Need some help, first AG. BIAB

[p4in7r4in]

Ok, so I have a couple of questions. My brother in law has been wanting me to clone Rainer. :rockin: I couldn't ever find a recipe that was extract (was only doing extract and PM at the time, didn't want to try to convert it). But now that I am making the leap to AG. I figured I'd do it for him, since I figured it would be easy...well so I thought. The recipe is for 11.49 gallons. I can only do max 6 gallons. So I figured I'd try to scale it back to 5.5 gallons. So I need some help figuring this out, since I can't just cut it in half and call it good, or so I think. I've included some notes on the recipe below of things I may change as well.

Grain Bill for 11.49 Gallon:
##############
11lb Pilsen Malt
3 lb Cornmeal
1 lb Flaked corn (thinking of doing 2 lbs of Maize instead, so I can avoid a cereal mash)
1 lb 2-Row
.5 lb of toasted raw wheat (thinking of using torrified wheat instead)
.5 lb of Carapils Malt
.25 Melanoidin Malt
##############
1.76 oz of Mt. Rainier hops at 90 min
1.76 oz of Mt. Rainier hops 15 min addition
1.06 oz of Mt. Rainier hops 1 min addition

Shooting for 70-75% efficiency since I am doing BIAB. (May batch sparge too)

Let me know if there is additional information you need. Thanks in advance!

 

[btbnl]

Halving everything and making 5.75 gallons would seem like the easiest approach.

 

[p4in7r4in]

OK, cool. Will the maize give similar flavor to the cornmeal/flakes combo?

 

[Culbetron]

You can cut it in half and call it good. Either that or scale it down in a brewing program like Beersmith 2.

The maize can be used to replace the cornmeal and you won't need to do a cereal mash if you use flaked maize. The torrified wheat also doesn't need the cereal mash.

Keep good notes on volumes and temperatures so you can both learn your process, and dial in your efficiencies, volumes, and temperatures.

Using adjuncts to make a light beer like this is kind of a tricky thing for a first AG batch! But, on the plus side, any flaws will be easy for you to catch!

 

[p4in7r4in]

Great! Thank you. I am using flaked maize. Thanks for the help!

 

[Gnomebrewer]

Flaked corn = flaked maize.

Maize and corn are the same thing.

No cereal mash.

 

[Gnomebrewer]

Just realised there was cornmeal in the original recipe as well as flaked corn. Not sure about this one....

 

[p4in7r4in]

I figured cornmeal would be just a cheaper fermentable. I was going to just try more flaked corn. I figured it would have a similar outcome.

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

Are you using a calculator to help with your BIAB?

 

[p4in7r4in]

Yeah, I did a few. I'm using BrewR on my phone. Also checked numbers with a BIAB calculator online.

 

[brewprint]

I'll be interested in how this turns out. I enjoyed that Rainier beer when I was in Washington a couple a years ago.

 

[p4in7r4in]

I will let y'all know how it turns out.

 

[madscientist451]

It looks like you are following the brewtoad recipe:

https://www.brewtoad.com/recipes/rainier

I've never used corn in a beer, but if you are going to do it, why not follow the recipe procedure?
I've never done a cereal mash (or heard of it until now) but there's an article about doing it and why you do it from BYO magazine:

https://byo.com/hops/item/442-cereal-mashing-techniques

Cereal Mashing doesn't look too difficult, all you need is a pot, spoon and a thermometer.

I'm a little skeptical that Pabst uses Pilsner malt when they brew Rainier. I'm thinking 6 row pale malt, but you'll have to experiment with it to see.
The bigger question beyond a recipe is running the lager yeast at proper temperature.
Most lager yeasts need to be in the 48-50F range.
You'll also have to cold lager the beer for 4-6 weeks.
The Brulospher website has a good procedure for making lagers with a shorter lagering time.
If you are just getting into all grain, my 2 cents would be to do a few simple ales that are proven good beers. For the summer, Beermucher's Centennial Blonde ale comes to mind, or clone a light ale that you like. Good Luck & Cheers!

 

[p4in7r4in]

Yup! That is the recipe I'm following. I've read a few places that cereal mash isn't super necessary, especially if use select appropriate substitute grains. Since I am doing BIAB, I didn't want to do the cereal mash. I feel like if I'm doing the cereal mash, I might as well go full bore and do a traditional AG batch. I read that article, I might try it with a different batch and see what it does for the flavor. I've changed the yeast on this recipe, I doubt they use a mexican lager yeast too, I am going to use White Lab's American Lager. I will be using a fermentation chamber to ferment, so I'm not worried about the fermentation temp.

 

[madscientist451]

Sounds like a plan...Interested to hear what happens if you skip the cereal mash with that much corn, happy brewing....