[MeatyPortion]

You could probably still do a single mash. The beer may not be as complex as it would be but I don't think it would ruin it.

I guess though that I'm wondering why you can't do a step mash. Do you have a spare 5 gallons or so pot to heat up water? What's preventing you from doing a step mash?

 

[DoubleFisted]

yes I could but I guess if I have the grains at 120 degrees and then it needs to go to 150 so what do I need to heat the temp how much water should go in first and then second I am just doing a 5 gallon batch

 

[MeatyPortion]

Here are a couple threads on step mashing. I hope they help.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/step-mashing-picnic-cooler-mash-lauter-tun-229264/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/step-mash-vs-infusion-66622/

 

[JayB]

You can run off the mash into buckets prior to boiling if you have only one pot.

 

[MeatyPortion]

yes I could but I guess if I have the grains at 120 degrees and then it needs to go to 150 so what do I need to heat the temp how much water should go in first and then second I am just doing a 5 gallon batch

I've seen people post about just adding some boiling water. The question is how much and what temp.

You say that the instructions in the recipe require a step mash, does it go into specifics at all?

 

[DoubleFisted]

The specifics are not there it just says


2 lbs. American 6-row Pale
8 lbs. American 2-row
.5 lbs. American Caramel 60°L
1 lbs. Crystal Malt 60°L
.5 lbs. Belgian Cara-Pils
1.0 oz. Hallertau Hersbruck (Pellets, 4.50 %AA) boiled 60
minutes.
.5 oz. Hallertau Hersbruck (Whole, 4.50 %AA) boiled 15
minutes.
Yeast: WYeast 1084 Irish Ale

Notes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Step Mash
120 degrees
150 degrees

 

[MeatyPortion]

The specifics are not there it just says


2 lbs. American 6-row Pale
8 lbs. American 2-row
.5 lbs. American Caramel 60°L
1 lbs. Crystal Malt 60°L
.5 lbs. Belgian Cara-Pils
1.0 oz. Hallertau Hersbruck (Pellets, 4.50 %AA) boiled 60
minutes.
.5 oz. Hallertau Hersbruck (Whole, 4.50 %AA) boiled 15
minutes.
Yeast: WYeast 1084 Irish Ale

Notes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Step Mash
120 degrees
150 degrees

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/step-mash-vs-infusion-66622/#post685543

I thought a step mash simply meant more than one temperature rest. A step mash could be infusion, direct fire, or decoction. I haven't found a protein rest increases efficiency any noticeable amount but it does seem to help with chill haze and contrary to what I've read it doesn't seem to hurt head retention. If you really want to experiment there are multiple protease enzymes just like alpha and beta amylase enzymes each having a different effect on the mash, I think John Palmer's site / book has good info on this.

From what I read in that thread the step mash is something you can do or not. Step mashes were more important when the quality of malt was not what it is now and BobbyM recommends AG beginners should stick to single-step mashes. You may get better efficiency with a multiple step mash but it's not absolutely necessary.

I hope this helps.

 

[DoubleFisted]

great at what temp would you suggest I mash it at and for 60 minutes probably?

 

[MeatyPortion]

great at what temp would you suggest I mash it at and for 60 minutes probably?

The 150 temp should be fine. Here's an Irish Red recipe where it's a 75 minute mash at 150 https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f65/irish-red-1st-place-hbt-comp-141086/

And another at 152 for 60 minutes.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f65/quaffable-irish-red-all-grain-scrappers-98524/

I think you would be alright going with 150F for 60 minutes. The higher the temp, the more body the finished beer will have and I did see one at 155. However, yours says 150F so I'd go with that.

edit -- after reading this http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter14.html and this https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/mash-temperature-its-effects-171275/ maybe you could try the 75 minute mash since lower temp mashes take a bit longer. It's up to you though. Personally, I guess I would wait the extra 15 minutes.

 

[DoubleFisted]

Thanks so much you are a lifesaver... I owe you!

 

[DoubleFisted]

Thank you so much you are a life saver! I owe you !

 

[MeatyPortion]

No problem. I'm still learning myself so this helps me as much as it helps you. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[BigEd]

The specifics are not there it just says


2 lbs. American 6-row Pale
8 lbs. American 2-row
.5 lbs. American Caramel 60°L
1 lbs. Crystal Malt 60°L
.5 lbs. Belgian Cara-Pils
1.0 oz. Hallertau Hersbruck (Pellets, 4.50 %AA) boiled 60
minutes.
.5 oz. Hallertau Hersbruck (Whole, 4.50 %AA) boiled 15
minutes.
Yeast: WYeast 1084 Irish Ale

Notes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Step Mash
120 degrees
150 degrees

You will be just fine with a single temp mash in the area of 150F.

Irish Red?? Not to be too picky here but I don't think I've ever seen a recipe for an Irish Red Ale that was not based on UK pale malt, roasted barley to make it red and UK hops. That might be a pretty good beer but it's a lot more of an American amber than an Irish red.

 

[Ceedubya]

here is what beersmith says:

Prepare Ingredients for Mash
Amount Item Type
8.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain
2.00 lb Pale Malt (6 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain

-- WARNING: Preheat Mash Tun - No equipment adjustments made!
2 min Mash Ingredients
Protein Rest: Add 21.00 qt of water at 124.4 F
35 min - Hold mash at 120.0 F for 35 min
2 min Saccharification: Decoct 7.92 qt of mash and boil it
45 min - Hold mash at 150.0 F for 45 min
10 min Mash Out: Heat to 168.0 F over 10 min
10 min - Hold mash at 168.0 F for 10 min
-- Sparge with 2.67 gal of 168.0 F water.
-- Add water to achieve boil volume of 6.41 gal
-- Estimated Pre-boil Gravity is: 1.047 SG with all grains/extracts added

Good Luck!

 

[DoubleFisted]

You will be just fine with a single temp mash in the area of 150F.

Irish Red?? Not to be too picky here but I don't think I've ever seen a recipe for an Irish Red Ale that was not based on UK pale malt, roasted barley to make it red and UK hops. That might be a pretty good beer but it's a lot more of an American amber than an Irish red.

I honestly was thinking the same thing, surprisingly enough it has a pretty nice red tint to it. We will just have to see how it turns out, I actually wanted to make a dubbel but the place I bought my grains didn't have the type I needed so I didn't bring any other recipes so I used a generic one